We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kristina Jovanovic. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kristina below.
Hi Kristina, thank you so much for making time for us today. Let’s jump right into a question so many in our community are looking for answers to – how to overcome creativity blocks, writer’s block, etc. We’d love to hear your thoughts or any advice you might have.
I feel like, as creatives, we tend to naturally gravitate towards somewhat more dynamic schedules and workflow than people in some more conventional career paths and the 9 to 5 crowd. I think a lot of creatives thrive when they work in segmented bursts of energy rather than trying to upkeep the same routine over and over.
One of my colleagues mentioned the term “creative tax” to me once, and I think the phrase accurately describes what happens to us during a creative block. Creativity isn’t an infinite resource from which you can pull from, it gets emptied and it lives based on your input. You have to keep providing input to get quality output in your creative endeavors. If a person is experiencing a creative block or burnout, I feel it would probably be a good idea (if there are no urgent looming deadlines on the horizon) to take a step back and try to refill that resource of creativity by enjoying other people’s creations, taking a walk, talking to friends, etc. Despite being aware of this, I too struggle with following my own advice sometimes, but I think I’m learning to be gentler with myself.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m an illustrator and a graphic designer, based in Belgrade. I have a fairly dynamic career, working as a part-time graphic designer and a freelance illustrator.
I love using my illustration skills as a vehicle to tell stories, explore different aesthetics, and visually describe feelings. I love painting urban surrealist motives and bold colors.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The most important skills I learned were anatomy, colour theory and composition. I think when it comes to art certain “rules” can be bypassed to some extent depending on what type of illustration style one wishes to do, but understanding anatomy, how to draw and shade basic shapes and forms, color theory and how to make an appealing composition that guides the viewers eye in a satisfying way would be the basics everyone should start from.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
In terms of art and illustration, any book by Andrew Loomis is extremely helpful to artists, they helped me a lot. My first recommendation would be “Figure drawing for all it’s worth ” and “Creative illustration ”.
In terms of general self-development and productivity, I really liked the book “Atomic habits” by James Clear because it shows you how to build and sustain long-lasting habits which is important for any career.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: spectrl_
- Twitter: @spectrll_
- Other: https://spectrlart.tumblr.com/
