David Krančan

The Slovenian cartoonist, illustrator, and designer David Krančan was born in 1984 in Ljubljana. At a young age, he attended the workshops of Stripburger, a multilingual comic book publisher founded in Slovenia in 1992, which also organizes training courses and exhibitions. Krančan studied under Milan Erič at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Ljubljana.

In his graphic novels and comic strips, Krančan places particular emphasis on the visual aspect. Theoretically and practically, he explores the boundaries of this genre and its artistic peculiarities. Together with Andraž Polič he developed the widely acclaimed book »Na prvem tiru« (2008; tr: On the First Track), a symbiosis of poetry and comics. While Polič provided the textual basis in the form of haikus, Krančan created monochrome drawings: »The book is both a comic and a collection of poems. We have tried to create a new dimension for both comics and poetry that these mediums themselves do not have«. Based on the collection of Slovenian folktales »Zverinice iz Rezije« (1973), recorded by ethnologist Milko Matičetov, in 2014 Krančan created the graphic novel for children »Grdina«, in which he updates the mythical world that has already been familiar to several generations. The animal figures live in the forest, but behave like humans: they work, rest, visit each other, drive their cars, and make a great espresso. On the same basis followed »Pijani zajec« (2015; tr: Drunken Rabbit), a melancholic fairy tale for adults about the inability of the individual to be in contact with others. Krančan stands out here with mature drawings, a well thought-out dramaturgy, and an imaginative composition; the book was awarded the prize for the most beautiful comic book at the 31st Slovenian Book Fair.

Krančan has also illustrated a number of texts by other authors. In 2016, for example, he provided the illustrations for »Pot knjige« by Žiga X Gombač, which makes the creation process of a book and its path from author to reader comprehensible for children. Krančan has been a member of the Stripburger editorial team since 2002. Since 2011 he has also illustrated the title page of »Dnevnikov Objektiv«. He regularly teaches at various comic workshops. He lives near Kranj.

An Illustrated Lovely Story

David Krančan’s Pulp Fiction Novel

Stripburger/Forum

Ljubljana, 2004

[Ü: Maja Založnik]

Na prvem tiru

[Text: Andraž Polič]

Stripburger/Forum

Ljubljana, 2008

Grdina

[Mit Milko Matičetov]

Stripburger/Forum

Ljubljana, 2014

Pijani zajec

[Mit Dorina Čúnkina u. Milko Matičetov]

Stripburger/Forum

Ljubljana, 2015

Pot knjige

[Text: Žiga X Gobač]

Ljubljana, 2016