Ivan Oroz resides in Croatia and, when he’s not waist-deep in one of the local rivers, he works as a graphics designer. In recent years, he’s become obsessed with doing fish artwork and – having made a name for himself in the fishing industry – he’s done quite a bit of fly fishing-related art, in a style that’s very unique. Ivan does commission graphics work and has specialized in doing logos, brand graphics, and web design. We recently hired him to do an In the Loop sticker, and the finished result blew our minds. We therefore took the opportunity to sit down with him for a chat about his professional career – and how he got into fly fishing.
BY THE EDITORIAL STAFF
Name: Ivan Oroz
Born: Bosnia & Hercegovina
Home Country: Croatia
SoMe: www.instagram.com/ivanoroz_riverlife/
Can you tell us a little bit about your background and how you got into doing fishy artwork?
I spent part of my childhood in Germany. At the age of 9, I returned to Croatia with my family. I have been designing graphics professionally for more than 15 years. I have always loved drawing and playing football, fly fishing was added to my interests a bit later in my career. Even as a child, I watched and caught fish. I learned everything about trout from my father, maybe in a slightly unusual way, but it made me fall in love with fishing and everything around it, nonetheless. Derek de Young is the main guy that made me start drawing fish art. His works are unrepeatable and unique, and they have inspired me immensely.
How did your technique develop?
There is a certain artist with a specific style of drawing portraits that I really like. I tried to transfer his style to my fish and added a dose of my own magic. And then things started to happen for me.
What has compelled you to do fish and fly fishing motives?
I knew a gentleman who was the editor of a Croatian fishing magazine and very, very influential, at the time, in the world of fly fishing in Croatia. I admired his office, which was adorned with artificial flies that he had neatly framed. His photographs and art on the walls awakened in me the desire to do such things myself.
How did you get started fly fishing and why?
Well, visiting the editor’s office, and seeing all the art, equipment, pictures, and photos made me fall immediately in love with fly fishing. And then I went out and bought my first fly rod and reel.
What is it about fly fishing that intrigues you?
Connecting with nature while standing in the water is important, although it’s something that can hardly be described. The same goes for that feeling of adrenaline when a fish takes your fly - the one you’ve tied yourself… It’s an unbelievable and exhilarating feeling!
How do you split your time between fly fishing and painting?
Recently, I have totally neglected fishing because more and more people are looking for my work and involvement. It’s not just that I’m painting. There’s a much bigger background to it all. Because I’m primarily a graphics designer, I do jobs like web design, logos, branding, wall paintings, cars, and things like that.
In your opinion, do fly fishing and doing artwork complement each other – and, if so, how?
I think that, with regards to fly fishing, you also must hone your skills and be talented. You must be an artist in a sense. Not everyone can be a passionate fly fisherman. The same goes for being an artist. It’s all about your mentality.
Has fly fishing helped you become a better artist – or vice versa?
I’d rather say that the fishing market made me a better artist... Hahaha! I have not yet achieved what I want, which is to work for Patagonia one day.
What are your aspirations as a fly fisher?
I would like to have a little more time to travel around the world and visit a few of the places that I haven’t yet been. It would be cool to target a few species that aren’t present in Europe.
Do you have any cool projects coming up; fishing- or art wise?
Every day, I work on several new projects because the demand is very, very high. One of them is a project called 30 Reasons. I’m helping them out doing some cool art stuff. You may have heard of it, but if you haven’t, here is the link: https://30reasonsmovie.com/#intro We are doing great things, but I shouldn’t talk about it yet. Hehe :)
Any advice to fellow fly fishermen, who aspire to do fish art?
In my opinion, in order to be good at what you do, you have to be yourself, listen to your heart, and find the right way to get the most out of yourself. Be sure of yourself, believe in yourself and don’t give up. The same goes for artwork. If you feel like you might have it in you, give it a shot!
