Mariya Prytula - Designer
Award winning children's and nature illustrator, available for middle-grade projects, watercolor picture books, and adult cover work.
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Overview
Mariya is an award winning illustrator specializing in watercolor and digital art. She has illustrated two award winning picture books, six picture books for private clients, multiple book covers, and she has undertaken projects for Reeves International, Austin ArtBoards, Austin Wildlife Rescue, and other businesses. Her original work has been featured in fantasy and wildlife art collections. Mariya creates art with the goal of giving her viewer a hug.
Client feedback:
"Your comments and sage advice have been invaluable throughout this whole process, and I have learned so much from you. Thank you for your beautiful artwork which captured my vision for this book."
"You taught me what was possible and expected when working with other artists. You were so patient with me while working through an unfamiliar etiquette. It was a real kindness."
Client feedback:
"Your comments and sage advice have been invaluable throughout this whole process, and I have learned so much from you. Thank you for your beautiful artwork which captured my vision for this book."
"You taught me what was possible and expected when working with other artists. You were so patient with me while working through an unfamiliar etiquette. It was a real kindness."
Languages
English
Non-Fiction
Children’s Non-Fiction
Home & Garden
Nature
Fiction
Classics
Epic Fantasy
Middle Grade
Middle Grade Fantasy
Picture Books
Works with
Squarespace
Awards
- Gold IPPY Medal from Independent Publisher Book Awards for "Little Moss, Big Tree" picture book
- Spark Award Honor from Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators for "Little Moss, Big Tree" picture book
- Foreword INDIES Book of the Year award finalist for "Little Moss, Big Tree" picture book
- NAPPA Award winner for "Happy Papas" picture book
- SCBWI Austin Portfolio Honor
- SCBWI Austin Creators of Diverse Worlds Scholarship
- Best Illustrator Gold Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards
Work experience
Illustrator
Self-employed
January, 2016
–
Present
(over 6 years)
Mariya (pronounced Maria) is known for her award-winning depictions of animals, nature, and warm children’s illustrations. Her art goal is to give the viewer a hug.
She would love to work on more:
- Middle-grade covers and interior illustration projects
- Picture books that tackle emotional learning, multi-generational relationships and/or the environment
- Secular Christmas
- Packaging
Self-taught in art from an early age, Mariya completed a BS degree in Biology Pre-Medicine at Baylor University, and upon graduating worked in medical device consulting. Mariya is passionate about wildlife conservation and works as the Community Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator for Austin Wildlife Rescue as well as volunteers with the Refugee Services of Texas. .
Portfolio (7 selected works)
Little Moss, Big Tree
M. Yap-Stewart
Little Moss and Little Tree are the best of friends. They do everything together. One day, Little Tree grows into Big Tree. Can the two remain friends? And what will they do when a winter storm comes their way? Little Moss, Big Tree is a celebration of the friendships that leave lasting impressions, the moments in life that cause us to pause and reflect, and the enduring magic of the natural w... read more
Happy Papas
Kathleen T. Pelley
Happy Papas, the follow-up book to CWLA's award winning Happy Mamas, is a beautiful read aloud that celebrates the wonder of fatherhood, exploring how both animal and human fathers shelter, nurture, and interact with their little ones. From ocean to sky and savanna to jungle, Happy Papas speaks to the universal joys of fatherly love.
True Feathers
Patrick, Carolyn
The Kilkenny Clowder
Perry, Shelley
Nimbus
Voss, Bernard
Revoyage of the Mayflower: Societal Values - Conservation's Driving Force
Raffaele, Herbert A.
Aran: A fantasy adventure
Handley, P. L.
Mariya has 8 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
As a new author who wanted to self-publish my children’s chapter book, I consider myself extremely fortunate to have retained Mariya to edit and illustrate my book. My book (which will be part of a series) seeks to raise ecological awareness for children and the setting is a coral reef in the Cayman Islands off of Seven Mile Beach. Imagine my delight when I learned that Mariya has snorkeled t...
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Cindy Bordelon, July 2022
As always, Mariya went above and beyond my expectations. I couldn't be happier with her work. She is truly talented! I will definitely work with Mariya again.
Shelley Perry, July 2022
Working with Mariya has been an absolute pleasure. She has made the whole process so clear and easy from start to finish. I couldn’t be happier with my book cover, and would recommend her services to anyone looking for a professional illustrator and book cover artist. Would love to use her again in the future.
Lloyd Handley, April 2022
Mariya is an extremely talented artist and illustrator. She dove in and asked me all the right questions to understand the tone and theme of my book and the drive of my protagonist. She wove all this into a compelling book cover that captures the attention (of my reader, middle school kids). She was super communicative and kept me informed, showed me versions and got my input along the way. In ...
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Cicek Bricault, April 2022
Amazingly patient and responsive.
Gregory Adrian, March 2022
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