This book is my child and one of my biggest dreams coming true. I started drawing funny little creatures already when I was in elementary school and I decided I want to create at least one book in my life when I was in high school. Connecting this two together and creating a real children's book for my Master's Thesis was something that I simply needed to do. I started playing with this idea at my faculty and I developed the concept for almost 2 years. It wouldn't be possible without some important people and organisations - my mom, my friend Žiga Puklavec, Strokovni center Pomurje and the best possible mentor - Catherine Rollier.
My Master's Thesis consists of two parts, the theoretical part and the practical part - an actual children's book. In the theoretical part I analysed the elements, which are important to create a book for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I created a prototype which stimulate the sense of smell, as olfactory stimulations show significant developmental improvements in children with ASD. There is a lack of scented books, especially on the Slovenian market. Therefore would be a book like that very helpful for many teachers, educators, parents and children. A prototype of a scented children's book was made with scented pigment fragrance powders, on the topic feeding issues, which are common among many children with ASD. Including rhyme, rhythm and repetition – all of them elements that work well with children suffering from ASD. The result is a creation of a book with a positive message that consider numerous elements (topic, story, text and elements, typography, illustrations and characters, size and format, colors) that are helpful for children with ASD.
Olek won a Creative Communication Award in 2019.
