The Keen ILLUSTRATION

Creative Generation 窺見思考背像：後腦勺的殊異風景│ Page Tsou

SILvia ÁLVarez Castellar

laceiba66@ono.com
http://silviaalvarezcastellar.blogspot.com/

Silvia出生於宏都拉斯，快七歲時舉家遷至西班牙，

裡的 並在西班牙就讀Sevilla大學，主修藝術，現在是個全
職的插畫家。他曾在婚紗店為客人設計小雕像，在
印刷公司擔任平面設計，也為出版社畫插圖，雖然
工作吃力但卻充滿了挑戰性。爾後，他想當個自由
SILvia ÁLVarez Castellar 設計師並發展插畫事業，對於插畫充滿了熱情，並
認為插畫家才是畢生的職業。 Silvia的事業日益漸進，並與許多出版社合作，像是
Santillana、Everest、Edelvives、Oxford、Edebé、Bruño…等等，也奠定了本
身的插畫事業。目前Silvia已經建立一定的基本客戶群，儘管有時工作忙碌，但一直
是樂在其中的。

在無瑕的白紙上盡情揮灑著色彩，彼此看似無關 My name is Silvia Alvarez Castellar. I was born in Honduras in the city of La Ceiba. My mother is a
的事物，都在紙上融合的恰到好處，Silvia滿腔 Spanish origin and my father is a Honduran. At the early age of seven years old, we moved to the
Spanish mainland and I studied in Fine Arts at the University of Sevilla, where I still live working in full
的愛與熱情，毫無忌憚的在灑落於畫中，讓人都 Illustrator.
忍不住想和這些畫來場短暫的戀愛。 In my first steps towards my future career, I worked in a bridal boutique designing figurines for
private commissions, as well for a Graphic Designer at a printing company, and for a Publisher as an
Illustrator, a very demanding time for me but one I considered a challenge.
I decided it was time to start my business as a freelance designer and
concentrate fully on my own illustrations. I have never considered another career
as illustrator has always been my passion.
As my business progressed so I did my clientele receiving commissions from
publishers like Santillana, Everest, Edelvives, Oxford, Edebé, Bruño...among others
which I considered an achievement in establishing my business in illustration.
Now that my client base is established I receive a varied choice of work which is
sometimes very demanding but always very satisfying when completed.

01. PAJARILLO MENSAJERO

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02. NANAS-AZAHARII
03,04. La i tiene su punto
01 03 05. EDITORIAL BAULA1

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 The Keen ILLUSTRATION

Creative Generation 窺見思考背像：後腦勺的殊異風景│ Page Tsou

充滿愛及幽默的創作
Silvia為David Izquierdo所寫的“LA I TIENE SU
PUNTO”畫插圖；故事內容是在敘述書中的主角為了找
尋一封遺失的信而展開的冒險旅程，這本書用幽默且詼
諧的口吻教導小孩要聽音樂，要有幽默感和懂得幻想。
Silvia為Maria Sanz的搖籃曲書繪畫，標題為：Nanas
para dormir a una flor released，並收錄在Caracol
Cedaw；雖然是本小小的書本，但是書裡都是雙面的插
圖，每幅插圖都表達了一個不同的奇幻世界，並讓讀者
也想身歷其中。這本書還在創作當中，但Silvia非常喜歡
它，因為他可以藉由插圖，來傳達愛和溫柔給小孩子，
就像他對待自己的小孩一樣，那會是最真誠的一面。

dpi : Please talk about your book "LA I TIENE SU PUNTO", what
message would you like to convey in those works?
S i l v i a : T h i s b o o k i s a s to r y w r i t te n by D a v i d I zq u i e rd o a n d
published by Edimater, it has a humorous tone through and the
story describes how the characters go in search of the point they
lost the letter and after the adventure of traveling to get there.
This book is a fun way to teach children, using music, humor and
fantasy. I had so much fun working on this book, for me it was a
constant search for my expressions.

