Very soon we will receive the long-awaited novelty from the press, but for now we want to share an interesting conversation with a talented the illustrator of "Jane Eyre" — Oleksiy Shcherbak. About whether I would like to live in Victorian times and how it is different work on Jane Eyre from the Gothic collection?

How was working on Jane Eyre for you? Where did you start?

The portrait prototype was Charlotte Brontë herself. I liked one black and white shot of her with a very expressive look and facial features. I tried to make a portrait similar to her as close as possible and, of course, added from himself.

Would you like to live in the era of Jane Eyre?

I think not. From that time, you can endlessly draw inspiration, but I think it would not be easy to live there. Although it is far from it the worst period in which you could be born)

An interesting fact about the job was that you worked in the office of the publishing house. How do you like this format? Are you comfortable working in the office?

At that moment, I really needed him! I'm so glad I got it! But still I need more freedom as artist, I am not a fan of working in an office. Came on time, left on time. Maybe I can last a month. I don't know it is difficult to work so systematically. I start to sour, usually if I sour - not much good happens.

If I do one illustration at home and there seems to be some rest, we go somewhere (I rest) and still something goes wrong and then I understand that I need to remove the workshop! I need a large canvas, paint, I need to smear, wave a brush next to the canvas and even then the palette knife and the smell of enamel are not enough))))

Do you have idols? Whose work do you admire?

If we talk about artists, then first of all it is: Odd Nerdrum, Nicola Samori, James Jean, Phil Hale, Beksinsky
Also: Tolmachov, Zhuravlev, Jordan Sokol, Piotr Jablonski, Colleen Barry, Miles Johnston, Yerko, Dima Rebus, Kim Jung Gee, David Fincher, Daniel Zrom, Hassan Tabrizi, Jeff Simpson, Ariel Perez, Egon Schiele, Rembrandt These are probably my main guides, teachers and educators of taste. But of course not all.

We know that you are participating in the Berlin fair, which will take place in August, what works will you take there? What for the topic of these works? In what technique are they made?

Yes! I'm really looking forward to it :) There will be mainly graphics - watercolors, including new ones, made especially for the fair. Topic about human relations, about closeness, about the bond of kinship and friendship.

You have already illustrated Gothic stories) How difficult was it compared to "Jane Eyre"?

The Gothic assembly was much easier! Because the format is closer to me: a short story - one illustration. Me I like that I can quickly read this story and immediately it is imprinted in your head, you experienced it and you immediately start drawing. You forgot everything at once - and you move on to a new story. Everything is fresh. For example, with Jane Air was not easy, because the story is one, but there are a lot of illustrations. But on the other hand, you try harder to immerse yourself in the work in order to better separate more details, more nuances, you are looking for a new perspective, perspectives on one and things too - and that's cool too.

It was difficult, I tried to divide into sections, which you perceive as a separate story and draw.

In Gothic stories I felt free. In Jane Eyre - after all, there were limits, for example, the framework of stylization, there it was necessary to observe historical moments. Jane Eyre gravitates more towards realism, she wants Gothic collections too realism, but there is a lot of syura.

We really like your t-shirts with images of your work. How did this idea come about? Do you plan to develop further? its?

The idea of ​​making merch has been around for a long time. This is another way to share your art with your audience. I wanted it to be something more accessible to someone who likes what I do.

Name a few films that you would recommend to readers? (the ones that first come to mind)?

(That's a good question.)

• "Capone" of 2020 - I watched it recently, I think it is an extremely underrated film.
• "Only lovers will survive" - ​​my love forever)
• "Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai"
• In general, I love Jim Jarmusch))
• Continuing the list: "Amelie"
• "Old people have no place here"
• "Entering the Void"
• "On the way"
• "Diary of a basketball player"
• Almost any film by Guy Ritchie))
• "Silence of the Lambs"
• "Catch Me If You Can"

And many other films...

What are your plans for 2021? What are you planning to do, where to go?

There are many ideas, but I can't think of anything. I want to write a lot more. Finish the series finally, put it in some good place :)