From 1994 through 1998, Niko Zinovii artistically created the visual look of most of the Upside Down Animals characters based on the wonderful stories imagined and authored by Taylor St. Sauvage Brandon, based on the animal opposites theme Niko had suggested. Niko also drew the initial 16 children's picture books authored by Taylor. (See list below)
Niko's original artwork later served as a character and story guide for the subsequent edition of the books, which were re-drawn as a work for hire by the talented artist Leonardo Ariza Ardila
Children's books that Niko contributed the original first-edition artwork & character look for:
The Elephant Who Couldn't Remember!
The Bird Who Didn't Want To Fly South For The Winter!
The Bird Who Was Afraid To Clean The Crocodile's Teeth!
The Straw That Didn't break The Camel's Back!
The Bear Who Couldn't Hibernate!
The Skunk Who Didn't Want to Stink!
The Opossum Who Didn't Want To Play Dead!
The Penguin Who Disliked The Cold!
The Turtle Who Felt Boxed In!
The Pig Who Didn't Want To Get Dirty!
The Rooster Who Didn't Want To Wake Up Early Anymore!
The Lemming Who Didn't Want To Take The Plunge!
The Eagle Who Didn't Want To Wear His Glasses Anymore!
The bird who is afraid of heights!
The Hyena Who Wouldn't Laugh!
The Fish Who Couldn't Swim!
What artists influenced you?
The artists who influenced me the most were:
Maria Severin
Barry Smith
Jack Kirby
Herb Trimpe
Larry Lieber
George Pérez
Joe Sinnott
Ken Barr
James Bama
I was also influenced by:
Ross Andru
Sal Buscema
John Buscema
Joe Kubert
Curt Swan
and others
Owners of Painting Daydreams, from left to right
Taylor St. Sauvage Brandon, Guy Scata, Niko Zinovii
A young Niko Zinovii in 1995 inking a page from The Straw That Didn't Break the Camel's Back!
A very young Niko, in the 3rd grade, being honored with having his artistic logo selected to be placed on his primary school's school shirts and sweaters.
“Sunflowers
towering over
the boy's imagination."
—Niko
Were there any works of art that especially influenced your artistic imagination at an early age?
Yes:
• In 1968, the Incredible Hulk King-Size Special # 1, a Marvel comic book, co-featuring the Inhumans. Cover art by Jim Staeranko; interior art by Marie Severin. Story by Gary Friedrich.
• In 1968, the Colorforms Aliens Outer Space Men (seven imaginative bendable rubber action figure toys, each alien originating from a different planet in Earth’s solar system.) Created by Mel Birnkrant.
• In 1968, the Strange Change Machine, a toy by Mattel: plastic figures of prehistoric animals and science fiction-like creatures compressed into time capsule form, and decompressed back.
• In 1970, the Fantastic Four King Size Special # 8, a Marvel comic book, co-featuring the Sub-Mariner. Cover art by John Romita Sr., interior art by Jack Kirby. Story by Stan Lee.
* 1968 — 1970: I was also exposed to imaginatively influential films and events such as witnessing a full solar eclipse at midday and watching live coverage of the July 20, 1969 Apollo 11 first moon landing.