A guest blog written by Berlin-based illustrator and designer Anina Takeff.
When Hannah from Buglife got in touch with me to create a series of animations, I immediately said yes. Not only because I admire Hannah’s work, but also because environmental topics are very close to my heart. To be honest, though, I hadn’t paid much attention to bugs before, probably not since I was a child.
This project completely changed the way I see them.
After receiving the brief, I began researching the different insects that would feature in the animations: mayflies, damselflies, dragonflies, butterflies, solitary bees, and bumblebees. Looking at them up close was fascinating. We usually only catch quick glimpses of them in nature, but seeing detailed photographs revealed their incredible wings and body shapes.
Rather than depicting them realistically, I wanted them to fit seamlessly into the visual language of the animations. My background in graphic design has taught me to reduce forms to their essential shapes while leaving out unnecessary detail, so that became my approach here.
The next step was creating a character who could guide the viewer through the animations. I designed a girl with short dark hair and yellow-green eyes, the same colour I gave the mayflies, so she would become a visual link throughout the series.
Once Buglife approved the sketches, I coloured the illustrations digitally in Procreate. I chose a deep green palette contrasted with the mascot’s bright yellow shirt to create bold, eye-catching visuals that would encourage people to pause while scrolling through social media.
After the illustrations were approved, I moved on to animation using Procreate Dreams, which was perfect for these short looping animations. One sequence was slightly more complex, so I finished it in Adobe Premiere.
Shortly after completing the project, I travelled to my family’s summer house in the forest. When there, we go swimming almost every day in the nearby lakes and, as I walked into the water, I noticed a large group of dragonflies hovering over the reeds beside us.
Walking back to the house, I suddenly noticed bees and bumblebees everywhere. It made me realise that I wasn’t necessarily seeing nature differently. I was finally seeing it. Things I had previously taken for granted had suddenly become fascinating. For me, that was the most unexpected outcome of this project.
About the author:
Anina Takeff is an illustrator and designer based in Berlin and Sofia, who has a newfound appreciation of and fondness for bugs.
She likes experimenting with shapes and colours, putting a spin on the everyday challenges of the modern world and portraying strong, brave women.
Anina’s work is often influenced by her love of jazz, novels and exploring new places.
Find out more about Anina and her work via Instagram @aninatakeff or her website takeff.com