"Each element in my illustrations has a certain meaning."

We are sharing with you a fascinating interview with Taras Kopansky, the illustrator of our new book "Half of a King", which will be released very soon!

Tell us a little about yourself or did you always want to be an artist?

I was born into a family of artists. All my life I have watched how beautiful things are created. My parents didn't force me drawing, but it was impossible to avoid it. I started drawing seriously when I was 15 years old, at that turning point decided to devote his life to creativity.After many months of practice I started getting more or less good result. I am indebted to my parents for the impetus in my own creative path, for a good, in my opinion, sense of taste and tremendous support.

Do you draw every day? Do you have any special rituals before work?

I try to draw as much as possible every day, either sketches or compositional structures. Drawing needs regular practice, like a muscle that needs to be kept in good shape. However, large projects or thoughtful works are born not so often, they are usually preceded by a search for inspiration, ideas and certain references.I do not have specific rituals have, except that, usually, before important work, I go to be alone in nature to escape from the noise of the city and gather your thoughts.

In which technique do you like to work the most and why?

Due to my graphic specialization, the most comfortable techniques for me are linocut, drypoint and watercolor. Lately I've been working mainly with watercolors, I'm interested in researching the relationship between color and certain moods color schemesWatercolor is considered one of the most difficult techniques and it seems alive and pulsating due to the fact that which allows you to convey the airiness and lightness of the image. Linocut, on the contrary, is dramatic, it does not have it nuances, in addition to black and white, so it is a good choice for conveying precisely the content, with a certain symbolic coloring

When you were offered to work on Abercrombie's Half a King book, what were your first emotions and thoughts?

I was delighted to have the opportunity to illustrate a book for a publisher and overcome with excitement, because I wanted do everything as best as possible. It is a great idea to give young artists the opportunity to illustrate books, in the future it is can give Ukraine many good illustrators.

Why is this the decision of the book "Half of a King" that you wanted to draw the reader's attention to? But what will the entire trilogy look like?

First of all, I wanted to focus on the characters that Abercrombie portrayed as key to the fate of the hero Järvi. And golden the ornament symbolizes the ghostly "hand of fate". Also, the book has clear cultural patterns, which are no less important emphasis. All illustrations are made in a collage style, this allows you to build a certain content hierarchy, to emphasize the main thing is to include the main symbols from the part to which the illustration is devoted.

The following books will use an identical approach, to preserve the sense of integrity of the trilogy, perhaps illustrations will be added to the pages, which will significantly diversify the visual composition of the book.

What literature do you read? Are there any books you would like to illustrate? We know what kind of comics you like are you inspired

I am versatile in reading, I like the ability of a book to convey any genre, mood, plot. She allows to reveal the thoughts of the characters, their sincere feelings, no other form of art is capable of this. Now apart from the books that I illustrate, I admire the classics of English mysticism: Arthur Macken, Ambrose Bierce, Robert Chambers.Perhaps, it is their works that I would like to illustrate, having such an opportunity. In addition, I often reread the poetry of Blake and Baudelaire.

The European school of comics is, in my opinion, one of the most interesting. Nowadays, many incredible artists create extraordinary projects based on existing superheroes, reinterpreting works in their own style. Any similar work acts as their artbook, the crystallization of the artist's work. Among such artists, Jean Giraud and Bill can be singled out Sinkevich, Ashley Wood, Juanjo Guarnido, Mike Mignola and many others.

Who is your favorite character from the book "Half the King"?

My favorite character is Uncle Järvi "Nothing", I am impressed by his strength and endurance. He looks like wizards in fairy tales that do not reveal their true essence and importance until the last chapter.

What places, countries would you like to visit and what to see?

I like the beauty of nature, it should be noted, Norway is particularly attractive to me in this respect. I would also like to to visit Austria, the capital of Art Nouveau, the style of which I am extremely impressed by, but so far the covid is preventing.

Is there something cherished that you would like to work on?

I would try my hand at creating my own graphic novel, but I don't have enough writing experience yet scenario, this idea is far from reality.

Did you graduate from the Academy of Arts in the summer, or are you continuing your studies?

Yes, I am studying at a graduate school and at the same time I am teaching composition within the native walls of the academy.

How was your first experience working with students?

Not so long ago, I was a student myself, so I understand well what an important role a teacher plays in education. I am pleased to share my own experience, so I try to be useful to students, to provide them with all the knowledge that is available necessary for the formation of an artist, as a master and as a person.

I am interested in teaching, it sometimes makes me look at already familiar things from a new perspective and learn something myself.

There are many symbols in the book "Half of a King", what do they mean, what meaning do they carry in the illustration or are they just elements compositions?

Each element in my illustrations has a certain meaning, so the aforementioned gold ornament illustrates the fate of Järvi. Also in in the images, you can see the anthropomorphic faces of the gods. And the leading element of the illustrations are cut silhouette spots certain plot elements on which the author emphasizes, for example: four daggers of the king, shackles of enslavement, presented arrows, and the last one is a symbol of the only god, a symbol of power.

What are your expectations from the release of the first book?

This is my first illustrated book, I guess I expect it as well as fans of the work. It is interesting to know the exact opinion readers, whether they will like my illustrations, because the book is made primarily for them.