dpi : What material, tool and techniques did you use and why you choose
賦予畫作自然奇幻的生命力 that? Usually, what’s your working process when you create?
Silvia : Normally, I use brushes and ink for the lines, acrylic for colors and
Silvia在每個創作階段會受到不同風格影響，比起印象派、野獸派、抽象派或是立 papers, many papers of all kinds, gift wrappings, stained by me or my
體派，某個特定的藝術風格更能影響其創作風格，例如：Paul Klee、Kandinsky、 children.
I like to store them and one day look at them and choose which one
Gustav Klimt、Gauguin、Miró、Van Gogh、Marc Chagall、Franz Marc、
will convey what I feel at that time, sometimes I prefer to do my work
Cézanne、Matisse、Eric Carle、Picasso…等等。在西班牙也有很多出色的藝術 manually because so many things have been replaced by the computer!!
家，因為熟悉他們的風格，反倒讓Silvia融會貫通進而產生更多創新的想法及靈感。 But I do not say that with regret. I love the opportunities given to me that
dpi : We found you have painted for a little book of lullabies for
collection "Caracol", could you please talk about this work?
Silvia : This is a book of lullabies the author is Maria Sanz, the title
is “Nanas para dormir a una fl or” released in a collection called
Caracol Cedaw, in the next issue the format of the book is smaller
but is with double page illustrations, they are developed with
a magical atmosphere and each picture has a different world
that ever yone wants to be in. This book is still in progress and I
really enjoyed it because I had the opportunity to express love,
tenderness and affection towards children and my inspiration
here was my very own feelings for my own children.

Silvia為了要讓圖畫更有生命力，孩童、鳥聲、雨、暴風雨或是蟋蟀都會適時的出現在 the modern technology can offer in illustration, which is sometimes far
superior to the traditional methods. For example, taking pictures via a
畫裡；而木頭，瀑布，風，甚至是樹和寧靜的夜晚，都能營造出大自然的氛圍。「我
digital camera of things that I like or fi nd curious or what ever catches my
覺得我的繪畫風格是甜美、柔軟、敏感甚至奇幻的，用自己喜歡的顏色和拼貼方式來 eye. 01. La i tiene su punto2
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01 02. NANAS-TULIPAN II
完成作品，並藉由這些畫作來表達出我內心的感覺。」 03. NANAS-TULIPAN
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dpi : We found that your works full fill an atmosphere as childlike poetry, and 04. NANAS-ORQUIDEA
look like a fairyland with color fullness. Could you share your aesthetic or 02 05 05. La i tiene su punto3
dpi : Are there any art period or style has influenced you? And how would you describe your own style?
philosophy about your work?
Silvia : On my journey in illustration, I have had many influences at each stage of my life. I was
Silvia : The truth is I am very experimental but with no style, I like every time
attracted by one artistic style over another Impressionism, Fauvism, Abstract, Art Deco but to name
to start to create something different, to look for new things, new lines,
a few, but most of all the infl uenced artists have always fascinated me. For example, Paul Klee,
new roles and new forms of expression, whatever it takes to progress my
Kandinsky, Gustav Klimt, Gauguin, Miró, Van Gogh, Marc Chagall, Franz Marc, Cézanne, Matisse,
work and convey what I am feeling.
Eric Carle, Picasso...etc, the list is endless. Some I studied more closely and suddenly I discovered
something unexpected. You could also add the charm of the paintings, the drawing of a child, the
sound of birds, rain, storms, the crickets, all of the atmosphere that creates nature in the woods, a
waterfall, the wind, even the movement of trees and the quiet of the night.
Whatever happens within this part of artistic creation is leaving its mark. I would describe my style
as sweet, tender, sensitive, magical, embedded with my passion for color and collage. I express
myself by simply sending my heart, enthusiasm and wish to convey feelings and sensations …

dpi : As an artist, have you been influenced by your own country Spain? Would you please to share the
creating experience or illustration environment there?
Silvia : In my country, there are many exceptional artists, I am always swayed by what I like and
what inspires me.

