Vladana Likar-Smiljanic
Encyclopedia
Vladana Likar-Smiljanić (born July 18, 1943) made a variety of contributions, most famously as an illustrator of children’s books but also in electrical engineering. Vladana’s versatility was foreseen in her childhood, as Leonardo da Vinci
has fascinated her since then.
Vladana is among the best-known illustrators in the former Yugoslavia
, where she illustrated children’s books that were sold in hundreds thousands of copies. Exact numbers of sold copies are hard to know due to the unruly nature of the Balkans
especially in uncertain political times. Vladana’s books were sold also in Spain, Italy, the United States, Germany, Soviet Union. Initially, she became well known for her page “Cica’s Corner” in a popular Yugoslav magazine for entertainment Politikin Zabavnik
.
Vladana’s first and most famous book is “The Treasury of Children’s Poems by Jova Jovanović Zmaj
”. This book alone was sold in several hundreds thousands copies. After her successful debut, Vladana illustrated more than twenty books that were almost as popular as her first book.
She was collecting counting songs for the hide and seek
game of many nations, and illustrated those in one of her favorites “Counting Songs”. Vladana both wrote and illustrated her last book “Princess Milly” that was devoted to her younger daughter Milče. Milče was somewhat frightened little girl, and the stories of this book were weaved to encourage her to handle whatever situations she would encounter.
Vladana’s “real” job were teaching and researching at the School of Electrical Engineering of Belgrade University. She was a popular teacher. For her research, she was examining the properties of various materials, in particular their complex permeability
and permittivity
at high frequencies. She published quite a few papers in the prestigious international journals. Vladana is a coauthor of two textbooks in the area of microwave communications.
Vladana’s political work during Milošević governance in Serbia is another aspect of her contribution to the society. It was noted by Human Rights Watch
, and Helsinki Committee for Human Rights
. Finally, Vladana became a director of the computing center at the School of Electrical Engineering of Belgrade University in 2001, that was quite devastated at the time by the anti-university politics during the previous decade. Vladana helped the computing center reach the world standard.
Modern times of narrow professional specializations did not influence Vladana, she is persistent following the Da Vinci polymathic way (art+engineering+politics).
, Yugoslavia
, Vladana Likar-Smiljanić was a daughter of medical doctors. Her father, Dušan, was talented in arts, and helped Vladana’s love for arts to develop.
Vladana became proficient in drawing, painting and sculpture. However, Vladana decided to enroll electrical engineering at Belgrade University. However, Vladana never quit drawing. First, she was drawing cartoons for the popular students’ magazine “Electron
”. While working for "Electron
", Vladana met her husband Mića. This love was lasting, and it is still going on. Vladana had passed the course for a tailor
, and was illustrating the fashion patterns for the magazine “Practical Woman.” As a part of this work, Vladana illustrated the cook book that was sponsored by the magazine. After she completed her degree on time, she became a teaching assistant
at the School of Electrical Engineering of Belgrade University and made a break in drawing.
Vladana gave a birth to her daughter Aleksandra in 1970, and found a new inspiration in illustrating Aleksandra and her little friends. So, soon she became an illustrator of a well known magazine for youth Politikin Zabavnik
. She had been working for the magazine for the next twenty one years. In 1973, the editors of Politikin Zabavnik
recommended Vladana to illustrate “The Treasury of Children’s Poems by Jova Jovanović Zmaj
”. This was a breakthrough of Vladana’s career as an illustrator of children’s book. Book has been sold in hundreds thousands copies and continues to be the best-seller of all times. After the treasury, Vladana illustrated more than twenty books for children: “Sparrow Rayko”, “Most Beautiful Fables”, “Counting Songs”, “For Your Birthday”, "Princess Milly" and others. At the same time, she was teaching and researching at the School of Electrical Engineering. She defended her Ph.D.
thesis in the area of optical communications.
The long steady state in Vladana’s life as anyone else’s in Yugoslavia was interrupted when Slobodan Milošević
came to power. Difficult time had come, and had been lasting for more than a decade. This was a call for Vladana to become politically engaged for the first time in her life. When Milošević posted unreasonable people to lead the opposing university, Vladana did not want to sign the new “Law on University” and was not let to the building of the school for two years. She started the correspondence with the list of a thousand alumni around the world (most of whom were her former students), informing them about the events of those dark times. The correspondence was published in “An E-mail has Arrived”. This book is filled with the emotions and the accurate descriptions of the last phase of the Milošević regime. Vladana’s political engagement was reported by Helsinki Committee for Human Rights
, and other non-government organizations. When Milošević was ousted, Vladana returned to the university. In 2001, she became a director of the computing center of the School of Electrical Engineering. The alumni have helped Vladana to build the new computing center according to the standards of the developed world.
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
has fascinated her since then.
