How The Codex Comes to Life
The Codex is not produced like a typical book.
Every chapter, illustration, and detail passes through a long and deliberate creative process designed to honor the spirit of historical encyclopedias and the imagination of Da Vinci–era manuscripts.
Historical Foundations
Each chapter of The Codex passes through many hands before it becomes part of the book.
Together with our co-founder Danylo Ozhho and our historians, we first decide which chapters belong, gather references, and select the most important stories to tell.
From Concept to Illustration
Next, we determine what will be illustrated — the mechanisms, diagrams, tools, and scenes that best reveal the heart of each invention. Our illustrators then draw every element by hand on a digital tablet, line by line, building each page with the care of a medieval manuscript.
After the linework is complete, our color specialists bring the illustrations to life. Every shade, highlight, and shadow is chosen with intention. Coloring is one of the most demanding and time-intensive stages, but it gives The Codex its depth, warmth, and character.
Head Of Design Approval
Finally, everything goes through Vlad, our Head of Design, for feedback and final approval.
Then our writers craft the story, searching for hidden facts and lesser-known details that make each page unique.
How Long a Chapter Takes
On average, each chapter requires four to six weeks of work and the expertise of about ten people — researchers, illustrators, colorists, editors, and designers.
Every invention goes through this full creative cycle before it becomes an official part of The Codex of Inventions.
The Codex is a 350-page illustrated encyclopedia of inventions and inventors, created by Ukrainian artists in a Da Vinci-inspired medieval style. Each page unveils the ideas, mechanisms, and processes that shaped our civilization.