SHOWCASE

/ ARTIST / 2026

ARTIST: Csilla Szegedi
COUNTRY: Hungary
CONTACT: https://www.facebook.com/csingiling0/?locale=hu_HU
https://www.instagram.com/csilladesign/
https://www.behance.net/csillaszegedi
I have been working as a graphic designer since 2017 and have also worked on illustration projects throughout my career. To further develop my creative skills, I recently graduated from a two-year Illustration program at Corvin Art School. I enjoy working with both traditional and digital techniques, either independently or in combination. I am interested in a wide range of creative fields, including children’s book illustration, editorial and adult-oriented illustration, and branding projects.

I believe that a strong concept is the foundation of every successful visual project, and I always choose the most suitable technique based on the message and the target audience. I am particularly interested in the relationship between color and composition, using their harmony to create engaging visuals that capture attention and communicate ideas effectively.

I am always open to new challenges and enjoy experimenting with different visual styles and techniques.

Full wrap-around book cover (The Melancholic Lion Gazing into the Distance / A messzeséget kémlelő mélabús oroszlán)

This is the complete, continuous illustration for the front and back cover of the square-format picture book 'The Melancholic Lion Gazing into the Distance' (A messzeséget kémlelő mélabús oroszlán).Synopsis: Written by Lilla Turbuly and illustrated by Csilla Szegedi, this project tells a poetic story about emotion, patience, and inner strength through the journey of a melancholic lion. The black circle on the front cover indicates a physical, die-cut window on the printed book, revealing the title on the page underneath.

Spread 1 (The Melancholic Lion Gazing into the Distance / A messzeséget kémlelő mélabús oroszlán)

The first interior spread introduces the main character, Pepi, contrasting him with his strong siblings. Text on the page translated from Hungarian to English: "He was called Pepi, and he wasn't the strongest lion among his siblings. Not the biggest, and not the cleverest either."

Spread 2 (The Melancholic Lion Gazing into the Distance / A messzeséget kémlelő mélabús oroszlán)

Pepi spends his childhood in sadness, feeling that no one takes him seriously, while visual metaphors hint at his inner thoughts and hidden royal destiny. Text on the page translated from Hungarian to English: "He grieved a lot for all this in his childhood. That no one took him seriously. With a name like that, how could they anyway?"

Spread 3 (The Melancholic Lion Gazing into the Distance / A messzeséget kémlelő mélabús oroszlán)

The plot progresses as Pepi's brothers leave the pride to start their independent lives, leaving Pepi behind, paralyzed by his fears. Text on the page translated from Hungarian to English: "The day had come when Beppo, the cleverest brother, left the pride to start an independent life. Not long after, Leo and Teo followed him too. PEPI, HOWEVER, DID NOT DARE TO LEAVE."

Spread 4 (The Melancholic Lion Gazing into the Distance / A messzeséget kémlelő mélabús oroszlán)

Pepi feels safe with his father supporting him, but the fear of being alone in the vast savannah still terrifies him. Text on the page translated from Hungarian to English: "If he felt Lionpapa right there behind his back, he sometimes managed to catch the prey, but even the thought of what would happen to him if he had to manage alone on the vast savannah terrified him."

Spread 5 (The Melancholic Lion Gazing into the Distance / A messzeséget kémlelő mélabús oroszlán)

Although Lionmama comforts him, the cruel reality of nature stands before Pepi: tradition dictates that young males must eventually leave. Text on the page translated from Hungarian to English: "Although Lionmama always reassured him that he could stay as long as he wanted, and in fact, she would be happiest if Pepi lived with them forever. But the boys must go. This is the LION LAW!"

Spread 6 (The Melancholic Lion Gazing into the Distance / A messzeséget kémlelő mélabús oroszlán)

Pepi at his favorite spot, capturing the core theme and the title of the book, where he contemplates his future while watching the endless life of the savannah. Text on the page translated from Hungarian to English: "He often went out to sit at the edge of the bush where they lived, under a baobab tree, his favorite spot, and melancholically gazed into the distance."

Spread 7 (The Melancholic Lion Gazing into the Distance / A messzeséget kémlelő mélabús oroszlán)

A dramatic turning point in the story, where danger arrives in the form of a wildfire, challenging Pepi's peaceful world. Text on the page translated from Hungarian to English: "He had never felt anything like this before; it was a prickly, unpleasant smell that brought tears to his melancholic lion eyes."

Spread 8 (The Melancholic Lion Gazing into the Distance / A messzeséget kémlelő mélabús oroszlán)

The tension reaches its peak as Pepi witnesses the immediate danger threatening the cubs, forcing him to face his deepest fears. Text on the page translated from Hungarian to English: "Lionmama cannot bring out all three cubs at once, oh, what if even one stays behind?! They will be trampled by the elephants or burn in the fire! OH, WHAT WILL BECOME OF THEM?!"

Spread 9 (The Melancholic Lion Gazing into the Distance / A messzeséget kémlelő mélabús oroszlán)

Pepi finds his inner courage and runs into the fire to rescue the remaining cubs, completing his emotional journey. Text on the page translated from Hungarian to English: "By the time he got there, Lionmama was already rushing out, carrying little Metta in her mouth. She only gestured in terror towards Pepi with her eyes, as she couldn't open her mouth. But Pepi understood her anyway: he ran for the other two cubs."