Sensitivity as Perseverance
Earlier this year, we partnered with Ello to launch an initiative to support new talent, through a series of grants aimed at helping them advance their art and craft. Three winners were amongst the first recipients of the grant and we are more than happy to catch up with them and take a closer look at what inspires them and the process behind the work.
Milica Golubović is a visual artist and illustrator. She creates poetic digital imagery with focus on atmosphere, color and texture, and draws inspiration from nature, the Mediterranean seaside and everyday life in general. She has exhibited solo and participated in over 70 group exhibitions, both local and international, and has received multiple awards for her illustration work.
Her work has been covered in a variety of press outlets, including Fubiz, DesignSponge and IllustrationAge among others and she is the recipient of multiple international awards.
In our interview we had the opportunity to discuss about the stimuli that affect the creative process and the ability to persevere and pushing the creative agenda, even when we don’t have everything figured out completely.
Fabrik: Milica and first of all congratulations on your win. Any plans on how you’re going to be making the most out of the Grant?
Milica Golubovic: "Thank you very much! Winning the Grant was very important to me since at the time the application was closing I was not in the best place in life and up until the last call for applying I wasn’t sure I’d manage to participate.
Luckily, I did. It’ll surely be a good reminder for me to always go forward and push things further regardless of the circumstances. It confirmed once again that the best time is now, and it will always be. As for the plans on making the most out of the Grant, I’ll surely invest it in production of my work, but I’m yet to decide in which particular project. "
Fabrik: Would you like to offer a little bit more insight on the creative process and the thoughts behind illustrating a concept?
Milica Golubovic: "In general, there is one aspect of the process that is the same for any kind of illustration work, and it can be summed up in 4 stages: playing around with the elements and composition by making thumbnails, rough sketches, detailed drawing, and, finally, coloring.
However, there’s another aspect of creative process, which is a bit different, and it depends on whether it’s a personal or commissioned piece I have to work on. The latter includes working as a part of a team, because often there are many people involved in every step of the decision making. The final outcome is almost always a result of a collaborative work. Personal projects, on the other hand, give more freedom in both conceptual and executive sense and are always good for experimenting, but I like doing commissioned work because it can be challenging and consequently meaningful, too. It can sometimes be a transformative process."
"Personal projects give more freedom in both conceptual and executive sense and are always good for experimenting, but I like doing commissioned work because it can be challenging and consequently meaningful, too."
Fabrik: What is your favorite piece of work in your portfolio? Why did you make it?
Milica Golubovic: "It’s the first one I made when I made a decision to get into the process of finding my own illustrative style. It’ll always be dear to me because it was the start of what I’m doing today. I have a few more favorites, among them the ones I unfortunately can’t share due to the NDAs. My favorite pieces are always the ones that have challenged my working process and brought something new to my work."
Fabrik: Have you ever had any difficulties pushing your creative and artistic approach to clients?
Milica Golubovic: "That was happening more often in the beginning after finishing my MA studies, when my style wasn’t defined yet. I was applying and getting jobs mostly in the field of children’s publishing, however I didn’t have defined style, and I wasn’t really prepared for everything that came along with that. The level of miscommunication with ADs was high and I felt it wasn’t going to work out in the long run and that I needed to change something. So I did.
Often it’s the hard times and struggles that, once lived through with awareness, lead us to new and better experiences. Things are different now. My starting position is better and I’ve learned how to communicate with the clients. Good, respectful and honest communication is the basis for any kind of relationship."
Fabrik: Is there any piece of work, be it a film, a song, a painting, that has left you with a lasting impression or any mentors you have encountered throughout the span of your career? Or any work you admire, but it’s not yours?
Milica Golubovic: "It’s always hard for me to pick just one influence. I think that everything we see, read, listen to, every new experience, travel or conversation we have, shapes what we are and how we act and react in life. Subconsciously, it all reflects on our work. It’s not easy to be motivated all the time and I admire every artist who manages to do what he or she feels that needs to be done and is consistent in it.
If I am to name one project which I admire, but it’s not mine, the first which comes to my mind is “Hypnopompic” by Kustaa Saksi, the project through which he turned his chronic suffering of severe migraines into a beautiful span of woven works."
"Everything we see, read, listen to, every new experience, travel or conversation we have, shapes what we are and how we act and react in life."
Fabrik: What are your plans for the future? Do you have any project that you’re currently working?
Milica Golubovic: "Making plans too far into the future gives me a bit of an anxiety and there’s always a pressure that something needs to be done because, well, it’s all planned and calculated. My approach now is taking one step at a time when it comes both to life and work. I’m feeling more relaxed now even if things don’t go the way I planned. New day, every day. New chance to do better, and to be better.
Currently, while adding last touches to some ongoing editorial work, I’m working on visual identity for a film festival which will take place this summer in North Macedonia. It’ll be held on the beach by the Lake Ohrid, so I have a very inspiring setting to work from. Coming from Kotor in Montenegro, a small old town on the Adriatic coast, I have a special connection with places by the water. Also, I’m in the process of preparing material for my new personal project. I’ll post more info about that on my Instagram page very soon."
Fabrik: Final question: What do you like most about Fabrik? What is your favorite feature?
Milica Golubovic: "I like that it’s very easy to set up and to manage it. My favorite feature is the ability to put the same project into different sub-categories / sub-portfolios. From the start I had the impression that there are real people behind Fabrik, which proved with every next step during the set up process."
Milica is using Airdura, an immersive and slick theme that couples gorgeous typography with full-width imagery and unique block styles. With over twenty layouts to play with projects are perfectly presented and each portfolio is truly individual.
