Matjaž Schmidt

Matjaž Schmidt (7 February 1948 – 29 September 2010) was a Slovene artist and illustrator, best known for his children's books illustrations and comic strips.^[2]

Schmidt was born in Ljubljana. After high school, he attended the Faculty of Architecture. In 1968, he transferred to the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana, where he specialized in illustration. He was married to Jelka Godec Schmidt, who is also an illustrator. In 2009, he won the Levstik Award for lifetime achievement in illustration.^[3] He died in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

References

Matjaž Schmidt was born on 7 February 1948 in Ljubljana. He attended elementary school in Vrtača area where today we can find Academy for fine arts. He was always a very good student but his hobby was drawing which became his lifetime passion. There are many freehand drawings of family members and stories from his childhood sketched with such great detail and feeling. Most of all he liked to draw science fiction, wild west and fantasy vehicles. In grammar school, where he was again exceptional student, he began to intensively read science fiction and think about what to study. Because of the good grades everyone expected he was going to the medical faculty like his father. But he decided to go study architecture. There he met his first wife Gordana. He needed two years to find out that this study was not to his liking so he entered Academy of Fine art. This was just the thing he was born for. Let’s not forget that those two years at the faculty of Architecture did develop his sense of space and unusualness magic of different perspectives and also graphic design.

In 1972, he married Gordana Prevoršek and moved to Wolfova street. He finished his studies with professor Gabrijel Stupica. That same year he enrolled at painting specialist with professor Janez Bernik. In 1973 his first daughter Nina was born. In 1974 he finished the specialty with an excellent highest grade 10. In 1974 he illustrated his first book “Goščava in živali (Thickets and animals)”. He worked in a design biro for a few years, did illustrations for Saturday edition of the national magazine Delo and was later an art professor in elementary school Medvode. He was also an art pedagogue and got his status as a freelancer. Lots of books came home from traveling abroad and visiting Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

In the first decade of intensive engagement with illustration, Matjaž Schmidt developed into an illustrator, characterized by rich narrative who faithfully follows the word template, whether it's literary, historical, popular science or science fiction, exemplary adapting the visual image to different age readers. Engaging in different texts for children and youth, pedagogical experience with

pre-school and school children and the innate child's senses early in the day create desire for author's paintings and comics. This is where we meet his work that describes him best. Educating and humorous. The artist always searches for the new, most suitable, artistic solution for telling the story. Not only in the author's works, but also when the painter is bound to other writers, he shapes the text and visual image into an indivisible whole. Most numerous Schmidt's illustrations are related to popular science and historical texts for young and if by volume the second place can be his illustrations for the youngest children, it is not to forget his illustrative work intended for adults. Even when using color, the drawing remains largely dominant, though it can surprise the reader with pictures with the ink. He painstakingly speaks a realistic artistic language with all shades of

lyrical, dramatic or tragic stories, or is expressing in a humorous, satirical or grotesque way. Artist used many techniques: charcoal, pencil, pen, ink, coloured pencils, brush, watercolour and in the last few years’ tempera and aquarelle. Numerous realistic details that he introduces into images

and a surprising number of witty ideas that upgrade the texts are always a distinctive sign for Schmidt’s manuscript.

Among the Slovenian illustrators, the name Matjaž Schmidt is firmly fixed in the front as one of most creative and innovative illustrators. With a series of copyright comics, picture books, didactic toys, puppets, book equipment, posters, etc. proves that he does have lots of artistic skills. In copyright works for children, it presents itself not only as a master illustrator, but as a teacher in the best sense of words.

Matjaž Schmidt achieved several awards for his illustrated opus. For illustrations in the book of Sergei Prokofiev Peter and the wolf, he was ranked on the IBBY Honorary List in 1998. In 1998-2000 he was a member of the International Jury for the Andersen Award, the highest international recognition in the field of youth literature.

