Featured Member - Sofia Chatzigeorgiou
Graphic Design & Illustration, Greece
www.sofiachatzigeorgiou.com
Sofia lives and works as a graphic designer and illustrator in Greece.
A graduate of the Applied Arts Studies college - University of Central Lancashire 2001, with a bachelor degree in graphic design. In 2006 she completed her studies in 3D animation.
The last 14 years, she has been working in a large unit called “lithography” in KETHEA (Addiction Treatment Centre) in Thessaloniki, Greece. She has a long experience in the graphic arts and production of printed materials and has designed the brochures of many programs of treatment in Greece.
In 2003, she won the EVGE prize (Greek Graphic Design and Illustration Awards) under the auspices of the International Confederation of Graphic Design Associations (ICOGRADA) and the Greek Graphic Designers Association (EGE). The project was the printed material of the Environmental Center “Arcturos” (Wildlife protection).
During the course of her studies in the field of 3D animation, Sofia has shown her dedication and interest in painting. Since then, painting is her passion and the mean by which Sofia expresses her thoughts and feelings. One of her projects is the design of the illustrations for the Acropolis Museum concerning educational cards for elementary students.
Q. Can you explain what triggered your interest in Graphic Design and Illustration?
A. It was the meaning of design and creation in general through which I expressed myself and it became more specific after I had finished my studies in Graphic design and 3d animation and especially illustration.
I started dealing with Graphic design and printing when I was working in the production department (lithography) of KETHEA “SCHEMA CHROMA”. Shapes, colours, printing and the connection of each other, papers, inks and all the technical characteristics that make a printing project, lead me to the world of visual contact in an professional level.
By working in Graphic design my need for illustration arose and in time it turned out to be a need of an inexhaustible expression and unlimited experiment. Animation also helped me as it already is very creative and communicative and part of it is the birth of a particular kind of illustration.
Q. Are there any GD & I artists you admire?
A. This is a really difficult question! I cannot name anybody in particular because there are so many worth noted and exceptional works globally so special both as an idea and as in project that one can only appreciate. In graphics in general I admire projects that their micro-printing is very carefully made and their idea is based on an international Typographic style. As far as illustrating in the internet there are a lot of styles I like such as photo manipulation, digital imaging, drawing, photo illustration but also crafts, handmade (illustrating with different materials). In general I like to see experimental new projects in the idea and style that sometimes have a secret dark meaning.
Q. How do you choose your subjects?
A. My subjects vary from a spontaneous choice caused by my mood of the moment or a whole theme based on a communicative concept. This is basically it without this being something strict.
Q. What are your inspirations?
A. I’d say mostly faces and figures. That’s why I like to illustrate characters that speak for themselves. I prefer them to be made out of my imagination. Other than this, inspiration can be whatever is going on around me, lives around me. I’ve tried many times to develop an idea of something I have seen in my everyday life imagining technically how I could pass the meaning of it visually.
Q. Do you use photography or any other ‘basis’ to start your work?
A. I use photos whenever I want to take something as a reference and then apply it in a project I am into. Photos are the reflection of reality and can be used in so many unique ways. The basis from which I start a project is mostly the idea and from then on I look for the way through which I will work on it. I like to use clear shapes and figures and a small number of colours.
Q. Is there a story behind your work?
A. There is always a story behind a work! Even the most spontaneous one has a story that each one can understand it their way. Each one of my works has a different story. My latest one consists of portraits that I got the inspiration from different characters and civilizations brought out my way. Others are illustrations about love and others say something that has already happened or is going to happen.
Q. Does ‘time’ and/or ‘space’ matter to you?
A. Time is never enough. Time alone is an inexhaustible theme for illustration, animation etc. I have many times thought that I could make a short movie about time. Time concerns a lot of people and is always chasing us because everyday life is constantly “on the move”. I would like to have more time to myself.
Q. Can you talk about your illustration projects?
A. My illustrations have been through several experimental levels and explorations. The truth is that I don’ t know yet if I want to put them in a specific category and style as a main characteristic of an illustrator. This has to do a lot with the academic knowledge. As much as one knows concerning the technics the more he can make. I like to be flexible and to learn constantly. What is more important to me now is to have a work of 6-10 themes in the same style based on the same idea.
Q. Can you talk about your professional experience?
A. My professional experience begins in Graphic arts and goes to studies in Graphics, illustration and animation.
Q. Any collaboration with other graphic designers? Any with other industries?
A. Apart from the fact that I work in KETHEA (Addiction Treatment Centre) as already mentioned above, I have worked also with colleagues and companies for the creation of internet sites and printed products that are being distributed until today in large bookstores around Greece. I have also worked as a freelancer.
Q. Do you have a favorite piece among your works?
A. Concerning illustration, I think my last project of portraits inspired by different civilizations expresses me the most and is closer to my style. Concerning graphic works, I have my favorites from works made for Addiction Treatment programs in which I used my personal illustrations. One of them is an illustration with embroidery 70x100 which was used in a graduation invitation of an Addiction Treatment program.
Q. Can you talk about the creation process of a piece of yours?
A. I begin from an idea I have (unless the concept is specific) and make my own research on it. I write down the ways through which I can communicate. I then discuss with colleagues ask their opinion and finally decide which way is best to create it.
Q. What equipment & techniques do you use?
A. I use my hands when preparation is needed before going to digital and then I use my imac with my light pen, illustrator, photoshop and other programs depending on the needs of each project.
Q. Are you working on new projects currently?
A. I have completed two personal projects (mentioned below) that I would like to illustrate and I am in the process of conceptual artwork.
Q. What are your professional ambitions and your projects for 2011?
A. I have ended up in 2 ideas which I will produce by beginning from one of them. One is the relationship between mother and child (the psychological consequences when things are not ready for the birth of a child) and the other one has to do with “getting high” (through characters and users in everyday life). Another dream I have for the future is the collaboration with colleagues for the making of our own short film – a project that is already in discussion.
Q. How do you hope Pelime can help with this?
A. Pelime is a creative network through which creative people have the chance to expose themselves, share their works with other artists and find new ways of collaborating. I believe the name “people like me” is really clever as there is absolute identification and communication. The level of the creators is professional and surfing in the site is really pleasant with very good design.
(Source: pelime.com)