和設計的一場戀愛
Silvia利用刷具和油墨來描繪輪廓，也用壓克力顏料替不同種類的紙上色，並將紙加以
保存，當作以後創作所需的材料。他喜歡親手創作，不過有許多部份仍然需要使用電
腦來完成，不過他發現有些利用科技於作品上的效果還更優於傳統方式。觀看這些作
品，會發現Silvia喜歡將許多不同元素融合在一起，儘管有些元素會被遺忘展現在畫
中，不過畫面所呈現出的效果仍然令人滿意。Silvia說：「當我在創造故事主角時，會
幻想我在跟他們談戀愛」，加上不同的顏色及繪畫細節，能讓主角更顯得熱情洋溢。
一般來說，Silvia會先在紙上畫草稿並繪至圖板，然後再掃描這些作品成各種不同的形
式，直到呈現最佳效果。再者，當創造畫中主角時，Silvia從不設限其創作概念並藉由
找尋新元素及新的創作概念，藉此表達真正想要傳遞的感覺。

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 The Keen ILLUSTRATION

Creative Generation 窺見思考背像：後腦勺的殊異風景│ Page Tsou

努力的迎向快樂結局
在不同的創作階段都會有屬於最愛的作品產生，最近他正在為一本互動讀
物畫插圖，並重新為“碗豆公主”和“賣火柴的小女孩”畫插圖及撰寫文
字，此外，他認為數位作品別有一番風味，新科技讓他有另一種創作方
式，並在插畫領域中發掘另一種境界，而他也喜愛且保存那些沒有特別修
飾過的插圖；截至目前，本身的插畫生涯不斷進步中，Silvia很滿意現階
段並以自己為榮。
Silvia目前正在為Susanne Isern所寫的故事畫插圖，Silvia也為這個反諷、
有趣及悲傷的故事情節著迷。書中的主人翁利用小孩子的想像來解決問
題，這個故事不但充滿歡樂也充滿了驚奇，雖然對大人來說，這些孩童的
想像根本對事情解決沒有幫助，不過這個故事倒是包含了反思和自我批評
的含義，Silvia希望這個故事有個快樂的結局，並且期待能在眾多出版社
中，找到適合的出版社發行此作品。

dpi : Which works is the most special or the most favorite for you? Would you please
share the work and the reason as well with us?
Silvia : Really, at every stage of my career I´ve got my favorite works. In this moment
I´m illustrating interactive books and I´ve have illustrated some classic tales as "The
princess and the pea", "The Little Match Girl"...also I have writted and illustrated by
my own for the TouchyBooks Collection from Genera Interactive (Spain). I think this
digital work seems fascinating, I really enjoy it, new tecnologies give us other ways
for working illustrations, researching, a world to discover. I´ve got no edit illustrations
very specials too that I keep them and I have a special love. I can see, in all those,
my illustration progression, that I feel ver y proud. Now, I feel cur rently in a real
development and I love this feeling."

dpi : What’s your creating plan in the future?

Silvia : Well, my plan is to keep working and working hard !! To search what I am
looking for, at my every step, my goal is for my advancement at all times, I am always
searching the way for ward. Currently, I have a story to illustrate and the author
is Susanne Isern. She is from Santander, Northern Spain, I love how you write
Susanne! And I have fallen in love with your story. It is ironic and entertaining
but sad at the same time. The protagonist manages to solve a problem
that concerns you thanks to his imagination as a child. For the young
readers, the story is surprising and happy; however, the adult realizes
that nothing has really changed. This is a stor y with a double
meaning which invites refl ection and self-criticism. We are hoping
that this story has a happy ending and we are looking forward
to seeing if we can enter it into a contest into the hands of
several publishers for publication.

01. VALS DE LOS ENAMORADOS

03 04 02. The Little Match Girl
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03. LA FÁBRICA DE LAS GOLOSINAS
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04. LA ESTRELLADELOSDESEOS
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05. The princess and the pea
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06. LA FÁBRICA DE LAS GOLOSINAS

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