This is my interpretation of a Slavic calendar myth concerning the transition from Winter to Spring. I approached the story not as a literal retelling, but as a visual exploration of nature’s cycle, its opposing forces, and the divine figures that embody seasonal change.

The illustrations combine character-driven storytelling, symbolic details, and atmospheric environments to create a world that feels rooted in folklore while remaining visually contemporary. Through the contrast between cold and warm palettes, recurring motifs, and shifting landscapes, the series follows the transformation of the natural world, turning an old myth into a cohesive visual narrative.

For me, this project reflects my approach to illustration: taking an existing cultural narrative, uncovering its emotional core, and rebuilding it through my own visual language so that it feels vibrant and relevant once more.

Beer Monsters is a series created from a brief for Pabst Blue Ribbon, where the brand’s visual language is reinterpreted through iconic monster archetypes. Instead of their usual attributes, the characters interact with beer, transforming familiar horror imagery into playful, contemporary advertising illustrations. The project demonstrates my ability to work with an existing brand identity while maintaining a strong authorial style and developing memorable character-based visuals.

Savannah Residents originated from a brief for the HSE Concept Store and adopts a completely different tone: cute, eccentric, and slightly absurd African animals designed as expressive print characters. These projects collectively demonstrate my ability to adapt visual storytelling to diverse commercial contexts—from bold branded campaigns to playful merchandise—always keeping the character and its personality at the heart of the image.

The next series follows the adventures of Marusya, a mischievous local girl, and the Firebird, her equally restless companion. Both characters are deeply connected to Nizhny Novgorod and its traditions, but rather than treating folklore as something static, I reimagined it through humor, movement, and everyday chaos. Their relationship transforms familiar cultural motifs into a playful contemporary story.

The project was developed across several formats: two murals, a modular illustration system, and a three-dimensional photo zone. Working across these different scales allowed me to keep the characters recognizable while adapting the composition and storytelling to each physical context. The series demonstrates how I approach illustration not merely as an image, but as a flexible visual world that can transition from wall graphics to spatial installations while preserving its narrative and personality.

This illustration reinterprets Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid through a restrained monochrome visual language. The compositions are built around the contrast between two environments: the dense, enveloping sea and the harsh, almost burning space of the land. Instead of focusing on the fairy tale’s romantic surface, I wanted to emphasize the heroine’s isolation, silence, and emotional displacement.

The absence of bright color reinforces the feeling of longing and emptiness, while the character-focused compositions keep the emotional tension at the center of the story. For me, the project demonstrates how a familiar literary narrative can be transformed through atmosphere, visual metaphor, and a contemporary authorial interpretation.

Do you have a story that deserves its own visual world?
I create character-driven illustrations, reinterpret folklore and cultural narratives, and adapt visual storytelling for publishing, brands, murals, installations, and other creative formats.

If you’re looking for an illustrator who can transform an idea into something memorable and alive, I’d love to hear about your project.

✎ Email: vkkovina@edu.hse.ru