Sergei Tunin was born in Russia in 1942. Graduated the Moscow Textile Institute, Art department. The first cartoon was published in 1968. Since that time his cartoons have won more than 50 awards national and international. Now he is an art director of the humorous magazine for children in Moscow and a freelance editorial cartoonist for Kommersant daily in Russia and Courier International in France. He lives and works in Moscow, Russia.
Your biography in 3 lines?
Sergei Tunin:I was a schoolboy,
a soldier,
a student and became a cartoonist.
What was your first satirical cartoon?
Sergei Tunin:My first satirical cartoon was a caricature on my teacher in the primary school.
When did you start your professional working?
Sergei Tunin:My professional working as a cartoonist started when I was a student in 1968 year.
What was your first published artwork?
Sergei Tunin:My first published artwork was a cartoon about fire-brigade at the first April - the Fool-day in 1967.
What was your first prize?
Sergei Tunin:My first prizes were in 1973 year in Sarajevo and Skopje in former Yugoslavia.
What was your last prize?
Sergei Tunin:My last two prizes were in Ukraine in 2014.
How do you find new ideas?
Sergei Tunin:New ideas appear in my head themselves every morning.
What is your idea about Inevitable Similarities?
Sergei Tunin:Inevitable similarities are inevitability.
What do you think about plagiarism?
Sergei Tunin:Plagiarism is shameful business.
Do you think who is the best Iranian Cartoonist?
Sergei Tunin:On my opinion the best Iranian cartoonist is Derambakhsh Kambiz.
Who is the best Cartoonist in your country?
Sergei Tunin:Today in Russia the best cartoonist is Andrey Popov.
Do you think who is the best foreign cartoonist?
Sergei Tunin:The best foreign cartoonist on my opinion is Sempe.
What's the best cartoon that you've ever seen? If possible send it to us.
Sergei Tunin:The drawing by Roland Topor: Snake and Swan.
How much time do you pay for creating an artwork?
Sergei Tunin:To create an artwork need different time. It depends of a task and predestination: a cartoon for daily newspaper, magazine, book illustration and so on...
What are your tools and technique for creating artwork?
Sergei Tunin:A pencil, a pen, Indian ink, sepia, poster colors, pastels, color pencils, digital colors and so on...
Which software do you use?
Sergei Tunin:I use GIMP.
What's your recommendation to your colleagues?
Sergei Tunin:My recommendation - do not be lazy.
What do you think about cartoon situation in the world?
Sergei Tunin:Every country has special situation. For example, in France for sake "Charlie" there is new interest to cartoons, in Russia - full apathy.
Did you ever had problems with your cartoons?
Sergei Tunin:I have had problems with my cartoons during the Soviet Union, now i have not any problems except scare of new ideas.
What was your best cartoon?
Sergei Tunin:Honestly i do not know.
Have you ever created an immediate Cartoon?
Sergei Tunin:From time to time.
Have you ever been jury member in any Cartoon Contest?
Sergei Tunin:Several times include the Cartoon Contest in Tehran in 1999.
What about Caricature?
Sergei Tunin:It is my work and my hobby.
Have you ever worked in cooperation with another artist?
Sergei Tunin:When I made animation only.
What's your idea about Irancartoon website?
Sergei Tunin:Irancartoon website is one of the best.
If you were born again what did you choose as your career?
Sergei Tunin:If I was born again I became a cartoonist.
Do you think what is the boarder between Cartoon and Caricature?
Sergei Tunin:The border between cartoon and caricature is very soft and hardly differ.
What and when was your last exhibition?
Sergei Tunin:My last personal exhibition was in Ecuador two years ago.
Do you think an artist can have enough money by creating cartoon and caricature?
Sergei Tunin:Some cartoonists have enough money and even more
Who's your favorite artist except in cartoon world?
Sergei Tunin:Vincent van Gogh.
What was the last book you've read?
Sergei Tunin:Graham Green "The ministry of fear" in English.
Do you think humor can be learned?
Sergei Tunin:It is possibly to learn understanding humor.
Who is the best artist in Black Humor?
Sergei Tunin:The best artist in black humor is Roland Topor.
What was your last performed Caricature?
Sergei Tunin:My last performed cartoon is about double acting politics.
This interview will be used in both English and Persian websites and also in Iran Cartoon Magazine.