Welcome to the website that showcases the illustrations portfolio that I, Nada Serafimovic did recently. I have been professionally engaged in illustration since 2008, but ever since I was little, I was passionate about visual arts and telling stories in my own way – with a pen in my hand. The first time I remember drawing was when I was as young as 3 years, dictating short poems to my mother and placing small illustrations next to them. I sought inspiration in my surroundings and, through my travels, I found it in human nature and behavior. Over the last 13 years, I illustrated children’s books for publishers and authors from around the world. I am the author of serial books looking for representation.
Who I Am
1. Brief Analysis
If you have all the materials and manuscript ready, I am good to go! This is the most creative, intensive and dreamy stage that will be foundation on every line and brush stroke I make… There is always few questions I might get back to you for clarification, or discussion about the choices it is better to make together, rather than guessing at the end what to do and how to fix things…
2. Research
After we agreed upon almost everything that we possibly can upfront, I start doing detailed research necessary for great result… it might be the objects we have to put in some interior scene, or overall feeling and the atmosphere I have to create with the art. I go back and forth and take notes, and as soon as I feel absolutely sure what I am going to do, we go to the drawing desk.
3. Sketching
Sketching starts with drawing tons of thumbnails for each page within the given format. Drafting characters from the story on the side or directly applying them to the scenes as consistently as possible is a part of the process. It is best for the client to wait for the illustrator to wrap up the thumbnails and sketches before the feedback, to get the overall insight & the bigger picture.
4. Final painting
A true craftsman needs a time to dive in this phase. The client paricipates in the progress too. Smooth workflow and cooperation is achieved through the client’s insight into sketches, followups, feedback and improvement on illustrations and possible changes, so that the both parties expectations are met and the talent and creativity is manifested in the best possible way.
TheBgBird.com is a website I dedicated to travel-inspired products I make.
It is a case when travels turn into a handmade brand.
BG BIRD (or Belgrade Bird) is the character serving all of my excuses to transform it into endless design ideas and stories. I am from Belgrade, so this is the starting point for all my inspiration. I traveled a lot in pre-corona times, so I think I came up more empathic and wanted to share absolutely everything with others.
Check out the website TheBgBird.com and share your impressions!
The Dream Book
Portfolio
Below is just a short summary of my recent experience.
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Children Book Illustration
Japan Gouache
Japan Ink
Magazine Cover
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CHECK OUT MY TRAVEL JOURNAL
I knew in my soul that, for someone who draws and paints for a living, having only photos taken by phone isn’t going to be satisfying as journaling for two months in Japan wherever I went. A mix of two seemed great.
Soon I started to take in the details I see every day, try to draw Japanese written ads I see while walking the streets of Tokyo or Osaka, learn the names of the food plates in restaurants and fast-food chains… My travel journal soon started looking like a cultural map.
It felt like building the world inside the existing one… The lens I had absorbed all the information and transferred to paper with ink. It was mine and mine only. Nevertheless, without sharing it seems selfish and, that’s where social media came in.
Say Hello!
Contact
You may reach me via social networks, and also get an insight into my creative work through another website owned by me - TheBgBird.com. I keep it gmail - write to me to nadaserafimovic@gmail.com, or via this contact form.
