Two names (and a pseudonym):
Milena Ivanova
Introduce yourself in a few words:
Illustrator, dreamer, avid reader. Cat owner.
What did you graduate from? I graduated with a bachelor's degree from Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" - Fine Arts and Pedagogy, and a master's degree from New Bulgarian University - "Illustration and Graphic Technologies". I hope to defend my doctoral thesis there, but it is still in the draft.
What is your professional experience so far?
Generally speaking, I work in the field of illustration, design and teaching. I am a freelance illustrator with a focus on character design. I like to invent little stories that revolve around the characters I draw. I like to draw food. In general, coziness as a concept is at the center of most of the plots I recreate. I believe that life can be slow, warm and delicious. In parallel, I am engaged in marketing and design of advertising catalogs, as well as teaching at NBU.
Tell us more about your work (style, technique, interests, working method): As I have already mentioned, coziness as a concept is leading in a large part of my drawn stories. I believe that in this dynamic world we have an increasing need for the very ordinary everyday things that are actually so special: a cup of tea shared with a friend, the smell of warm soup, a soft blanket and a good book. My favorite materials are ink, pen and watercolor. From time to time I also experiment with colored pencils or just watercolor drawings, but I admit – the detail of the pen is something that makes me truly happy. I like a nice cotton cardboard and I always hesitate whether to have it with an embossed finish or a fine one. So that's the main thing. Then I scan, try to keep digital processing to a minimum and the illustrations come to life on prints, stickers, eco bags, t-shirts…
Exhibitions/participations/performances/awards:
- Participation in the exhibition “Fairytale Heroes” with teachers and students from the Department of “Arts and Design”, module “Graphics and Illustration” and minor program “Graphics and Illustration” at NBU, Sofia /2025/
- Participation in the Biennale of Illustration, Sofia /2018, 2020, 2022, 2024/
- Participation in the exhibition “Pictoplasma”, Varna-Sofia /2018/
- Joint participation in the exhibition “SuperEGO”,
ZONA CULTURA fest, Sofia (June 2014)
- Participation in the exhibition “Drawing- Classic and Romantic”,
Alma Mater Gallery, Sofia (December 2012- January 2013)
- Festival „Burning Bizarre Convention”,
Dresden, Germany (September 2009)
Who is your favorite illustrator?
A difficult question, there are many. Yasen Gyuzelev, Emily Gravet, Felicita Sala, Jim Kay, Vyara Boyadzhieva, Elena Zhablyanova, Kanten Greban…
What is your favorite illustrated book?
I can’t give a specific answer here. I certainly have at least one favorite of the authors already listed, as well as many others.
What book do you dream of illustrating?
I don’t have a specific book, but I would be happy if it was a warm story about the ordinary things in life.
Website:
https://www.behance.net/mgpetrova
Facebook/Instagram/other:
https://www.instagram.com/the_soup_maker/
And here are some of Milena’s works...
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