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about Alevtina & Tamara
[finished]
[finished]
This artifact book about Alevtina and Tamara is a collection of noir fairy tales decorated with surrealistic illustrations and calligraphic textual elements that offers a special look at life's trials and inner formation. Created over a ten-year period by the author exploring his inner worlds and the depths of his personality through metaphors and symbols.
Release
Self-published 2024
300 unique copies
300 unique copies
Hardcover book
230 pages
100+ illustrations
100+ illustrations
Genre
Art book, Fairytales
Noir, Adult
Noir, Adult
"the journey began a decade ago, fueled by my passion for illustration. Envisioning various characters, I embarked on creating a comic. The process was intermittent; I would abandon it only to feel drawn back repeatedly. Over time, the narrative expanded so significantly in my imagination that it transformed into a comprehensive book, narrated in a leisurely, fairy-tale manner. The pages are a canvas where monochrome illustrations blend with bursts of color. Each section commences with an ornate initial letter, complemented by an elegant flyleaf. Remarkably, the cover bears no trace of publishing details, price, or even my name. It stands as a clandestine tome, or perhaps more aptly, a mystical artifact, rooted in the essence of dark fairy tales. It eschews a central storyline, yet culminates on an uplifting note, imparting lessons on the pursuit and discovery of happiness"
Why am I writing this? I spent the last year as a viewer and reader of my own work, trying to look at it from the outside. It was a journey of awareness: for whom did I create this book? Who is its potential reader?
First of all, I wrote this work for myself: so that it would be interesting to me. I like puzzle books with twists, surprises and "buried treasures" that require careful reading. If you like works in which symbols, secrets and unexpected turns are hidden behind every corner, then this book is for you.
What is this story about? It is about growing up, doubts and finding yourself. The hero, like the reader, begins his journey in a state of uncertainty. Everything is like in life: mistakes, dead ends, attempts to escape, to one day understand that the exit is not outside, but inside.
Find a way out of the labyrinth: The puzzle of my book has five circles. Each of them reflects an important stage of the hero's journey:
Birth The protagonists appear in the center of chaos: Alevtina, Tamara, Lyonka, and Mother. Everything seems confusing and disturbing. There is no movement here – only a search for a point of support.
Worm The first struggle. Overcome by fears, doubts, a desire to hide, he perceives the world as gloomy and hostile.
Eclipse The moment of truth. Everything collapses. Standing on the edge, he realizes: either you change, or you remain a prisoner of this labyrinth.
Freedom A period of doubt and reflection. He comes to understand that happiness is not the final goal, but only part of the path. Sensory experience helps him recharge, but requires more thought.
Amber Result. All lived experience is melted into wisdom. He learns to accept himself and others, discovers his capabilities, and rebuilds his value system. The exit from the labyrinth is not an escape, but an awareness.
First of all, I wrote this work for myself: so that it would be interesting to me. I like puzzle books with twists, surprises and "buried treasures" that require careful reading. If you like works in which symbols, secrets and unexpected turns are hidden behind every corner, then this book is for you.
What is this story about? It is about growing up, doubts and finding yourself. The hero, like the reader, begins his journey in a state of uncertainty. Everything is like in life: mistakes, dead ends, attempts to escape, to one day understand that the exit is not outside, but inside.
Find a way out of the labyrinth: The puzzle of my book has five circles. Each of them reflects an important stage of the hero's journey:
Birth The protagonists appear in the center of chaos: Alevtina, Tamara, Lyonka, and Mother. Everything seems confusing and disturbing. There is no movement here – only a search for a point of support.
Worm The first struggle. Overcome by fears, doubts, a desire to hide, he perceives the world as gloomy and hostile.
Eclipse The moment of truth. Everything collapses. Standing on the edge, he realizes: either you change, or you remain a prisoner of this labyrinth.
Freedom A period of doubt and reflection. He comes to understand that happiness is not the final goal, but only part of the path. Sensory experience helps him recharge, but requires more thought.
Amber Result. All lived experience is melted into wisdom. He learns to accept himself and others, discovers his capabilities, and rebuilds his value system. The exit from the labyrinth is not an escape, but an awareness.
"During the nights, Alevtina and Tamara gazed into the sky. There are no stars; they awaited the Mother. Sometimes, the Mother would come, remain silent, walk around a bit, and then leave. Sometimes, she would offer some trinket. The women would greet her and then go to sleep. The goat was pleased — the wolves wouldn’t come out of their dens for a while longer."
Alevtina and Tamara is a dark philosophical novel about fear, transformation, and the boundaries of reality. The book was written over 10 years, gradually gaining depth and form. The author is open to proposals for adapting the project into other formats.