Vladana is among the best-known illustrators in the former Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, where she illustrated children’s books that were sold in hundreds thousands of copies. Exact numbers of sold copies are hard to know due to the unruly nature of the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
especially in uncertain political times. Vladana’s books were sold also in Spain, Italy, the United States, Germany, Soviet Union. Initially, she became well known for her page “Cica’s Corner” in a popular Yugoslav magazine for entertainment Politikin Zabavnik
Politikin zabavnik
Politikin Zabavnik is a popular magazine in Serbia, published by Politika Newspapers and Magazines. The first issue came out on 28 February 1939. In the beginning it was printed in the form of newspaper, and issued biweekly, on Tuesdays and Fridays. Nowadays it comes out weekly on Fridays...
.
Vladana’s first and most famous book is “The Treasury of Children’s Poems by Jova Jovanović Zmaj
Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj
Jovan Jovanović Zmaj was one of the best-known Serbian poets. He was a physician by profession, like his literary predecessor writer Jovan Stejić ....
”. This book alone was sold in several hundreds thousands copies. After her successful debut, Vladana illustrated more than twenty books that were almost as popular as her first book.
She was collecting counting songs for the hide and seek
Hide and seek
Hide-and-seek or hide-and-go-seek is a variant of the game tag, in which a number of players conceal themselves in the environment, to be found by one or more seekers.-Variants:Numerous variants of the game can be found around the world...
game of many nations, and illustrated those in one of her favorites “Counting Songs”. Vladana both wrote and illustrated her last book “Princess Milly” that was devoted to her younger daughter Milče. Milče was somewhat frightened little girl, and the stories of this book were weaved to encourage her to handle whatever situations she would encounter.
Vladana’s “real” job were teaching and researching at the School of Electrical Engineering of Belgrade University. She was a popular teacher. For her research, she was examining the properties of various materials, in particular their complex permeability
Permeability (electromagnetism)
In electromagnetism, permeability is the measure of the ability of a material to support the formation of a magnetic field within itself. In other words, it is the degree of magnetization that a material obtains in response to an applied magnetic field. Magnetic permeability is typically...
and permittivity
Permittivity
In electromagnetism, absolute permittivity is the measure of the resistance that is encountered when forming an electric field in a medium. In other words, permittivity is a measure of how an electric field affects, and is affected by, a dielectric medium. The permittivity of a medium describes how...
at high frequencies. She published quite a few papers in the prestigious international journals. Vladana is a coauthor of two textbooks in the area of microwave communications.
Vladana’s political work during Milošević governance in Serbia is another aspect of her contribution to the society. It was noted by Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
, and Helsinki Committee for Human Rights
Helsinki Committee for Human Rights
The Helsinki Committees for Human Rights exist in many European countries as volunteer, non-profit organizations devoted to human rights and presumably named after the Helsinki Accords...
. Finally, Vladana became a director of the computing center at the School of Electrical Engineering of Belgrade University in 2001, that was quite devastated at the time by the anti-university politics during the previous decade. Vladana helped the computing center reach the world standard.
Modern times of narrow professional specializations did not influence Vladana, she is persistent following the Da Vinci polymathic way (art+engineering+politics).
Biography
Born in BelgradeBelgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, Vladana Likar-Smiljanić was a daughter of medical doctors. Her father, Dušan, was talented in arts, and helped Vladana’s love for arts to develop.
Vladana became proficient in drawing, painting and sculpture. However, Vladana decided to enroll electrical engineering at Belgrade University. However, Vladana never quit drawing. First, she was drawing cartoons for the popular students’ magazine “Electron
Electron
The electron is a subatomic particle with a negative elementary electric charge. It has no known components or substructure; in other words, it is generally thought to be an elementary particle. An electron has a mass that is approximately 1/1836 that of the proton...
”. While working for "Electron
Electron
The electron is a subatomic particle with a negative elementary electric charge. It has no known components or substructure; in other words, it is generally thought to be an elementary particle. An electron has a mass that is approximately 1/1836 that of the proton...
", Vladana met her husband Mića. This love was lasting, and it is still going on. Vladana had passed the course for a tailor
Tailor
A tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
, and was illustrating the fashion patterns for the magazine “Practical Woman.” As a part of this work, Vladana illustrated the cook book that was sponsored by the magazine. After she completed her degree on time, she became a teaching assistant
Teaching assistant
A teaching assistant is an individual who assists a professor or teacher with instructional responsibilities. TAs include graduate teaching assistants , who are graduate students; undergraduate teaching assistants , who are undergraduate students; secondary school TAs, who are either high school...
at the School of Electrical Engineering of Belgrade University and made a break in drawing.
Vladana gave a birth to her daughter Aleksandra in 1970, and found a new inspiration in illustrating Aleksandra and her little friends. So, soon she became an illustrator of a well known magazine for youth Politikin Zabavnik
Politikin zabavnik
Politikin Zabavnik is a popular magazine in Serbia, published by Politika Newspapers and Magazines. The first issue came out on 28 February 1939. In the beginning it was printed in the form of newspaper, and issued biweekly, on Tuesdays and Fridays. Nowadays it comes out weekly on Fridays...
