Recently, a very interesting personal project-cause appeared on social networks, which surprised a large part of the domestic audience reading children's books. This is the author's book by Tsveta Petrova "Bulgarian Mythological Creatures (and where to find them)?". The young artist was born in 1994 in Varna and is completing her bachelor's degree in Visual Arts at the Université Bordeaux Montaigne - France. This book is her project, which she presents as a diploma thesis.
"I spent a lot of time choosing a topic that I wouldn't get bored of, and so I started with our folklore characters. Both my teachers and my colleagues liked the book, since our folklore is so different from theirs, and it was very interesting for them to see our heroes, as well as compare them with theirs."
The illustrated book offers us a look at a series of folklore creatures from Bulgarian mythology, presented in the form of a diary. The plot follows the mission of two young researchers who are searching for creatures they have only heard about from legends and myths. In this diary, we can see their sketches and illustrations, read about their experiences and their advice on what to do if we accidentally come across an unfriendly beast.
It is surprising how much we do not know about our own mythological creatures. Tsveta is also surprised by the same surprise, admitting that she has not even heard of many of the creatures presented. “One of my favorite characters is the Forester, who is a good-natured forest spirit who takes care of all the inhabitants of the forest, as well as helps lost travelers.”
Provoked by the great interest that her work arouses, the artist decides to publish the book. She does not rely on publishers and agents, so she turns to the online platform IndieGoGo. To her great surprise, she reaches the amount she needs in just 24 hours. And just two weeks later, her project is funded by over 300%. Her supporters are mainly Bulgarians living abroad or foreigners living in the US and England. “I am extremely excited by the huge interest, and by the fact that the project is changing its scale with each passing day.”
Currently, Tsveta lives in England and is pursuing a master's degree in Illustration.
If you would like to support Tsveta Petrova in her campaign, you can do so on the IndieGoGo website.
Milena Radeva talks to Tsveta Petrova.
Add comment