Niyati Froind

Year of birth: 1973.
Where do you live: Caesarea, a small beach town in Israel.
Your education: Shenkar College of Design, Meayrimim Illustration School by Liora Grossman, professional courses in Anatomy, Comics, Illustration and Writing.
Describe your art in three words: My quiet place.
www.niyatifroind.com | Instagram

Niyati Froind | My Heart Was Wrapped In Clover | 2023

Can you tell us about your journey as an artist? How did you get started in illustration?

I have been drawing ever since I can remember myself. When I was 3 or 4 years old I made a drawing of a house and a sun in a blue sky, and a line of ants walking in the grass. My mom told anyone who would listen – “she’s going to be an illustrator”. But – it didn’t happen right away. I first studied arts and jewelry design and worked in the jewelry industry for a few years. I made jewelry out of rusted iron and participated in contemporary jewelry exhibitions. Then I met my husband and we had a precious metals refinement business. I only went back to drawing during Covid-19, that is, 4 years ago.

Who or what are your biggest influences in art and illustration?

I love everything by Beatrice Alemagna. Her style is so liberated and free! My style, or better said – my natural inclination – is to be very precise and “color inside the lines”. Whenever I want to ‘let go’ a bit in my drawings I look at her work and get inspired. I also admire the work of so many others that there is not enough space to mention them all – Aya Gordon Noy, Shirley Waisman and Natalie Pudalov are just three of them.

How did your education at Shenkar College of Design and Meayrimim illustration school shape your artistic style?

Shenkar gave me a sense of discipline and academic understanding of design. At Meayrimim – the illustration school of Liora Grossman – I found my creative soul. This school is mostly dedicated towards children’s books. Liora taught me everything I know about children’ books – from building a composition through character design and picking a meaningful color scheme. And the most important thing – how to create a line of illustration that either works independently of, or is intertwined with the text.

Niyati Froind | Foreign Language | 2022

What significance do colored pencils and rusted iron hold in your work?

I think they both have the same rustic and “true” feeling. I love grainy textures with a tactile quality. The technique I’m working with requires many layers to reach saturation, and I love doing that for hours.

Are there any new mediums or techniques you’re excited to explore in the future?

I’ve just started learning writing for children with Yotam Shwimmer – a great kid lit editor and I’m excited to be able to both write and illustrate my own stories.

I’m always taking classes and learning new stuff. I feel like there is so much more I want to know! These days I’m playing and experiencing with pastels.

Niyati Froind | Snail Soup | 2022

Can you describe a particularly memorable moment or turning point in your career?

At ‘Meayrimim‘, Liora introduced me to colored pencils and I swear I could have heard the click sound when I first used them. It was love at first sight! Since then it has become my ‘go to‘ technique.

Can you tell us about the stories behind some of your favorite pieces?

Yes! Color doesn’t come to me easily. So, when I illustrated my interpretation to the famous Israeli children’s book “Mitz Petel” (‘Raspberry Juice‘) I was struggling with the color scheme and accidentally picked up a pink pencil. I was drawing a lilypond… but, since colored pencils are un-erasable, I just went on with it. It was only when I finished that I realized I had picked a “raspberry theme”. Since then, pink (which I never wear…) has come to my rescue many more times.

Niyati Froind | The pink lilypond