Ukrainian children's book illustrator Olena Taranenko: I want young readers to feel emotions when they look at my illustrations and experience the emotions of the characters alongside them

Olena Taranenko is a talented Ukrainian children's book illustrator who, despite the stereotypes surrounding creative professions, remained true to herself and took the risk of leaving an unfulfilling job to pursue her beloved career as an illustrator. The first book she illustrated, "Magical Mia. Kindness is Contagious" by Julie Casseta, was published in 2021. Since then, she has been continuously working in illustration. Currently, Olena is working on a new picture book for children aged 3-6 years, marking her first experience illustrating for this age group, as she has previously illustrated books for older children. Olena shared her thoughts on staying true to herself and her craft, her new books, and character creation with Drive Music Media.

Interviewer: When and how did you realize that you wanted to combine your career with illustration? Why this profession?

Olena: For as long as I can remember, I have always been drawing. But there was a period when I convinced myself that I couldn’t make a living from drawing and tried to find myself in other fields. I started studying English, planning to become a tutor or translator, and even worked a bit in those areas. However, I soon realized that these jobs weren’t for me. I wanted to enjoy my work. I constantly felt like I was betraying myself by not pursuing what I was truly passionate about. So, one day, I quit my translator job during my trial period and enrolled in a digital illustration course.

Interviewer:  You are a children's illustrator. Why did you choose to focus on children's illustration?

Olena: Going back to my childhood, I never really enjoyed reading; I always loved looking at the pictures in books. I also adored coloring books and wanted to draw cute characters and various cartoon heroes. I was also fascinated by animated movies and their magical worlds and characters. As I started practicing illustration and finding my style while working on various projects, I realized that children's illustration was what resonated with me the most.

Interviewer: Every published book is a new story, new worlds for young readers. What was the first book you illustrated? What was it about and when was it published?

Olena: The first book I illustrated was published in 2021: "Magical Mia. Kindness is Contagious" by Julie Casseta. It’s a wonderful story about a girl who inspires others to do good deeds through her own kind actions. Each book I illustrate is a source of pride for me, but the first one is especially significant.

Interviewer: How does the process of creating illustrations for a specific story work? How do you decide what the character should look like and how long does it take to complete a book?

Olena: Sometimes clients have specific criteria for the characters, and I follow those guidelines. Other times, I have the freedom to depict the characters as I envision them. I start by reading the entire story, forming images in my mind, and creating initial sketches of the characters, which I then discuss with the client. The next step is storyboarding, where I create rough sketches for each illustration in the book on a single sheet. Following that, I prepare color sketches, adding some color to the storyboard to ensure the book is cohesive in terms of color. After the color sketches are approved, I move on to the final stage of completing the illustrations, where I add details, light, and shadows. I love this final stage. It’s hard to say exactly how long it takes to complete a book, but typically it’s around two months.

Interviewer: What is the most challenging part of being a children's illustrator? And what seems challenging but is actually quite easy?

Olena: For me, the most challenging aspects of being an illustrator are the legal issues (since I am not very familiar with them yet) and project cost estimation. Estimating costs takes a lot of time, involves clarifications from the client, and budget agreements. Sometimes this process goes quickly and smoothly, while other times it does not. However, this process is not very enjoyable for me. What seems difficult but is actually easy is starting work. It only takes one small step to get started, which is actually very easy. As they say, "Eat the elephant one bite at a time." Book projects are a lot of work, and at the beginning, there are often doubts, "Can I handle this?" But I remember that I have done it before and it will work out again.

Interviewer:  How do you choose the stories for which you create illustrations? Are there any specific criteria that make you say: Yes, I’ll take it? If so, what are they?

Olena: I don’t have specific criteria. Each time it’s based on my feelings. If I read the book that needs to be illustrated or an excerpt from it, it has to resonate with me. It should evoke pleasant emotions and interest. I need to be able to immediately imagine some images and feel if I like it and want to develop the story further. Then I confidently say, "Yes." I do not take on religious themes as they are not close to me. I also avoid themes that include cruelty, violence, and similar content.

Once, I was offered to illustrate a children's book about kids who killed a large animal and then dried its meat and stored it in a freezer so they would have something to eat. It was a very strange proposal for me, and I immediately declined.

Interviewer: Is there a book you are currently working on? Can you give us a sneak peek: What is it about and what inspires you in the process of creating it?

Olena: I am currently working on a picture book for children aged 3-6 years. This is a bit of a new experience for me as I usually illustrate for older audiences. The story is about a boy and his star friend, their adventures, and how the star helps the boy cope with difficulties. I can't say what specifically inspires me while creating this book. My inspiration is like a cup that constantly fills up, allowing me to work with enthusiasm. So usually, I am inspired by everyday pleasant things, a cup of delicious coffee with a treat, a walk in nature or new places, bookstores, time spent with loved ones, and drawing for myself. I also look at other illustrators' works, not so much for inspiration, but for analysis, finding ideas, and discovering interesting artistic techniques.

Interviewer: How do you want children to perceive your illustrations? What do you want to convey to your young readers through them?

Olena: I want my illustrations to be captivating, fun, inspiring, and interesting. I understand that not all children love to read, and no matter how interesting a book is, it needs to attract a child's attention. Therefore, I want my illustrations to spark their interest in reading. I also want to help the reader imagine the characters or locations from the book's plots. And, of course, emotions. I want young readers to feel emotions when looking at my illustrations, empathize with the book's characters, rejoice with them, learn something new and important, and feel like the hero of the book.

Interviewer: What other projects, besides children's illustrations, have you worked on? Which one was the most memorable and what was it about?

Olena: I have worked on commissions to create characters for various purposes. The most memorable project was creating a brand character for an English language school that I attended. This commission was pure joy: pleasant communication with the client, no strict deadlines, and an interesting theme for me. Besides book projects, I have been collaborating with a Ukrainian mobile accessories store for over a year. They have a brand character that I often draw in different plots for various events. It’s a very comfortable collaboration.

Interviewer: Are you thinking about changing your direction or expanding your horizons? What projects would you like to work on?

Olena: Yes, I would like to try a few new directions, such as package design, ideally for things I love coffee, juices, chocolates, and other sweets. I would also like to try illustrations for a more mature audience, around 13 years old and up. Sometimes I want to unleash my creativity and not limit myself to just children's illustrations.

Photos were provided by Olena Taranenko