From Charcoal to Fire
This is where it all began. For years I’ve been doodling characters on every scrap of paper I could find — in meetings, while relaxing, whenever my mind drifted. Some of those sketches found their way into Illustrator and Photoshop, turning into mockups and story seeds. But these drawings… they were given more time to breathe, to mature.
That’s how the Lava Trolls were born: one sketch, then a name, then another sketch — until suddenly they belonged to the same world. Stories started to spark, backstories and powers emerged, and the landscapes of my adventurous home country, Iceland, seeped into their bones. My lifelong love of geology — the volcanoes shaping the land where my family lives — fused with my fascination for fantasy and adventure.
Here I’ll share the original sketches: from pencil smudges to vector flames — the first sparks that set this world on fire.
From Charcoal to Fire
This is where it all began. For years I’ve been doodling characters on every scrap of paper I could find — in meetings, while relaxing, whenever my mind drifted. Some of those sketches found their way into Illustrator and Photoshop, turning into mockups and story seeds. But these drawings… they were given more time to breathe, to mature.
That’s how the Lava Trolls were born: one sketch, then a name, then another sketch — until suddenly they belonged to the same world. Stories started to spark, backstories and powers emerged, and the landscapes of my adventurous home country, Iceland, seeped into their bones. My lifelong love of geology — the volcanoes shaping the land where my family lives — fused with my fascination for fantasy and adventure.
Here I’ll share the original sketches: from pencil smudges to vector flames — the first sparks that set this world on fire.
The Song of Mosi
Sometimes a character grows so much, they start singing.
This music video was born from the story of The Troll Who Grew Moss, one of the most beloved tales in The Lava Troll’s universe. Mosi, the mossy misfit who sneezes mushrooms and finds strength in being different. He inspired a song.
So I made one. A song about softness, roots, and growing into your magic.
It’s in English, but the heart (and moss) are all Icelandic.
🎵 Watch the music video and explore Mosi’s full story on the frontpage.
More coming…
The Creator
From the mind of Björgvin Guðjónsson – Art Director, storyteller, and occasional troll wrangler, come the tales of the Lava Trolls. With more than twenty-five years shaping worlds through design and creativity, Björgvin now turns to the glowing underworld of Iceland to weave stories that mix humor, heart, and molten mischief.
His vision for the Lava Trolls is simple: warm-hearted fantasy where children and playful grown-ups alike can laugh, wonder, and discover that even the strangest moss-covered misfit belongs. The stories are born from sketches, words, and the sparks of AI tools, always guided by a human hand and a storyteller’s grin.
Whether you meet them on the page, hear them in audio, or see them in glowing art, the Lava Trolls carry Björgvin’s belief that stories should be both whimsical and wise — a hearth where imagination feels at home.