Jacqueline Molnár Illustrator from Budapest, Hungary

As a child I was fascinated by colours, paintings and children’s book illustrations. My father is a graphic artist and as a child I saw how lines and colours came alive. Although I studied animation at university I would have preferred creating books. I couldn’t resist the temptation.

I get up, hug my kids, kiss my husband, feed the cats, water and talk to my plants, sit down at my table, struggle with the paper and my thoughts, draw, paint, cut papers, glue stripes and shapes, listen to the radio, hug my kids, read, dream.

I think we are all influenced by everybody and everything that surrounds us, in one way or another. All the pictures I have ever seen have triggered some kind of reaction in me that must be mapped in my drawings.

My childhood memories, nature, my kids, and the intention to help people and to make a better, peaceful world.

My work has two different parts. The first is when I think about the whole, I try to find the whys and hows. During this process I prefer silence. I need to concentrate and listen to myself. The second part of the creation, when I do the details, I listen to classical music or to the radio.

I like the process of the work, how an illustration is taking shape. I love playing and experimenting with new techniques and materials. I have no favourite illustration, I think. I keep changing. Each drawing is an imprint of a different moment and I like most of the moments of my life.

Gardening and walking in nature. Breathing with the forest. Feeling the lake. Getting to know new plants and observing birds and insects.

The magic and the force that images might have. I like to observe illustrations from different cultures, from all over the world. It’s so interesting to see how rich the world is. How diverse we are.

Yes, of course. I struggle quite often with myself. But time usually helps. If I can’t find the solution today I will find it tomorrow, for sure. And if I’m hoplessly stuck I talk to people and I ask my kid’s advice.