FEATURED GREEK ILLUSTRATOR- TOMEK GIOVANIS
Of all the Greek Illustrators I have and will mention…this is the one I am least looking forward to. Anytime I promote someone besides myself…it’s against my nature. You can argue if it’s counter productive or not to promote anyone but yourself, but Tomek really blurs that line because not only is he really f*cking good…he’s really f*cking good at the same things I’m really f*cking good at. He is a brilliant visual story teller, who has a style that is cartooney yet does not skimp on detail or backgrounds, and every line seems to work together towards the larger purpose of getting the story told with as much impact as needed, and never too much.
So, putting his work here, vexes me in a way the others didn’t. The other Greeks did fantastic work, but were wildly different from what I do. Even if our books were side by side on the same book-rack you could hardly say the are competing with each other.
My work exists in the medium of comic books, but isn’t really comparable to anyone else’s work. For better or worse, I don’t have any kind of Coke vs Pepsi situation. You either like my stuff or you don’t…there isn’t a “I like it but not as much as this other guy”, because there is no other guy. Even books like Squee or Lenore are telling different types of stories with more abstract illustrations. So I am safely in a bubble of unique cult nitchness…except…for this guy.
I hate this guy.
TOMEK GIOVANIS
Graduate of Academy of Graphic Arts and Artistic Studies, department of Graphic Design in TEI of Athens. He is the creator of the album OH MY GOD!!!, comic series KOULOURI (both Jemma Press) and the fanzine HEHE! He has illustrated the Myrto Georgiou-Nielsen’s book …HE CREATED HIM IN HIS OWN IMAGE. His has won both the EBGE, and Comicdom Award.
he coordinates the web-comic team of THE VERY CLOSED CIRCLE and he is regularly in collaboration with cultural institutions and groups, teaching comics classes and organizing workshops for children and young adults.
He is currently collaborating with the PATAKIS Publishing creating illustrations and comic books for children and teenagers.
..okay, I’ve stalled long enough, here’s his work
yeah, yeah, it’s funny…and expertly illustrated…backgrounds and all…...BUT the camera angles are pretty standard. I mean, if you can’t move the camera around when you need to, you…
hmm…okay…BUT the panels and layout ain’t much to scream about. Interesting layouts, that’s where I got him all over. You see, that’s what separates the men from the boys and…
..shit. Okay, you can hid a so-so story with all that stuff. When you break it down to just the gag, you…
F*ck…that’s really f*cking funny. Okay…okay, so he can write a joke, and layout a page to give it more punch, and has an amazing style, and doesn’t skimp on backgrounds or details. But this is an American driven industry and the slpash page is all we give a sh8t about…we don’t wanna read nuthin. You ain’t gonna get know wheres pal, if you can’t splash page it up, and so, I’m still…
F*CK.
…Covers…that’s what sells a book, see. That cover has to be interesting and eye catching and…oh what the f*ck are these now?!
I hate this guy.
He even works in traditional mediums, and post his work as he goes along, so I can’t even get all elitist and try to get people to look down on him for cutting and pasting and using shortcuts with photoshop.
Sigh…You can find more of his work at the links below…I have to go find some hot comic book groupie who can’t even find Greece on a map, and boost my ego back to it’s normal unhealthy level.
***If you are a Greek comic book illustrator, or know of one who’s work deserves some exposure, contact me at douglaspasz-at-arseniclullabies.com***
MORE OF TOMEK’S WORK AT THESE LINKS
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Tomek.Giovanis.Artist
Instagram: tomek__
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