Interviews with Dragana Stojanović

My interests for visual arts evoke early, in elementary school, where I've started drawing and painting with advanced skills. Around the age of 13 I had my first paintings exhibition. After that I continued to upgrade my passion for creativity through different visual forms - from design to art installations. I've graduated from the University of Fine Arts in Belgrade.

I like beautiful stuff with artistic look. It's a game of colors, lines, shapes and materials that makes me alive and emotional. It's good that you can make this game with your own rules.

Is it even possible to be forced to do that? If so, it would be nice punishment :)

Not to think about becoming a legend but to develop their skills to a level where nothing can be a limit.

It can be very tiny thing. It is easy to become great but very hard to stay on that level. Really great designers are for a long time on top.

When you have to be objective you have to evaluate real characteristics, respond to tasks and briefs. But when evaluating something from your own point of view I always follow my emotion towards visuals.

Design is the first and the last thing people will see or remember from a brand. I would recommend investing in a good design always.

Every secret comes from a great passion for designing. Each project I work on has its own special needs and I try to find those secrets while process is going on.

Making ordinary things become beautiful, meaningful and arty.

From the early age I had an interests for visual arts therefore my first paintings exhibition was at the age of 13. After that I continued to upgrade my passion for creativity through different visual forms - from design to art installations. I've graduated from the University of Fine Arts in Belgrade and after years of marketing and media experience I became art director for the top national television in Serbia which is now part of Kopernikus Corporation with two national televisions, several cable channels, radio station and online platforms.

Kopernikus Corporation is a leading media company in Serbia and wider. Under the same roof it's operating two national televisions, several cable channels, one national radio station and different online platforms. As an Art Director in Marketing and promotion department I'm in charge of visual identity for each of these media.

I have a simple answer... For me, design is life! And I'm living it.

Well, if I have to choose I would say it is developing the brand and its visual identity from a start.

Lately, the design that has impressed me the most was Thomas Burberry monogram by Peter Saville. It is always exciting to rebrand such great companies and the way this was created simply blew my mind. I liked simplicity and repetition, which later could be used for designing great collection. I think this was real thing.

When I first started working for marketing agency (Mccan Ericson) I was given a task to create kids chocolate packaging. It was fun but at the same time challenging. It ended up being cool design and I think the kids like it also but probably not as much as the chocolate packed in.

Since I am working mostly for media and marketing purposes I deal with digital technologies. Sometimes, for myself, I still do a little bit of painting on canvas or drawing which makes me feel young again.

If it's not a day when you're not feeling creative at all, and there are such days, what makes me the most creative and inspired are tasks I really care about and challenges that excite me. But, it is very important to have your own freedom of expression and I like to be free.

I will say one thing - good idea. You can work, rework, change, experiment etc. but you must focus on an idea. That's why it is important to have a good one.

I am not sure if there is one word for what I feel like but if I can put it simple as possible I would say excitement and happiness.

At the end of that process I like to enjoy that wonderful state of relief. After that all good emotions continue.

The world of design is an art world. I like to find good things in design first and then think of bad ones. If there is nothing wrong about it then you can call it successful.

Every design has different aspects, which make it good or great. I'm always thinking if it responds to it's function and is it closely connected with brand values.

Can designers change the world? Hardly! But we can do as much as we can in creating better perception of visual arts in viewers minds especially when working in media company where millions of people are watching daily what you serve them. From that point I do feel responsible for bigger picture society gets through my art directions.

Think of it as we are standing in the middle of circle and you can go wherever you want... into the past, the future, in circles. There is lot of options and possible ways but I think it's important to keep on moving.

My last independent exhibition, named Old cameras, was in April, 2016. in Belgrade, in the grand gallery of KC Grad, and it showcased wall sculptures and installations constructed from dozens of old analog cameras. https://www.behance.net/gallery/36385777/OLD-CAMERAS-sculptureinstallation-exhibition

I draw inspiration for my work from the world around us, from ambience, nature, people, and everything else that the human eye can see.

I would characterize my style as contemporary and trendy but at the same time it is based on a traditionally proven patterns. Regarding approach, I like to be flexible and open for experimenting so I approach it with no limits until I find the right angle to deal with it.

I would characterize my style as contemporary and trendy but at the same time it is based on a traditionaly proven patterns.

I am currently working in a creative team of a big media company, actively involved in brainstorming and idea making from a start of any campaign. You have to listen to the brief but at the end I like to give final touch to everything with my own style. And they like it.

The perfect way is to find designer profile that best suites the task that is given by the company. Communication should be clear and there must be trust between the company and artist it works with. So, they must give enough creative freedom to a person that selected for the task.

Process sometimes lasts for a moment and sometimes you need months to accomplish the goal. I think that brainstorming process is the most important and after that every designer has its own secrets on how he will find the final solution. And some secrets should be kept...

Back home, in my family flat, I like to have simple but meaningful things. Items that give me some kind of an emotion each time I see them. Right now those are Marshall stanmore bluetooth speaker, my own wall sculptures, several pieces of my friend's art...

Just imagine yourself doing something else which can make you feel more satisfied. If you can't then designing is what you should practice.

Luckily there is more positive stuff. Anyhow, designer must find some of time for himself even if you are always thinking through designer's mind.

Rule no1 - Persistence in creativity.

Good eye. Sharp mind. Instict.

Za dizajn koristim Adobe's cc pack, hand drawing on paper. realne predmete iz okruzenja i fotoaparat.

You don't manage your time nowadays, you just have to keep up with it.

Sometimes it's a moment and sometimes it can last for months but I try not to over do things. You must know when is the end of a process.

Hey, could you please do me a favor and make something for me? Frequently asked by friends...

The first 5 years drill in marketing agency!

I like being involved in design process no matter what but I can say that branding and logo designing are ones of my favorites.

Future is already tomorrow! I'm working on a special project, actually my own project which should see the light of a day I hope so. It's a book for kids with my own visual illustrations.

It is great to have a team. Nothing big would be possible in a marketing world without a team but I like to have my own freedom in finishing stuff where no one can interfere.

nica.damn@gmail.com

I'm fine, thank you :)