When and how did we meet?

The story begins a long time ago. Tibi’s book jackets were the first ones I’ve met when I got to know the fantasy genre. When I started to work with similar pictures it turned out that one of my relatives knew Tibor, and he organized a meeting for us. I was so embarrassed, me the true beginner, I was impressed by the pictures I could take in my hands. It is an another dimension the printed pictures comparing to the original handmade or made with crayon sauce, because in those you can see the marks of the creation. I’ve got to know what tools need to the airbrush technique, and get a picture of standards. It was a remarkable experience, I’ll never forget it. We met again lateer many years; I had a higher level then and we could talk over lunch. After that it was a relatively strait way to our harmonious working relationship.

At the time Rene made quite a lot of card illustrations for the Publisher Két Mágus (Two wizards) to whom, among others, I’ve painted pictures as well. I liked her work. The leader of the publisher wanted to meet us personally. Owing to that lunch that was his idea we could meet again. It happened about ten years ago; five years after we had talked to each other for first time.

Where did the idea come from to work together?

At that fateful lunch I made up my mind to try working together. At the traditional techniques I’ve held on to do it myself, but I knew the digital technique, what started to spread in time, would never be my favourite. It is difficult to find such a colleague, who likes that period of the work the most, what I would skip. Besides she can accept my control and can work on such a good level that can be built on.

Tibor surprised me with the idea and I found it interesting working together. Connecting to the art I discovered in every stage of my life, that the profession humbleness and the claim of continuous improvement are the most important principles. These are the keys for this kind of working together.

What was our first common work?

At that time I was making illustrations for story-books. I called into work many graphic artists as a test. Also Rene got into this group and in the end of the day she was the only one I could imagine working with in the long run. She was the one, who felt mostly what I wanted to see from her. Her colourful technique is the nearest to me and her coloration claims the least post work.

I’ve got a system to create the picture. I didn’t go on my own way, but Tibor gave me freedom, so that I could show my personality in the colours. It was a great challenge, but I always loved to execute someone else’s idea.

How can we get to be harmonized?

We got more serious and difficult jobs around 2007. We had to create illustrations for a book about Hungary for Publisher Graph-Art. On that job I only wanted to work with Rene. The harmonizing started actually at our time, but it was in truth being rolled out in the next order. We had first order, which we had to create all of the illustrations for.

The Bible is memorable in many ways. In that work I really felt at the first time that our common pictures are common. There would be created entirely different pictures if we wouldn’t have affected each other.

It’s true. I was glad that was working and I could focus on the content with almost all of my energy. Bible is not an easy subject. Luckily canonical requirements didn’t restrain our creativity. After one and half year of diligent work the book was published in 2009 in Hungarian, but later it rolled up in other languages as well. It’s interesting that it made a bigger hit, than at home. After that came other orders in informative and historical subject, which meant exciting tasks also in the drawing and coloured working out.

Each of the projects has brought something new. Potentials of the digital painting technique were rolled out gradually and discoveries of these are continuously broadening. Sometimes it seems to be a barrier the multitude of the eligible directions, which is a great challenge, but I like this feeling. In this genre you have to work always on new challenges.

Sometimes we have to be pre-empting the new things. I wanted to illustrate Petőfi’s poem, John the Gallant, for a long while now. Publisher gave it his blessing that made us really glad. We had been working solidly, though had to create pictures in other subject as well. After eight months of work, it came to fruition. This inevitably increased our harmonizing. We were thankful for the creation of the inner pages of the book and the harmonic arrangement of the text for Anikó Rózsás , who is my partner in my personal life. Defacto our team got to be three members. The book was published in 2010, and as far as I know children like it very much.

It’s really good to work in a god team. Where everybody respects the others properly, relationships and aims are clean, communication is easy and fine. I feel lucky to be part of it.

