I’ve missed you
We talked to Jovana Đukić featured in VII issue with an illustration editorial about her work. The full animation can be viewed below.
Frame by frame animation by Jovana Đukić.
Based on a story by Alenka Drobnjak.
The project was part of an internship in in60seconds studio.
1. Who is Jovana Đukić?
I am a 24-year-old creative from Slovenia, currently pursuing a master’s degree in graphic design at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Ljubljana. I like illustration, 2D animation, analog photography, and lately, ceramics and embroidery. Working with children is my pleasure … Oh, and I love nature! A mix of all those things is sometimes overwhelming, but at the same time, it is the source of my inspiration and creative work.
2. What are you doing, why do you do it?
My main focus right now is studying graphic design. Besides that, I am working on other projects as well, with illustration, animation, handcrafts, … you name it. Creative work makes me feel good and relaxed. I love animation, where I make things come to life through my imagination. I like to work with raw materials, playing with textures, and seeing how creations are developing and growing. But no matter what I do, I try to express myself through my work, be honest with myself, and respect my values. I believe in taking care of the environment. I want to share joy and childhood playfulness through my artwork, however, I sometimes want to send a strong message. For that reason, my work is mostly a mixture of both. My goal is to reach people through visual and physical mediums and have a positive impact on society.
3. How do you create?
I create mostly from home. I have a small creative corner in an apartment in Ljubljana, where I live with 3 roommates. The corner gets too small very quickly because I have a tendency to spread out widely when I am creating. Suddenly, there are papers, pencils, and fabric everywhere. But I like it a lot! Besides that, if possible, as I mostly depend on my computer and my graphic tablet, I like to go outside and create in nature. I find the brainstorming and the planning phase very important and that can often be done outdoors.
4. What has been the biggest challenge for you so far?
It may sound cliché, but it is a challenge of gaining the right amount of confidence and decisiveness. I believe that when you learn that, most things fall in the right place by themself.
5. What would you consider as a breakthrough point for you?
I have a feeling that a real breakthrough moment has not happened yet. But I would consider taking part in different international projects and being accepted in the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Ljubljana in 2019 as a lot of small breakthrough moments. During my studies, I enriched my knowledge in Serbia, Portugal, Lebanon, and the Netherlands. These experiences made me grow on a personal level and reflect very strongly in my professional work as well. One of my latest achievements, which is a sort of a breakthrough moment, is a projection of my animation “I’ve Missed You” on the international animation festival Animateka in Ljubljana. A few years ago, when I was starting with 2D animation, I was only daydreaming of that.
6. What are your plans for the future?
I try to imagine a vision and a plan for the future, but honestly, it is not yet clear to me, what it is exactly that I want to do. Because I want to do everything! So I will just write down all of my plans. I would like to stay in the creative field. I would like to work with children and to use art as a non-formal way of teaching and encouraging children to express themselves and create. I want my work to have a positive impact on society and the environment. For that reason, in the future, I would want to be able to work on projects which are in line with my beliefs and values. Last but not least, I would love to work in a small creative studio, where all of this magic could happen. Hopefully, I would be sharing the studio with like-minded people that I get along with and share that passion. So if you imagine, there is this spacious room in the middle of nature, taking care of a few very nice people who are working on wonderful creative projects. They are making this planet a better place to live, and every now and then, a group of children comes and together they make something amazing! Oh, and I would not mind if there would be a few goats and dogs in our company, so we can work even better! Actually, I think this already sounds like a plan!