Review of illustrator works in books

1. Goščava in živali, Rene Guillot, MK 1974 (Sinji galeb)

2. Leskova mladost, Miha Mate, MK 1976 (Sinji galeb)

3. Vrtirepov koledar, Svetlana Makarovič, PK 1976 (skupaj z Dušanom Klunom)

4. Sošolca, Katja špur, MK 1977 (Odisej)

5. Edinka, Klara Jarunkova, MK 1977 (Zlata knjiga)

6. Kraguljčki, Ljudmila Prunk- Utva, MK 1977 (Čebelica)

7. Velik križ, Helena Šmahelova, MK 1978 (Biseri)

8. Zajec in tri opice, Ike in Tess Acquah, MK 1978 (Cicibanova knjižnica)

9. Peter in divji pes, Henry R. Fea, ZB 1978 (Kurirčkova knjižnica)

10. Tretje oko, Vitan Mal, MK 1979 (Pionirjeva knjižnica)

11. 0d krika do avtomatike, Josip Palada, MK 1979 (Pelikan)

12. Pošta, Josip Palada, MK 1979 (Pelikan)

13. Trgovina, Evelina Umek, MK 1979 (Pelikan)

14. Lepše in boljše, Matjaž Schmidt, ZB 1979 (Kurirčkova torbica)

15. Dobro jutro,dober dan, Žarko Petan, MK 1979 (Cicibanova knjižnica)

16. Več kotje mogoče, Pero Zlatar, MK 1979 (Sinji galeb)

17. Prigode kapitana Vrungla, A. S. Nekrasov, MK 1979 (Biseri)

18. Pravljice za igro, Gianni Rodari, DDU Univerzum 1979

19. Levi in desni kloven, Leopold Suhodolčan, MK 1979 (Sončnica)

20. Upomo mesto, Mile Pavlin, ZB 1979 (Kurirčkova zgodovinska slikanica)

21. Maja, Nada Kraigher, MK 1979 (Odisej)

22.Pravljice iz mačje preje, Svetlana Makarovič, ZB 1980 (Kurirčkova knjižnica)

23.Drobne zodbe, Berta golob, MK 1980 (Deteljica)

24.Utrinki iz vesolja, Marijan Prosen, MK 1980

25.Nebotičniki, sedite, Niko Grafenauer, MK 1980 (Cicibanova knjižnica)

26.Cvetka - sedemcvetka, Vladimir Petrovič - Kataev, MK 1980 (Čebelica)

27 .Dnevnik Jureta Novaka, Brane Dolinar, MK 1980 (Sinji galeb)

28.Štirje srčni možje, Janez Kajzer, ZB 1980 (Kurirčkova zgodovinska slikanica)

29.Slava Klavora, France Filipič, ZB 1980 (Kurirčkova zgodovinka slikanica) 8

30.0rientiranje v naravi, Marijan Prosen, Jože Rotar, Peter Svetih, MK 1981 (posebna izdaja Pionirja) 31.Moja družina, Pavle Zidar, MK 1981 (Sinji galeb)

32.Neiztrohnjeno srce I, Anton Slodnjak, MK1981

33.Neiztrohnjeno srce II, Anton Slodnjak, MK1981

34.Hude preizkušnje, Karel Grabeljšek, ZB 1981

35.Kovač konja kuje, ljudska izštevanka, MK 1981 (Najdihojca)

36.Dogodki štiriperesne deteljice, Vid Pečjak, AMZ Slovenije 1982

37.Podaj mi roko, pesem, Oton župančič, MK 1981 (Zlata knjiga poezije)

38.Vanda, Vitan Mal, MK 1981 (Sinji galeb)

39.Samoupravljanje- naša moč, Ciril Ribičič, MK 1982

40.Nejčev prvi leksikon, Matjaž Schmidt, MK 1982

41.Zgodba o levih in levčku, Lojze Kovačič, MK 1982 (Velike likanice)

42.Špelce, Polonca Kovač, ZB 1982 (Kurirčkova knjižnica)

43.Kurirčki, Janez Bitenc, Helidon 1983

44.Mihec in črte, Zmaga Glogovec, MK 1983 (Pedenjped)

45.Jakec in črte, Zmaga Glogovec, MK 1983 (Pedenjped)

46.Pri zdravniku, Evelina Umek, MK 1983 (Pelikan)

47.Črni maček in druge zgodbe, A.M. Slomšek, MD 1983

48.Nejčev drugi leksikon, Matjaž Schmidt, MK 1984

49.Jure in kresničke, Zmaga Glogovac, DDU Univerzum 1984

50.Jure in rumena rutka, Zmaga Glogovac, DDU Univerzum 1984

51.Prvi stik z vesoljem, Marijan Prosen, DZS 1984

52.Joj, ne vedi se kot slon, Miroslav Slana- Miros, ZB 1984 (Liščki)

53.Moj robot, Matjaž Schmidt, ZB 1984 (Kurirčkova torbica)

54.Ko bom velik bom predsednik, Matjaž Schmidt, ZB 1984 (Kurirčkova torbica)

55.Šola za velike, Mirjana Stefanovic, MK 1985 (Čebelica)