Reviews
"Certain cultural outlets are calling it a collection of “noir fairy tales”; others call it a graphic novel. Neither description is wrong, exactly, but neither really captures the essence of this surrealistic, horrific, old-time Russian Grimm-tales volume."
Peter Watts
"A beautifully strange, unsettling, and excellently rendered work that showcases a skilled narrative artist in full command of their craft."
Shawn Tan
" This work is beautiful... so good, I am sure it will interest lovers of this kind."
Gerald Brom
Original Illustrations from the Book
These are the original illustrations, created by hand using ink, pencils, watercolors, and other materials. Each piece served as the foundation for the final artworks in the book, which were later refined digitally.
The originals are unique artifacts of the creative process, capturing the character of live strokes and the tactile quality of traditional media.
If you are a collector of rare and special art objects, this collection might interest you. Explore the available originals in the catalog.
The originals are unique artifacts of the creative process, capturing the character of live strokes and the tactile quality of traditional media.
If you are a collector of rare and special art objects, this collection might interest you. Explore the available originals in the catalog.
In this interview, I talk about the idea behind the creation of Alevtina and Tamara—how it initially started as a digital illustration, then became a diptych, an illustration diptych, and later evolved into the concept of a comic book before finally turning into a book of fairy tales.
At some point, it was temporarily called a comic book, but from the very beginning, it was meant to be a collection of short fairy tales. I share what inspired me during the process, how the format and concept changed over time, and what imagery influenced the development of this story.
The video includes English subtitles.
At some point, it was temporarily called a comic book, but from the very beginning, it was meant to be a collection of short fairy tales. I share what inspired me during the process, how the format and concept changed over time, and what imagery influenced the development of this story.
The video includes English subtitles.
Alevtina&tamara book creation
Short interview about my fairytales book “about Alevtina and Tamara” where I told how it was invented. Filmed by kak_ranshe
I talk about the creation of my book, its atmosphere, artistic techniques, genre, and symbolism. My friend Sasha and I discuss what inspired me to write it, the ideas at the core of the story, and how the main character was developed.
We explore the role of mysticism and symbolism, why the book falls into the category of pseudo-folklore, how I worked on its structure, and the key themes that run through the text. We touch on important turning points in the story, discuss what coming of age means to me, and how the characters reflect different aspects of my perception of the world.
I share how the book evolved during the writing process, the artistic techniques I used to create its atmosphere, and offer advice to writers.
This interview is an opportunity to take a look behind the scenes of my creative process, understand who the book is for, and discover the deeper meanings woven into it. At the end, I ask viewers some questions to hear their thoughts and perspectives on literature.
Enjoy watching!
We explore the role of mysticism and symbolism, why the book falls into the category of pseudo-folklore, how I worked on its structure, and the key themes that run through the text. We touch on important turning points in the story, discuss what coming of age means to me, and how the characters reflect different aspects of my perception of the world.
I share how the book evolved during the writing process, the artistic techniques I used to create its atmosphere, and offer advice to writers.
This interview is an opportunity to take a look behind the scenes of my creative process, understand who the book is for, and discover the deeper meanings woven into it. At the end, I ask viewers some questions to hear their thoughts and perspectives on literature.
Enjoy watching!
Интервью "про Алевтину и Тамару"
Отвечаю на вопросы про книгу, которые немного раскрывают её. Но не рассказываю сюжет.
In this video, I flip through my sketchbooks, where I worked on the project for over 10 years. It's a kind of retrospective of the entire creative process—from the first sketches to later concepts. I showcase drawings from different years, talk about what inspired me, share my thoughts on the development of the idea, and recall stories from this period.
There will be plenty of artwork, a slow-paced narrative, and a dark, contemplative atmosphere. If you're interested in getting a glimpse into the world-building process and seeing how imagery and symbolism took shape—welcome!
There will be plenty of artwork, a slow-paced narrative, and a dark, contemplative atmosphere. If you're interested in getting a glimpse into the world-building process and seeing how imagery and symbolism took shape—welcome!
Алевтина и Тамара, 10 лет создания артбука сказок!
Рассказываю о создании своей книги. Листаю скетчбуки, в которых 10 лет велась работа над проектом. Много картинок, неторопливый рассказ. Длинно и мрачно.
Ducky on a rocket
Dinosaurs
Nosferatu
Mermaid
Biomorph
Siren
All rights are reserved by Dmitrii (Skolzki) Khuzin. Photographer Anastasia Fainberg.
All text, photo, and video materials belong to the author.
Please do not use them in commercial projects.
All text, photo, and video materials belong to the author.
Please do not use them in commercial projects.
