WHEN I WAS LITTLE
autobiographical picture book
written and illustrated by Yulya Shironina, selfpublished
'When I was little' is a story about finding yourself and a resource for your own life, about how it is important to remember your inner child and make friends with him. This is a story about my search for an answer. I would like the answer to be universal and suitable for everyone. It's great if it’s okay for you. If the answer does not suit you, then let this story be a friendly pat on your shoulder. You won't get lost! There is no right or wrong road. On this map of life, all roads are your own.
idea
At the very beginning of May 2018 I was in extreme distress, worrying that I had turned the wrong way in my life and chose a not successful, promising, respectable profession. I could not realize myself and it frustrated me. In one of the posts on Instagram I wrote about this and there in the comments the idea of a book about the search for happiness appeared.
This idea almost died after writing the text and drawing storyboard. Until the moment of a new frustration.
With this book I had to overcome several difficulties. I tried a new field for myself - digital illustration. I had to reflect a lot. I had to create a whole book from start to finish.
This idea almost died after writing the text and drawing storyboard. Until the moment of a new frustration.
With this book I had to overcome several difficulties. I tried a new field for myself - digital illustration. I had to reflect a lot. I had to create a whole book from start to finish.
The year in which I worked on the book became for me a year about finding myself inside, about the importance of remembering myself as a child and finding a resource for my own life and not living according to someone else's patterns.
At first, the book was supposed to be aimed at a children's audience. I wanted to kill two birds with one stone - draw a book for my portfolio and offer it to publishers. Therefore, I planned to devote a large number of spreads to various professions that exist in the world and that interested me in childhood.
Almost a year after the first idea was born and storyboard appeared, I slightly changed the concept of the book. This is how new illustrations were born, conventionally named "withering", "multi-handedness", "map of possibilities".
Almost a year after the first idea was born and storyboard appeared, I slightly changed the concept of the book. This is how new illustrations were born, conventionally named "withering", "multi-handedness", "map of possibilities".
character
Then I started to create the character. The book was originally planned as a book about me. So the little me had to become the character. I rummaged through my photo archives, sketched myself in different years, remembered about my favorite dress and shoes, about the palm-tail that my mother made for me in the kindergarten. I saw at what moment a smiling chubby child became an incredulous adult :)
The image of a girl of 4-5 years old was born, with a funny protruding tail and in a dress flying out in figure eight. She even seemed to have a character.
At about the same stage, I knew exactly what color scheme I want to see all this: yellow, olive and indigo should have been present. I gradually collected the color palette on Pinterest.
The image of a girl of 4-5 years old was born, with a funny protruding tail and in a dress flying out in figure eight. She even seemed to have a character.
At about the same stage, I knew exactly what color scheme I want to see all this: yellow, olive and indigo should have been present. I gradually collected the color palette on Pinterest.
sketches
Guided by my storyboards and ideas I drew the sketches in spreads at a scale of 1:1 (42x21cm). Some of the spreads changed in the process because the original ideas (had invented a year ago) no longer seemed correct and original to me. So, for example, the “fading” spread turned into “egocentrism” - the moment when it seems that you are very big and you think that 'everything is about you'.
When all the spreads were drawn I made a dummy book. And then I thought that professions spreads were drawn only in order to be comfortable and fit into some kind of publication format for children. No, that won't work, I decided. And I removed these spreads. (I hope to use them again and show them in the future, they are very funny).
I added a few more spreads instead. This lengthened the personal story a little more and added a lot of interesting metaphors.
When all the spreads were drawn I made a dummy book. And then I thought that professions spreads were drawn only in order to be comfortable and fit into some kind of publication format for children. No, that won't work, I decided. And I removed these spreads. (I hope to use them again and show them in the future, they are very funny).
I added a few more spreads instead. This lengthened the personal story a little more and added a lot of interesting metaphors.
colourization
The painting process was difficult at first: I needed to make the picture look like painted with traditional materials. I selected brushes specifically for the project, changed their settings, tried, made mistakes, put it off and tried again.
I prepared a palette in advance, selecting the pictures I liked and making a large set of colours. It was necessary to limit myself in colours, to remember what would be inside the spreads, take care of dark and light shades, the colours necessary for skin and hair, and the colours of the environment. It was not easy to make the colours different in tone - I made another layer of colours set and turned it into greyscale mode to clarify colour's tones.
The difficulty in my case was the number of layers in Procreate - only 12 layers for the size 42x21 cm.
An important decision was to split the pictures into plans and create different layers for them.
In the process, as usual, I made many various changes. I liked that one can change colours without redrawing whole illustration, erase details, draw new ones, mirror individual parts of the picture, try textures and blending modes. I only missed the feeling of working with traditional media - there was only a plump stylus, which is a pencil, and a pen, and a brush, and a spray brush, and an eraser, and a magic wand.
After drawing, I changed the clothes of the older heroine. I decided that as an adult she would have the same dress as a child. Therefore, the sweater originally drawn on adult versions later became a dress but in a lighter colours.
I prepared a palette in advance, selecting the pictures I liked and making a large set of colours. It was necessary to limit myself in colours, to remember what would be inside the spreads, take care of dark and light shades, the colours necessary for skin and hair, and the colours of the environment. It was not easy to make the colours different in tone - I made another layer of colours set and turned it into greyscale mode to clarify colour's tones.
The difficulty in my case was the number of layers in Procreate - only 12 layers for the size 42x21 cm.
An important decision was to split the pictures into plans and create different layers for them.
In the process, as usual, I made many various changes. I liked that one can change colours without redrawing whole illustration, erase details, draw new ones, mirror individual parts of the picture, try textures and blending modes. I only missed the feeling of working with traditional media - there was only a plump stylus, which is a pencil, and a pen, and a brush, and a spray brush, and an eraser, and a magic wand.
After drawing, I changed the clothes of the older heroine. I decided that as an adult she would have the same dress as a child. Therefore, the sweater originally drawn on adult versions later became a dress but in a lighter colours.
endpapers
My special love and joy is the enpapers with pattern of paper airplanes. I drew 9 different planes - and there's only one special airplane, yours airplane.
I like thinking about how the story has transformed within the book. From the idea 'there are many professions in the world and it doesn't matter which one you choose, just try to be happy' it turned into 'I was a curious child, where everything has gone, and what should I do now'. I like how the pictures supplemented this idea with new unwritten images. I like how little words and so much time and effort were needed to impress one simple thought.
thank you for watching
💛
