Victoria Fomina

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Character Design

Children & Family

Conceptual

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Fantasy

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Stylized woman with flowing hair holding candle near heron by water, by Victoria Fomina

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Leaning classical tower with rain clouds and purple plants by Victoria Fomina

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The snow queen children book graphic design

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Book cover of A Murderous Persuasion by Katie Oliver by Victoria Fomina

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Book cover illustration of The Snow Queen by Victoria Fomina

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Watercolor, gouache, acrylic: Victoria Fomina creates charmingly surreal worlds of imagery.

Between Rococo and Pop Art: Victoria Fomina paints charmingly surreal book worlds teeming with detail.

Naïve, folksy, but with a classical edge, Victoria Fomina’s paintings make viewers want to jump down the rabbit hole with her into a charmingly surreal world of detail and colour, crafted in the artist’s unique style. Vastly experienced, she has illustrated over 40 books for leading publishers, from classic fairy tales and novels to biographies of the great composers. Clients love the dedicated and imaginative way Victoria interprets each brief. No detail is too small as she explores new visual metaphors, adding value to the projects she works on. Victoria is inspired by great artists like da Vinci, Vermeer and Klimt. She loves painting en plien air in the cherry orchard near her home.

Approach

When Victoria receives a brief she dives into the story and surrounds herself with relevant illustrations, postcards, photos, shells, flowers and more to set the perfect tone. She works with watercolour, gouache and acrylic – fluid media that allow for great spontaneity.

Styles

Combining the avant-garde with the traditional, Victoria varies her style depending on the content of the book she’s working on. For a classic or historical narrative she may lean towards a gothic or rococo look, or she might use Pop Art or collage techniques to generate something more contemporary.

Impressions

Interview

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Interview

What led you to become an illustrator?I began to draw in very early in my childhood, I painted on every surface, even on the walls of our apartment. To stop me painting everything around, my grandmother created fairy tales, and together we made our own picture books. So I started to draw illustrations.Where did you grow up?I grew up in a small town on the Black Sea coast, situated among vineyards and gorgeous ruins of ancient Greek and Roman settlements.Do you have a childhood memory relating to drawing/art that you hold dear?As a child, I adored diving in the waves of the sea and looking for shards of ancient red-figured vases. I liked to draw columns and arches of antique architecture and read old legends and myths. So books and architecture are intertwined in my life.Where do you live now and what drew you there?I live in Russia when it's too hot in Israel and I live in Israel when it's too cold in Russia. I love the cherry orchard of my country house in a small old town of Zvenigorod near Moscow. I often draw there when the weather is sunny. The rustle of palm leaves and the noise of the Mediterranean sea waves in my studio in Israel also helps me to tune in to my work.Describe your studio for us My Moscow studio is located in the very centre of the city, in a 19th-century house. There are many studios of other artists nearby and we have fun parties and small exhibitions in my studio in the evenings.Do you have any studio pets? No, but my neighbour's cat Porthos often comes to visit me.Describe the view from your window The windows of my Moscow studio look out into the courtyard with old poplars.Who or What is your biggest inspiration?I love "Beethovenfries" by Gustav Klimt in Secession - there are many details and shining emptiness. My favourite teachers - Leonardo da Vinci, Vermeer, Gotto, Peter Brueghel, Andrey Rublyov. How do you get your ideas?At the beginning of every new commission I dive into the text of a book. I must stop hearing surrounding sounds. I try to isolate myself from everyday life - and I build the Great Wall of China around me (with my favourite art albums, books with my own illustrations, postcards and photos, drawings, letters, postage stamps, sea shells, dried flowers). The list is specified depending on the nature of a book that I am working on and then in silence ideas come to me.Do you collect anything?Yes! Books!Tell us about a favourite project you’ve recently completed.I recently completed some illustrations for Brio magazine with the very tough topic of teen girls and self-harm. I drew pictures filled with symbols of liberation from everything dark and negative on the path to good and freedom. The dark colours change to lighter and brighter colours from the first to the last illustration. I hope we’ll inspire teen girls!What would be your dream job/commission?This would be a commission in which I can use my skills: imagination, erudition and fantasy drawing… It can be a short article in a magazine or a big book, it doesn’t matter...the main thing: smart clients, good deadlines and no problems with money!What makes a really good client brief? It is like to cooking a soup! It is important to establish what the broth will be – it is a basis. So a good brief tells me what spices must be in the broth so that it will be tasty (inspired by the illustrator) and interesting to future eaters (readers).How much of your work is hand drawn?All my illustrations are hand-drawn in whole or in part.Who is your art hero?Leonardo da Vinci with his paintings. And his skill to dress smartly in red tight-fitting trousers.Who is your musical hero?Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He was (and remained forever) an Ingenious Child and an idea to tell children about him inspired me. I have made illustrations for 2 Mozart's biographies for children. It seems to me that sounds were 'live beings' for Mozart, they live in the Magic Gold World and fly to us to stay for a while.If you were not an illustrator, what would you be?I have an architectural education. I build the whole world in every new book. And in real space I would work as a designer: interiors, furniture, tableware, fabrics! If I can't draw, probably I would become a cook, I like to cook food very much and to feast with my friends. Or maybe I would become a diving or tennis or skiing instructor. So I have some variants...Would you still illustrate if you were stranded alone on a desert island?Yes!What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? "Begin by learning to draw and paint like the old masters. After that, you can do as you like; everyone will respect you" by Salvador DaliDo you have a method for dealing with the feeling of having no ideas?Yes! You just need to look around and ideas will appear. For example, once I was in the subway and in the opposite seat I saw several unfamiliar and completely unlike each other men. Their images and poses were so funny in combination with each other that I rushed to the studio and quickly sketched them . There were my dwarfs for Snow White! And what about the evil witch from this fairy tale? An idea came to me in a dream. I am one of those who dreams every night with many coloured vivid dreams. Sometimes dreams are useful — you don’t have time to think over a picture during the day, but in a dream the decision comes!Have you any hidden talents? I have the talent of a political leader, completely hiddenHow would someone who knows you well describe you?Talking blondeIf you could travel back in time, who would be the one person you would want to meet and why?I’d like to meet my grandmother because I really miss her…

