Olympic Sun: A Vibrant Illustrated Tribute to Olympic Heroes

Mostafa Abdelmawla's Award-Winning Book Captures Iconic Olympic Moments

Abdelmawla's inspiration for the book came from real figures in the history of the Olympic Games. He sought to capture their iconic moments and inspirational techniques, portraying them as heroes for younger generations. The book is a testament to the belief that strength comes from within and can overcome any obstacle, pain, or injustice.

"Olympic Sun" stands out for its vibrant and dimensional illustrations, focusing on the successive phases of movement of Olympic athletes. The book was realized through sketches made with pencil, then scanned and illustrated using Adobe Illustrator. It is available in various sizes, with the standard version measuring 8.5" x 8.5".

The book's layout is designed to be friendly and approachable for children. Most of the illustrations are connected throughout the pages, while others are spread over double-folded pages. This layout, combined with the dynamic illustrations and vivid color palette, encourages interaction with the story.

The project began in September 2019 and was completed in July 2020. However, the publishing date was pushed to July 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting delay of the Olympic Games. Abdelmawla conducted extensive research on famous Olympians like Florence Griffith, Usain Bolt, and Farida Osman, studying the anatomy of their movements and commemorating some of their career highlights.

The main challenge was capturing the inspirational moments of some of the best Olympic athletes in a visually interesting way. Abdelmawla overcame this by using fresh drawing angles and different perspectives in the style of illustration, focusing on the energetic movement of athletes, and applying a vibrant gradient color palette.

The book tells the story of a young boy and his mother who visit the arena of the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games. They fall in love with the variety of sports on offer and are blown away by the inspirational athletic performances. The boy leaves with happy memories and lessons that will guide him to a better future full of achievements. The copyrights of "Olympic Sun" belong to Mostafa Abdelmawla and author Odetta A. Fraser.