Interview with Character Designer and Illustrator Barbara Dziadosz

Today we are joined by designer and illustrator Barbara Dziadosz. Over the years, she has specialized in character design and printmaking. When I first saw her work I immediately felt an attachment to it. There’s a certain kind of charm and comfort in the illustrations that coupled with her screen printing technique create a nostalgic feel. Read more about her below. Enjoy!

Can you tell us more about your work? What style do you use?

My illustration style changed a lot some years ago. It all started when I had a screen printing course at my school. I immediately fell in love with this traditional printing technique and it`s bright colors. This is when I started to illustrate with mainly overlapping shapes, a limited color palette and hand drawn elements. Nowadays I mainly work digital, as it fits my tempo better. I’m inpatient and waiting for a drying screen is super annoying. I always start with a sketch and rearrange the composition digital. I also do the coloring digital and add some hand drawn elements.

How did you develop this style? Who or what has inspired you?

I started to experiment with shapes and scanned in structures in between semesters. I wasn’t able to use the screen printing studio, so I thought about a way of mimicking the process. It took me some time until I found a way, that doesn’t look to clean and tidy.

Are you formally trained? If so, where did you go, what degree did you achieve? How did you work up into professional work?

I have a Bachelor degree at illustration at the HAW Hamburg and I´m in the middle of my master thesis (finally haha!) Besides the studies I always tried to do some freelance work, which over the time became more and more. I`m also working as the studio assistant in the screen
printing workshop at my school, which is the best job ever :)

As a freelance illustrator, are you selective of your clients? What is your selection process? What projects won’t you take?

Well I simply have to like the company and what it does stand for. I would`nt illustrate for a company that has right wing politics or offends someone in any way. It`s also important that it is a reliable company with a good reputation. But I also enjoy private commissions or like to support non-profit organizations.

How much time do you spare for commercial work vs. personal work?

Freelancing is strange, because you never know what and especially when it comes next. So I take as it comes. Commissioned work comes first, because without my paid jobs I wouldn’t be able to do my personal stuff just for fun. But I like to keep myself busy. If I have some spare time I just start drawing what comes to my mind and if I`m lucky enough it turns out in something I like. The personal work is the place where I try out new things to improve my work.

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