Surreal abstract figure emerging from a fat burner jar by Victoria Fomina

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Surreal tree with an eye and moon phases above, by Victoria Fomina

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A white dog and black cat under a moonlit sky with fish and water lilies by Victoria Fomina

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Knight on horseback holding a chalice in a poppy field under crescent moon by Victoria Fomina

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Fantasy book cover of Dunstan the Wanderer by Victoria Fomina

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Cats dancing on an ornate museum floor with chandeliers above

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Stylish woman with red tights walking a dog in polka dot coat by Victoria Fomina

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Whimsical castle with animals and insects by Victoria Fomina

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Princesses and Unicorns Childrens poster

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Illustration of a black and white rabbit with a cityscape and pocket watch

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Illustration of people sitting on a bridge near Vatican, by Victoria Fomina

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Illustration of rabbit in teacup cart holding a raspberry

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Gouache painting of nature for Motherland of Miracles

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Black and white illustration of Little Red Riding Hood and wolf disguised as grandma by Victoria Fom

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Alice in wonderland fantasy graphic design

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Barnaby the Wanderer holding stick with cat on shoulders in countryside

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Watercolor illustration of a pink and yellow honeysuckle flower with green leaves

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Illustration of a pond with dragonflies and plants for magical garden book

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Illustration of Mozart playing violin with musical notes and ships

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Cityscape with moon, stars, buildings, and cat by Victoria Fomina

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Cat walking by open window at night with bats and city silhouette by Victoria Fomina

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Victoria Fomina

Selected illustrations

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Surreal melon made of dollar bills with cosmic fruit, red car, and two women on top by Victoria Fomi

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Woman in white robe with sun motifs, fox, and flowers by Victoria Fomina

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Illustration of characters from The Merchant of Venice by Victoria Fomina

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Tarot cards XX Judgment and XXI The World illustrations by Victoria Fomina

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This Is the House That Jack Built children's rhymes book

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Woman in white dress surrounded by large flowers, artwork by Victoria Fomina

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A merchant of venice Historic art, pan press

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Tchaikovsky childrens art for Ripol classic

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Dalmatian dogs playing with planets in a colorful space city by Victoria Fomina

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Abstract surreal landscape with geometric shapes by Victoria Fomina

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Book cover illustration of kapycejib by Victoria Fomina

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Fairytales Detskaya Literatura Publisher

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Graphic design for The Magic Theater by Victoria Fomina

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Illustrated cover of The Circus of Cats in Venice by Victoria Fomina

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The show queen fantasy art for Isoizdat in Russia

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Computer Generated Your Journey to Freedom

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Stylized theatrical scene under a blue sky with clouds by Victoria Fomina

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Illustration of cats looking through a museum window under night sky

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Illustration of a white rabbit standing upright with pink ears

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Stone sundial on grassy patch with yellow flowers and clovers

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Child riding on a large bird flying over clouds

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Abstract illustration with black and white shapes, red fish, and geometric forms

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Cat walking in striped room toward night cityscape with bats by Victoria Fomina

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Illustration of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart writing music with a quill

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Historical ships with sails and two figures, a man and a red-haired child, by Victoria Fomina

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Sleeping Snow White surrounded by flowers and animals illustration by Victoria Fomina

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Cats looking at a celestial clock with stars and moon by Victoria Fomina

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Winged sphinx with cheetah body in surreal art by Victoria Fomina

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Children riding a giant bird over a castle, painted by Victoria Fomina

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Surreal sea creatures inside a glass by Victoria Fomina

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Knight in silver armor with red cape holding red orb on decorated black horse by mountains by Victor

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Cats play and climb upside down on a chandelier in a blue room

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The Green Witchery Tarot deck and guidebook by Victoria Fomina with nature illustrations

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Illustration of historic ships sailing near a grand museum building

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Mixed medium children poster Cats and the city

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East of the Sun and West of the Moon fantasy art

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Alice in wonderland fantasy art for samsung

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Princesses and Unicorns Childrens book Graphic design

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Winged figure sitting under abstract blue structure with airplane flying nearby.

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Watercolor painting of Athanase et la grenouille for Charity Edition of Boyarkins

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Autumn scene with person walking near red chairs and pigeons by Victoria Fomina

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Book cover of Goth the Wanderer with girl holding lantern, wolf, cat, and bird by Victoria Fomina

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Princesses and Unicorns watercolor drawing

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Painting for my solo show The Magic Theatre

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Illustration of woman holding umbrella and cat with city skyline by Victoria Fomina

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Cats around a table with tea and desserts, whimsical illustration

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The show queen pencil artwork for Isoizdat in Russia

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Fantasy flying horse near cliff over surreal green landscape by Victoria Fomina

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Surreal mechanical figures in classical ruins under crescent moon by Victoria Fomina

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White garden chair under moonlit tree in nighttime garden

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Woman holding Earth globe with moon phases in a garden by Victoria Fomina

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Front cover design of Pride, Prejudice, and Peril book

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Colorful geometric pattern with moon and bird on dark background

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Two cats on gothic balcony under moonlight by Victoria Fomina

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Selected Clients

Gallimard Jeunesse, Penguin Random House, Kingfisher, Rizzoli, Grimm Press, Samsung, JFEP, Pan Press, Vogue, Woongjin