We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Opal Kodovitzky a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Opal, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

Since a young age loved to draw and to create so it was destined to go and study something in the field. Finished 4 years of VisualCommunication studies at Wizo academy of design and now I work in the field as a Freelances motion designer, Graphic designer and illustrator. Very happy I could combine the creative world in my career and make money out of it. It’s not so easy to be freelancer and mostly not fulfilling financially for the longterm… so I envy people who have stable income and considering working for design studio in the future. But my path was very fortunate thus far, making art for myself, participating in exhibitions from time to time and still learning so much in my working field from project to project.

Opal, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name in Opal Kodovitzky, aka OPALKODO. I am a 31 y/o freelancer working as a Motion designer, Illustrator and Graphics designer. Was born and raised in Israel and can’t see myself living elsewhere, especially in times like this. I got into VisualCommunication studies with the start idea to work in the UX-UI field, but going through the years of the degree I understood that I was more interested in the motion graphics field and illustration world. It captivated me and I knew that this is what I wanted to work at. I started my way as a freelancer because it was convenient working through the degree, and continued for 7 years now. Having so many different variations of clients and projects.
From product promotion videos to Online learning service motion template designs. I have learned that working with AfterEffects and making visions come to life is what fulfills me the most.
Starting with learning the brand’s style, understanding it’s goals and products, designing frames or sketching the ideas and making it move with animation.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative is seeing my work successfully reaching out the goals of the clients or seeing people enjoying my art/project. People feedback is what drives me. And one of the reasons I’m staying a freelancer for so many years is that taking part in so many different projects opens my mind for new roads, new interests and keeps me “fit” creatively.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Living here in Israel of course impacted my creative thought and identity. Drawing comment illustrations on politics or situation we’re going through in our community. For example these days.. we’re at war, loosing people I know and not begin able to go home due to the war I felt hopeless for the first few weeks after what had happen at 07/10. I couldn’t work but was able to edit explanatory videos and making explanatory illustrations. Wanting the world to know how we felt, what we’ve been through and currently are going through drives me to make something. Spread my words in a visual way. Art is like this, to let our inner thoughts come through out loud but not brutally, but in a peaceful impactful way.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.opalkodo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/opal_kodo/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/opalkodo/