Project update
Comics
Kakav otac, takav sin / Like Father, Like Son
Posted by Muris Halilović
2 pictures
Father and Son, illustration
Why do you participate in Artists@Work? What do you expect from this experience?

I like to start working without big expectations. I learned that sometimes less attractive projects produce me a more joy and different experiences from those where I plan or expect something from the start. So, without much expectation, during 5 days of workshop I meet a lot of interesting people, with whom I talked, laughed, generally had fun and constructive talks about my idea.



Explain the main thematics of your project

This will be investigation on a personal level of my family and me. The constant struggle of a working class family from a Yugoslavian period till now. Through series of illustrations (comic book), I will tell a story about my father’s Army diary/ journal from 1982., and how that journal influenced me (but not with it's content, but with its outside looks).

Father’s journal was handmade, with covers made of 500 used matches, cutted and glued together. They tried unsuccessfully to keep that journal away from me, hiding it deep in drawers, but I would always find it.

The same journal woud pop up 30 years later, when my father got back from Hospital. My mom took extensive care of him and he was slowly recovering. Two months after the surgery, I was thinking how to engage him in some kind of creative activity, and then I remembered his old Journal.

I realized that that was it. That is the activity I was looking for to help my father work again. So, after a while I developed the concept, named the project, designed inner covers and the logo.

He accepted this challenge to work on it and after few days he created the first product. Product by product his creations became more diverse and the textures more complex.

My father is a very innovative and creative guy, but has no education in any kind of visual art nor did he work as an artist/designer. He applied his creativity in his daily hard working job.

This kind of creative work really motivated him, to see his potential, and that really inspired me to reconnect with him more deeply and to be proud that we made something together.

So, I will expend this story, into a comic book, drawn completely in one of his newly handmade journals.

 



Explain the different stages of production of your work

Pre-production phase:

 

  1. Gathering information through interviews.
  2. Setting up draft of the project.
  3. Exploring different techniques to be used on the project.
  4. Making one special journal for this project.
  5. Making script
  6. Making a storyboard

 

Production phase:

  1. Making a comicbook
  2. Making a behind the scene film of the project

 

Delivering

 
 


Explain the choice of the title

So the title "Kakav otac, takav si / Like father, Like Son”, in a simple ways show the connections of a family. Some Kind of life activity or behavior that goes from one family member to another. Usually the expression "like father, like son" in Bosnia and Herzegovina I don't here in a positive reference, but pointing out only inherited bad behavior. So with this project name I'm also challenging that.