Meet Stavroula Zigouris | Visual Development Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Stavroula Zigouris and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stavroula, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Deep down I am a storyteller more than I am an artist, and the greatest way for me to express my ideas, feelings, thoughts and concerns has always been through the visual medium. I realized this ever since childhood, always finding ways to entertain and delight myself as well as others through drawings of all things mythical. I didn’t think much of this at the time, but when I entered middle school and started taking art classes to better my skills, something clicked. I realized that I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else other than bringing my stories and characters to life; it was the purest form of expression. Fast forward to high school, when I started taking classes at the ArtCenter Teens program and exposed myself to more artists in the entertainment industry, I figured out the specific career I wished to pursue; visual development, where artists are tasked to envision how a story might look. I realized that in this field, I could merge my art and storytelling skills through the appropriate professionalism to make a living; and now the rest is history.

Have I ever had doubts about pursuing a creative career? Of course; but I’ve always believed that if I don’t do what I dream of doing, who will? It is a motto and philosophy I encourage people to follow for we all have something unique to offer in this world.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Growing up in Greece, I was exposed to mythology very early in my life through school and therefore, my artistic journey began with drawing mythical creatures of all kinds; dragons, griffins, manticores, all that good stuff. There was always something so intriguing to me about mythology, and the idea that such mythical characters and creatures could tell me something deeper about the human psyche; this is something that hasn’t changed to this day. So much of my art revolves around the fantastical, the monstrous, human and inhuman in combination with the realism of our world; almost like an alternate reality. I believe what sets me apart as an artist is my ability to inspire ideas, thoughts and emotions to my audience through beings and creatures that could possibly exist but don’t. This is the heart of my art, but it hasn’t always been easy, and sometimes my concepts can get lost through the visual translation.

Style comes easier to some people than most; for me, it is still a struggle. I keep fighting between keeping my style fairly realistic and painterly, or exaggerated and line-based. The problem is, I love doing both, but I have come to realize that I should treat this problem case by case, depending on what a certain project requires. I am quite hopeful and optimistic however, because as of recent, I’ve begun to find my voice through color; specifically intensely psychological colors against subtler ones. For example, when rendering a character, I would paint them a bit desaturated overall but the most important elements of their design would be very colorful. I am still experimenting with this, but I do feel like I am getting somewhere!

Despite the challenges and a couple of all-nighters, I would never give back any of the hours I’ve put into improving myself. Each and every time I draw, I feel like I am one step closer to achieving the initial vision of my stories. A vision I am most excited for in the future is to finally publish my own series of graphic novels!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh boy, so many places with so much to do! Most of my best friends are from LA, but I do have some that are from Greece. If they were to visit, I would first take them to all the cliche and romanticized places just so that they can say they’ve been. Places such as the Hollywood sign, Downtown LA, the Santa Monica pier and probably Universal Studios. The rest of the days I would love to take them to more local attractions especially around the areas of Pasadena and Arcadia. The Arboretum in Arcadia is always such a treat, both educational and fun; the Norton Simon, and Getty museums would also be very high on the list if they wanted a slice of art history. I am not an expert in night life, but I do love Old Town Monrovia for a brisk walk, interesting little shops or for a nice meal. As for restaurants, I’m always on the hunt for cozy ramen spots, and I think my visiting friends would really enjoy Ramen Yukinoya which is also located in Arcadia. Overall, I think they would appreciate this more laid back itinerary!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many events and people that have cultivated this exact moment in my life. First and foremost, I want to thank my parents and especially my mother for being the one to initially see the “spark” in my artwork, and to suggest that a creative route is a possible option for me; she has helped motivate me countless of times where I felt lost, and has never lost faith in me when I feel like giving up. I aspire to be as brave and as strong as she is some day.

When I first moved to LA from Greece at around 14, the transition would have been extremely challenging if it weren’t for my dear aunt and uncle and their two wonderful daughters, who welcomed us warmly and treated us like their own. I would also like to thank my godparents and their kids for the exact same reasons, and other lovely family members. As for my own personal transition, a special shoutout to my high school buddies for making my days brighter each and every time we meet, even if those times are few. Finally, shoutout to my professor, Cliff Nielsen, who I also TA for; I thank him for his guidance, and respect his creative prowess that I strive to achieve!

Website: https://www.stavieart.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stavieart/

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/stavieart