Peter Klyuchik (Peter KĽčik) is a Slovak artist and book illustrator. One of Peter’s most famous series is “Fantastic Zoology,” which was created to resemble antique bestiaries. And here the viewer is confronted with incredibly distorted surrealistic animals as well as plants.

Biography Peter Klyuchik

He was born on March 16, 1953 in the Bratislava region. He studied at the Art Industry High School in Bratislava and graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design under Prof. Albin Brunovský. He lives and works in Bratislava.

About Peter Klyuchik’s works

According to his colleague, his field is the whimsical variety of natural motifs and he says that his strongest inspiration is “nature design. He is an exponent and continuer of the pictorial trend of fantasy realism. He has many illustrations in which we can find prehistoric animals and various combined creatures and monsters that were born in his multi-layered imagination.

And the details seem to have ornamentation. It really is one of the most suitable candidates for illustrating humorous and adventurous literary subjects, but he has also illustrated books for the very young. Direct drawing with colored pens is the author’s standard technique. Positive humor, motivational elements regarding limitless imagination are put together.

At the same time the drawing is stylized, the surface is covered and has a decorative charge. The artist’s painting patiently treats the plots thematically about great deeds and adventurous exploits in exotic natural wilds with quirky fauna without exaggeration. The exquisite pieces that evoke the viewer’s respect evoke the association of a huge banknote in the form of a child. But his illustrations are clear, use documentary drawing, humorous elements and breathe a unique fluidity.

His drawings are not interchangeable, and their content carries the phenomenon of memorability. They must be searched for, as this is an advantage for children, for they love to play searching. For the child recipient, the complexity of the illustrations is not a challenge, but rather a motivating factor. Equally quirky and unusual creatures are part of a child’s imagination.