. She had been working for the magazine for the next twenty one years. In 1973, the editors of Politikin Zabavnik
Politikin zabavnik
Politikin Zabavnik is a popular magazine in Serbia, published by Politika Newspapers and Magazines. The first issue came out on 28 February 1939. In the beginning it was printed in the form of newspaper, and issued biweekly, on Tuesdays and Fridays. Nowadays it comes out weekly on Fridays...
recommended Vladana to illustrate “The Treasury of Children’s Poems by Jova Jovanović Zmaj
Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj
Jovan Jovanović Zmaj was one of the best-known Serbian poets. He was a physician by profession, like his literary predecessor writer Jovan Stejić ....
”. This was a breakthrough of Vladana’s career as an illustrator of children’s book. Book has been sold in hundreds thousands copies and continues to be the best-seller of all times. After the treasury, Vladana illustrated more than twenty books for children: “Sparrow Rayko”, “Most Beautiful Fables”, “Counting Songs”, “For Your Birthday”, "Princess Milly" and others. At the same time, she was teaching and researching at the School of Electrical Engineering. She defended her Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
thesis in the area of optical communications.
The long steady state in Vladana’s life as anyone else’s in Yugoslavia was interrupted when Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
came to power. Difficult time had come, and had been lasting for more than a decade. This was a call for Vladana to become politically engaged for the first time in her life. When Milošević posted unreasonable people to lead the opposing university, Vladana did not want to sign the new “Law on University” and was not let to the building of the school for two years. She started the correspondence with the list of a thousand alumni around the world (most of whom were her former students), informing them about the events of those dark times. The correspondence was published in “An E-mail has Arrived”. This book is filled with the emotions and the accurate descriptions of the last phase of the Milošević regime. Vladana’s political engagement was reported by Helsinki Committee for Human Rights
Helsinki Committee for Human Rights
The Helsinki Committees for Human Rights exist in many European countries as volunteer, non-profit organizations devoted to human rights and presumably named after the Helsinki Accords...
, and other non-government organizations. When Milošević was ousted, Vladana returned to the university. In 2001, she became a director of the computing center of the School of Electrical Engineering. The alumni have helped Vladana to build the new computing center according to the standards of the developed world.
Illustrated Books for Children
- “The Treasury of Children's Poems” by Jova Jovanović ZmajJovan Jovanovic ZmajJovan Jovanović Zmaj was one of the best-known Serbian poets. He was a physician by profession, like his literary predecessor writer Jovan Stejić ....
- “Most Beautiful Fables for Children” by Dositej ObradovićDositej ObradovicDositej Dimitrije Obradović was a Serbian author, philosopher, linguist, polyglot and the first minister of education of Serbia...
- “Counting Songs” by Vladana Likar Smiljanić
- “For Your Birthday” by Snežana Kićović Pejaković
- “Fairytales from a Little Wood” by Snežana Kićović Pejaković
- “Baby was Born” by Snežana Kićović Pejaković
- “The Dragon” Jovan Jovanović Zmaj
- “Guess Songs” Tankosava Petrović
- “Puss in Boots” by Charles PerraultCharles PerraultCharles Perrault was a French author who laid the foundations for a new literary genre, the fairy tale, with his works derived from pre-existing folk tales. The best known include Le Petit Chaperon rouge , Cendrillon , Le Chat Botté and La Barbe bleue...
- “Cindarella” by Brothers GrimmBrothers GrimmThe Brothers Grimm , Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm , were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors who collected folklore and published several collections of it as Grimm's Fairy Tales, which became very popular...
- “Pinocchio” by Carlo CollodiCarlo CollodiCarlo Lorenzini , better known by the pen name Carlo Collodi, was an Italian children's writer known for the world-renowned fairy tale novel, The Adventures of Pinocchio.-Biography:...
- “What’s the time?”
- “The Wolf and Seven Young Kids” by Brothers GrimmBrothers GrimmThe Brothers Grimm , Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm , were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors who collected folklore and published several collections of it as Grimm's Fairy Tales, which became very popular...
- “Three Little Pigs” by James Orchard Halliwell-PhillippsJames Orchard Halliwell-PhillippsJames Orchard Halliwell-Phillipps was an English Shakespearean scholar, and a collector of English Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales....
- “Hansel and Gretel” by Brothers GrimmBrothers GrimmThe Brothers Grimm , Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm , were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors who collected folklore and published several collections of it as Grimm's Fairy Tales, which became very popular...
- “Little Red Riding Hood” by Brothers GrimmBrothers GrimmThe Brothers Grimm , Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm , were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors who collected folklore and published several collections of it as Grimm's Fairy Tales, which became very popular...
- “Sparrow Rayko” by Snežana Kićović Pejaković
- “Most Beautiful Fables” by Jean de La FontaineJean de La FontaineJean de La Fontaine was the most famous French fabulist and one of the most widely read French poets of the 17th century. He is known above all for his Fables, which provided a model for subsequent fabulists across Europe and numerous alternative versions in France, and in French regional...
- “Princess Milly” by Vladana Likar Smiljanić