Our next self-sufficient project was published in name of Princess’s handbook. In this book everything, except the text, was the work of his small group. For me this work in the beginning had meant some difficulties, but just till I started the work. I had to watch several romantic movies take place in that time to feel the atmosphere and to get to know the appearances. Internet helped me a lot of course, and also the books did. However I used this system in the planning all of the illustration, but this book was different. It is so girlish. On the other hand Rene made it so easy-- and it was shown in her work as well. It probably was not by accident.

It is good to remember the Princess book, because the subject was really compatible with my female ego. I’ve always love to read tales. Period piece movies are my favourites this day, so it is up to not a miracle that I loved this subject. Moreover that time I’ve got to discover the joy of texture. How to use the pattern to become to the painted environment, to make it not to be mechanical but to give more than the mark of the simple brushes. There is no end to the process of discovering is and it is a very exciting activity for me.

How long does it take to create a picture?

It depends on the subject. Generally it takes 1-2 day to collect image references and in this time I read as many information as I can to plan the composition. Sketch comes into existence in my mind than I get it down. If it is getting accepted I create drawing in 1-2 days.

It is difficult to count the definitive working hours, because it is lengthen by a lot of thinking and pondering. The inner pressure that I could do it better sometimes stop me to the insignificant details. Some other parts are neglected because of the pressure of the deadline or oversight. Depends on the picture I need 2-5 day for the colouring.

When I get back the picture painted by Rene, I make the necessary alterations. It could take variable time. At best it takes 4 hours, but at worst it could be four working days. The latter is rarer, because the painting substantially not bad moreover is good, but in my eyes it is not ready. It means that I raise the picture to a finishing level that I expect from myself and the publisher from me. I could explain Rene what to do with the colours and the details, but according to my experience it is not worth. She has to get to know it, she can learn much more from that. She has to feel it! It works only in case if the issue proves me. However she can lean from that if it doesn’t.

Aside from an extraordinary exception I agree with the correction made by Tibor. I recognize many times with an exclamation: How did I not notice? Another time I make a weak part in it deliberately, because I can’t find the desired effect. Despite all that we understand each other so well, in this subjective genre there is no perfect “understanding each other”. Tibor is raising the bar continuously and we have to jump over it, and I’m trying to keep up ardently.

What do we love in this job and what we don’t?

- I’ve always been impressed by colours; pencil drawing was indeed boring me. At collage I’ve attracted attention with my coloured pastels compare with other and their charcoal sketches. Sometimes when I’m looking at a cloud I’m thinking what kind of paintings I would mix the dyes. In a view of spiritual aspect it is fine for our rules, because the man plans, the woman creates. It is an overstatement of course, because this is more finely nuanced. Generally I like our subjects. Both of us deem fantasy genre as our favourite, but unfortunately we are so poorly provided for it. Bordeline cases as tales gratify us. It is more difficult to find an unlike part. Unless when I’m not able to be attuned to Tibor’s aims, or I have to execute a part that needs more knowledge than I have.

If I take on something, I make it to perfection. And I can do it if I like it. It is interesting to meet the subject, exciting to plan the picture, and enjoyable to draw it. The latter could be done on my computer, but I like the feeling, when the pencil is buzzing on the paper. Finishing work or we can call it simply chasing I also enjoy, but I wouldn’t mind, if Rene would reach the limit, when I wouldn’t need to correct the picture. Until we walk the same road, there is a chance for that. However she also can develop without me.

Do we take on individual orders?

Yes, we do. We’ve got no problem with this possibility. Nothing is binding neither working together. We respect individual ambitions besides deadlines.

There is open perspective for the common creation.

What are our plans for the further?

I’ve been feeling for years that digital painting is an adventurous voyage of discovery with broken roads, devious paths and soul-stirring tops. I would like to continue on this path so much. I want to know where we/I will be in ten years.

I myself would like to execute more my own ideas beside orders. If it is possible I would do it with this small team, or with a bigger one. It may come true since we are working on a book we’ve been given free hand not only in its vision but in the most of the content. The genre of this book is escape informative literature. If it will have success, there could be a serial from it. I had a good time while I was writing it. May I want more than this? I may.

06/10/2014