Artist Profile: Igor Kopelnitsky

Igor's interest in cartoons was ignited at an early age when he saw a book of cartoons by Erich Schmitt (East Germany cartoonist) and fell in love with his “Schwester Monika”. It was at this point that Igor began drawing his own cartoons. Igor was a student of Novosibirsk University. After graduation he worked as radio engineer but all his free time was taken up drawing cartoons and participating in International cartoon contests. In 1979 he was awarded a prize from Gabrovo, Bulgaria and his work was published in “Nebelspalter” Switzerland. From that moment on Igor has been a very successful freelance artist. Igor has won numerous awards including the 1981 Biennale Internazionale dell’Umorismo,Tolentino,Italy, the mostra del disegno umoristico, sportive Ancona award (Italy) in 1975, 1987 and 1985 and the Yomiuri, Japan international cartoon prize in 1983 and1986. Since emigrating to the U.S. in 1990, Igor has also been published frequently in the New York Times’ Review of Books and Op-Ed pages. His other clients include the San Diego Reader, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Progressive, and The Nation. His assignment clients include STAX INC., Cambridge, MA, Kino Design, London, LUOGHINONCOMUNI Agency, Bologna, Italy, Y&R Australia, Blue Horizon Development Software, Inc., Heding & Knudtzen ApS, Ingegneria Informatica S.P.A. Italy Engigmi, and “Courrier international".