Viktor Chizhikov was born on 26 September 1935 in Moscow. He began to paint at the age of two with father Alexander Chirikova, who taught at the Moscow architectural Institute (MARCHI). The school Chizhikov, Jr. began to draw cartoons and caricatures and in the ninth grade decided to show their work famous Kukryniksy. After school he entered the Moscow polygraphic Institute, from which he graduated in 1958.
From 1955 Victor Chizhikov worked in the journal Crocodile, from 1956 – the “Fun” in 1958 and “the Murzilka”. He worked in many other periodicals, including in “the Pioneer”, “Pioneer truth”, “Young naturalist”, “Around the world”.
And then his life appeared children’s books. The first book that was illustrated by Victor, was “the Mystery of the pram” by Victor Dragunsky, published by the “Kid” in 1960. The style of the artist is not to be confused with cheerful and bright, touching and very cute, good-natured and not at all scary characters in children’s books seem to come alive on the pages and excite the children’s imagination. This is so they caught the fancy of young readers. As he himself has admitted, even the bad characters he always tried to draw funny, not to scare young readers.
Among the books illustrated by Victor Chizhikova, – “the country has unlearned lessons” by L. B. Geraskina, “Ala, Classic and the letter a” of I. P. Tokmakova, “the Tinderbox” by H. C. Andersen, “Forest Academy” by S. Mikhalkov, “Toys”, A. L. Barto, “the Wizard of oz” A. Volkov, “Rusachok” B. Zakhoder, “the adventures of Vasya Kurolesov” Yury Koval and many others.
Victor Chizhikov many times awarded diplomas of all-Russian and all-Union competitions “the Art of book”. And in 1980 was awarded a diploma of IBBY (International Board on children’s and youth book) for illustrations to “Dr. Dolittle” K. I. Chukovsky.
But more than anything, Viktor Chizhikov loved to draw cats. Along with writer Andrey Usachev he created the album “333 cat” – the artist came up with over 300 unique cats, and the poet wrote funny poems.
to Overestimate the contribution of Victor Chizhikova in the art of book illustration is impossible. He became a legend during his lifetime, and his wonderful paintings, cartoons, illustrations will continue to delight children who love good books.
