Dear Pennies & Pens,
I have always loved fashion illustration. Years ago, I worked with the Brooklyn Public Library to launch a public relations and social media campaign for the exhibit, “Fashion Illustration: A Contemporary Look”. It was such a fun project because I learned a lot about fashion illustration as well as honing my media pitching and marketing skills.
Moving right along, I have been wanting to feature a fashion illustrator here on de la Pen…All Pen Everything for awhile now. However, I just haven’t had the time to do research. But luckily, all good things come to do those who wait and sometimes, what you want and need will come to you. When Fashion Illustrator, Martina Pavlova reached out to me last week, that’s exactly what happened.
In the interview below, I chat with Martina about her work, creative process, and upcoming projects. I love Martina’s work because she truly lives by her tagline, “Stylish illustrations for stylish life”.
Martina’s work is whimsical, chic, and classic. It just never gets old to me. As a woman, I love seeing things that are beautiful and original. It gives me inspiration and motivation. So with no further adieu, I present: Pen’s Eye: Stylish Illustrations for Stylish Life by Martina Pavlova.
- Where are you from? And where do you currently live?
I am from Czech Republic, middle Europe, but I have lived in many different countries exploring different worlds and different cultures. Recently, I am based in south of Spain.
- How has your heritage influenced you as an artist?
Living in many different countries under different regimes and conditions, speaking several languages, I consider myself a citizen of the world. Cosmopolitan and open-minded, and that is what I put into my illustrations. They are just universal and easily related to any modern culture.
- What school did you go to?
I studied fashion and textile design.
- What inspires you to create art?
Mostly world of fashion and beauty where I used to work for several years. And traveling, my biggest passion (after illustrating indeed).
- What made you decide to become an artist?
I have been creative all my life but actually I never dreamed about being an illustrator as such, it just happened organically. It may be a cliché but I dreamt about being an actress. Yet my extreme shyness brought me to fashion design studies and after that I worked in fashion and beauty industry for several years until I realized drawing pretty things is what I enjoyed the most.
- Tell me more about your creative process as far as how you create your pieces? What tools, programs, or mediums do you use?
I have rough pencil sketches just anywhere, on many papers and in many notebooks, diaries and even in books, because when the creativity muse strikes, there’s no time to hold it back! Later on I use some of those ideas and make it alive with markers, colored pencils or watercolors (no preferred brand there). I often use computer graphic programs and love to add some special handmade details to the final images.
- Which piece (that you’ve created) is your favorite? Why?
My favorite is always the last one and the one I am just starting to work on. I just love new challenges and energy that it brings along, and how always teaches me something new and makes my life more exciting.
- What advice would you give to young art artists who are starting to build their portfolios?
Draw a lot, experiment with different styles and media, and be creative to find out what you like the most (be it style, media, etc.). Don’t be afraid to be different, so that your work would be special and memorable. And get some marketing education if possible, because no art school will ever teach you the things you really need in real life.
- Who is your favorite artist and why?
Two of my top illustrators are Jason Brooks and Arturo Elena.
Jason is a digital illustration pioneer and first fashion illustrator that caught my attention many years ago. And Arturo has an eccentric, super colorful and super detailed style that I admire a lot.
- Tell me about present and upcoming projects?
At the moment, I am working on several custom illustrations and on 2 books. And there are several other projects in negotiation that I can’t talk about yet but can’t wait to share with you!
Keep up with Martina here: www.martinaillustration.com and on social meda: Instagram @MartinaIllustration Facebook Martina Illustration
And there it is. de la Pen…All Pen Everything. With us, keeping it real never goes wrong.
