Interview with Tom Woolley designer of our March banner
After being asked to choose the next Culture Vulture banner designer I immediately thought of Leeds-based illustrator and comic artist Kristyna Baczynski. There’s a good chance you may have spotted Kristyna’s distinctive illustration around Leeds before. She’s designed posters for the Hyde Park Picture House, Leeds College of Music, the Brudenell Social Club and her prints adorn the walls of Leeds comic emporium Travelling Man. With a style rooted in her Ukrainian heritage, Kristyna’s illustration has caught the eye of the BBC, Hallmark and Computer Arts and her narrative works have marked her as a rising star on the UK comics scene.
There’s a rather excellent interview with Kristyna over on Tiny Pencil that delves into her creative process and influences but I also had a few burning questions that I wanted to ask her.
Hi Kristyna! Thanks so much for designing this month’s banner. Your style is very distinctive full of bold shapes and decorative patterns. Has your style taken a long time to develop or was it more immediate?
Hello! Personal visual development takes time, of course. I’ve honed my own distinct way of drawing and designing through doing and creating again and again over years. There are many drawings and illustrations that I’ve had to do to get where I am now. Each one progresses a kind of internal language that you use to communicate with visually. I feel very lucky that people see my work and think of my name, that’s the best reward.
Do you ever feel restricted by your style?
Not at all, I feel liberated. I used to have such a hard time drawing when I was younger. Comparing my work against others and hating it before it was finished. These negative feelings always cropped up and challenged the positive experience of doing something I love. Now, the ‘big event’ of sitting down and actually drawing has gone because I’m so used to it, it doesn’t feel like such a big deal and therein I can draw freely and explore and totally involve myself without the self-conscious baggage.
What attracted you to comic books?
For me, narrative and visual creativity were the most exciting combination of things, from being a tiny child. Stories are such an integral part of growing and learning – that mixture of language and image weaving tales in your mind. It’s a way of communicating that I’ve wanted to pursue ever since and comics are the medium that seems to encompass it perfectly.
Does Leeds and Yorkshire have a big comic scene?
The UK in itself is booming at the moment. Publishers, festivals, small press and creators at all levels are bubbling with incredible work. Yorkshire absolutely has it’s share, with Though Bubble Festival happening here ever November. But, it feels like location doesn’t matter anymore. The abstract realm of the internet brings creators together, regardless of where they are. I don’t leave my studio, but am still in daily contact with so many creative people all making things in the UK and elsewhere. It’s a very exciting time to be making comics.
If you could recommend a comic book or graphic novel to someone who’s never read one before, which one would you choose?
It totally depends on the person and their interests, so it’s quite hard to pin it down to one seminal comic. Maybe McSweeney’s Issue 36 , as it’s a boxed collection of mini comics, zines and ephemera which is a brain-jolting introduction to a wide breadth of creators. But any issues of Raw, Weirdo, Solipsistic Pop or Kus should do the trick too.
What would be your dream commission?
I love my job and find joy in the fact I can rely on it for my financial survival. So, it’s hard to say what would make that better. Good clients who want me to make them something beautiful is more than enough. You know what they say, never look a gift horsec and all that.
Kristyna tweets as @kbaczynski and you can see more of her work on her website www.kristyna.co.uk and Etsy shop
