Vasilis Grivas is a Greek illustrator who has undertaken a wide variety of illustrated projects. He has illustrated many children’s books, novels, book covers, brochures, magazines and more. The use of hand drawn patterns is what distinguishes him and adds a dreamy aesthetic to his amazing artworks. He has collaborated with educational organizations, publishers and advertising companies in Greece, USA, China, Italy and also with USDA Foreign Agricultural Service of the United States in Athens.
He has illustrated the book of Australian writer J.R.McRae “Cats Eyes”, published by Tate publishing. He wrote and illustrated a picture book Zaf the Persian cat, for Tate publishing, in USA. Vasilis wrote and illustrated a fairytale «Heliogenniti and Constantis» based on and inspired by Greek traditional legends of the same name. He has exhibited his work internationally and has received excellent reviews. One of his latest exhibitions was in Sharjah International Book Fair, (United Arab Emirates) where he participated among other renown international illustrators. He, also, collaborated with the British online magazine “Stimulus Respond”. He is a member of the Chamber of Visual Arts and the Artistic Society of Greek Children’s and Adolescent’s Books, Esopus.
Vasilis draws since he remembers himself. Illustrating has been to him a creative path to run away from reality, to get away from the truth that others want for you. He loves to illustrate children’s books that have the power to put him into a fairy world, to open a window in his paper and while he paints it to make him a part of the story. He uses watercolors, tempera, ink, computer, he loves to work with colours but also to use his pen and draw black and whites, which by the way are my favourite. Vasilis loves to use patterns in his illustrations, coloured or black and white, all made by hand. He derives his inspiration from his childhood, and the beautiful Greek village of his grandparents, the fields, the smell of the soil, the fresh air, the animals, a donkey and the horse Marcus, and the stories, real or fairy tales that his grandfather used to tell him.
Here’s a small collection of Vasilis Grivas’ black and white illustrations (with a little colour). I would also suggest you to visit his website and for more and to check out the amazing coloured ones.
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