These Storybook Environments Have So Many Awesome Details They Become a Character, Too

Illus­tra­tor Olha Muzy­chenko knows how to set a scene. In the images for the chil­dren’s book Domovy­chok, she paints a vari­ety of pic­tures cen­tered around a cast of char­ac­ters includ­ing a surly cat, long-haired beau­ties, and a fig­ure who looks like a troll.  The illus­tra­tions fea­tur­ing them in inte­ri­or set­tings are ripe with col­or­ful details like shelves packed with books and walls dis­play­ing a vari­ety of glues, tools, and socks. Of all the images, the one I iden­ti­fy with the most—and I think many of you will—is the har­ried per­son sit­ting at their messy desk sur­round­ed by an assort­ment of books, does, and of course, a cat. By adding these fun details to the char­ac­ter’s set­tings, Olha’s chil­dren’s book illus­tra­tions have a sec­ondary character—the envi­ron­ment themselves.

Fol­low Olha on Insta­gram to see what she’s draw­ing next!