The Man Who Draws Fire
Mihajlo Stojanovic and His Passion for Illustration
“Everything stops when I’m drawing.” — Mihajlo Stojanovic
When I first dreamed up On Fire, the vision was clear: I wanted to deconstruct how the most passionate people on earth find, keep, and fight for their spark. I wanted to combine deep dives into the science of passion with the raw, human stories of people living it.
But I also knew the vibe had to be right. I’ve always been obsessed with branding and how visuals tell a story — I wanted a look that felt human, minimal, and slightly whimsical. By total luck, Mihajlo applied to a job post I’d posted on a freelance site. I think I asked for “hand-drawn and minimal,” not expecting much. But the second I saw his portfolio, I knew: he was the visual heartbeat of this project.
Mihajlo lives in Serbia with his girlfriend (also an artist). Though we’ve never met in person, our creative shorthand has become one of my favorite parts of this work. There is a specific kind of magic in the digital age: the ability to find a creative soulmate half a world away who can see the inside of your head and translate it into something beautiful.
Our process is a ritual now: I send him a few messy notes of a new topic I can’t stop thinking about or a new passionate person I’ve interviewed, and he returns it to me as something magical. I love every piece he’s ever done for me, and have to hold back from writing “THIS IS SO COOL” every time he sends an initial sketch.
I’ve wanted to introduce you to the man behind the illustrations for a long time. As we lean into this mini-revamp of the newsletter, it felt like the perfect moment to step back and look at the “Ignition Sequence” of Mihajlo’s own life — a journey marked by incredible resilience and an unwavering refusal to do anything other than what he loves.
Here is Mihajlo Stojanovic, in his own words.
The Spark
How did you first get into illustration? Was there a moment or experience that set you on this path?
Mihajlo: As a kid, I liked to draw. I always asked for coloring books, redrew cartoons I watched at the time, drew cars, etc. Still, a specific moment I decided I wanted to get into drawing/illustration was when I discovered graffiti. It was around sixth grade, and I had to decide which high school I wanted to go to — economics or law school. I started hanging out with an old friend during that period, so one day I went to him and he introduced me to graffiti, tagging, his crew, and all that stuff, and I liked it so much. I started doing it the same day. Then I asked him about high school, and he told me that he’d go to the art school. That moment was a click for me, and I knew what I wanted next. I started practicing for the entrance exam and succeeded. It was only from that graffiti crew that I ended up in art school.
What do you love most about illustrating?
Mihajlo: It’s a feeling. Everything stops when I’m drawing. It’s almost like writing, but in pictures. You can express yourself, your thoughts, or whatever you want. If you’re mad, for example, you can press the paper or graphic tablet during drawing as much as you want to and get rid of the negativity. The paper will stay silent.
The Dip
Have you ever fallen out of love with illustration or gone through a particularly frustrating creative block? How did you find your way back?
Mihajlo: Not fallen out of love — I always loved it — but it’s always been tough. First, my parents were against art school, graffiti, and everything. They were like, “What will you do after school, be a painter? You can’t find a job, there’s no money…”
I decided to go anyway, they accepted, and I went to art school. But after a month of school, I became blind in my left eye, and I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. I was in the hospital for two weeks. For me, it was not really a big deal. I realized everything is fine except my eye, I’ve made peace with it, and I begged the doctors to let me go home so I could continue studying. I drew in the hospital all the time. They let me go home, and I continued my life.
Krista’s Note: This is an amazing example of love for craft. For Mihajlo, drawing isn't just a job; it’s who he is. Even a life-altering diagnosis didn't stop him. Art was just how he navigated the whole thing.
The Ritual
What’s your creative process like?
Mihajlo: It all starts with tiny rough sketches and ideas. I’m always thinking of colors. When I finish the drawing, I make the palette I like, and start coloring. As an artist, it’s very important to have a working scheme. The same is for the design things like logos, posters, and everything else.
Do you have any other passions besides illustration?
Mihajlo: I love plants, wood carving, and everything you can make with your 10 fingers and some tools. Our apartment is full of plants and resembles a small workshop. We even produced a lemon from the seed, and we like experimenting with plants. They’re so cool. We also made wood shelves for them. I think it’s good to have some skills that you also like and are passionate about, so you can easily switch professions if it becomes necessary. If there isn’t a passion, you become just a working machine to stay alive. I also like cooking, walking in the woods, exploring, hiking, and all the nature things.
The Believers
Who helped you keep going when things were tough?
Mihajlo: My parents were skeptical, but they eventually helped and are still helping. Later, I met a girl, fell in love, and we started a local clothing brand together. And honestly, Krista, getting your invite on Upwork was one of the best days of my life.
You’ve been illustrating On Fire for two years now! Are there any stories, ideas, or moments that especially resonated with you?
Mihajlo: Caprice Hogg definitely. Her story and situation are very similar to mine. We do different things, but our life perception is the same.
I also remember we had a handstand girl at the beginning (Megan Vaughan Giesbrecht) and her story was something like she loved handstands as a kid, later stopped doing it, lived a normal life, and then remembered what she actually liked as a kid, and started doing it again. It’s a beautiful thing.
The Transformation
You know I love your style — it’s so playful and whimsical. How did your style evolve over time?
Mihajlo: Well, I mentioned graffiti, and I think everything was always around them. Funny characters, weird letters, bold colors. Actually, I never had a style. I just tried a lot of different things, looked at other illustrators’ work and children’s books, and stole from them. At the end, with a lot of trying and stealing, I found what I liked.
Now, I think that style doesn’t matter at all, and you just need to draw and create it your way. Style will come through the work. Being a full-time artist is hard. You depend only on yourself, but the struggle is beautiful to me, because my point is the freedom we have.
The Signal
What advice would you give to readers who are trying to discover or sustain their own passion?
Mihajlo: Just try different things and have fun. Look at what others do, and what you like. Some of them will be interesting, and you’ll slowly discover the perfect one. The next thing you know is that you can’t sleep because of it. Don’t stop exploring. Focus your thoughts on something that you desire, and it will happen. Manifestation is real. Believe me!
While I read this great article, I kept thinking what an honour it is that Mihajlo drew my portrait for the article you did of me…and as I continued reading, I was shocked to see my name there. I am so touched. Thank you Krista and thank you Mihajlo for sharing. This was a great read.