Andrea Jelić is an independent web designer and art director from Croatia, known for her refined typography and clear, character-driven digital identities. Her work spans web design and branding, often intersecting with her parallel practice in photography. After serving as a design director, she returned to independent practice with a focus on web projects. Over the past seven years, she has worked with clients across industries, building an internationally recognized portfolio that includes awards and her role as an Awwwards judge.

Your work is often praised for its use of typography. What draws you to type as a central element in your web and branding projects?

Thank you. I’ve always loved working with typography because, when it’s done right, you honestly don’t need much else. A strong type choice paired with an interesting color combination can already make a great design. Typography is fundamental, it keeps projects clean, memorable, and engaging. I also think it’s one of the core skills every designer should truly understand, from sizing and contrast to mixing different weights. Once you master typography, it becomes something that genuinely helps you stand out, at least from my experience.

You’ve worked independently since the beginning of your career. What do you find most rewarding, and most challenging, about building a practice on your own terms?

At the beginning, freelancing wasn’t the most secure or ideal choice. It takes time to understand it, but over time I really started enjoying it. The most rewarding part is having control over how I organize my days, months, and year. If you’re disciplined enough, it can be incredibly freeing. I travel a lot while working, sometimes do sports or hobbies in the morning, and then work later in the day. I also love not having to explain where I am or what I’m doing, as long as the work is delivered on time and clients are happy.
The most challenging part is definitely being on your own. You don’t have colleagues to brainstorm with or lean on when things don’t go as planned, and that can be tough. Over the years, though, I’ve built a network of collaborators, developers, brand strategists, and other creatives. When we work together, there’s that shared support. I’ve also learned how to trust myself more, make decisions independently, and take responsibility for them. In the end, that really shapes you into a better leader.

You’ve balanced roles as both a designer and an educator. How does teaching influence the way you approach your own projects?

Teaching puts your work into a completely different perspective. It’s not just about knowing what you do, but being able to explain it in a way that’s clear and accessible to others. When I created my course, the goal was to make it useful for beginners, while also being valuable for designers who already have experience and want to refine their work. That mindset definitely influences how I approach my own projects. I think more about clarity, structure, and intention.
It’s also incredibly rewarding to help someone who’s just starting out, especially when you later hear feedback that your course, your experience, or even your work motivated them to start designing and really go down that path. Moments like that give teaching a much deeper meaning and make me feel like I’m doing something right.

As a judge for Awwwards, you see a wide range of digital design. What qualities truly make a website stand out today?

Beyond solid execution in all areas, I think what really stands out is excellence or innovation in at least one aspect, whether that’s design, development, layout, animation, page flow, or content. It doesn’t have to be everything at once, but it should offer something that feels fresh and well thought out. The best projects go beyond the typical website and are designed and built at a genuinely high level.

Your background includes a role as design director at Brandbeet. How did that experience shape your perspective on collaboration and leadership?

It definitely showed me that being a team leader or design director isn’t easy. There’s a lot more guiding people and managing clients, and much less actual design time than you might expect. I learned that every designer works differently and needs a different approach. What works for one person might not work for another, and feedback is also received very differently from person to person. Clear, precise, and supportive communication is key to creating a healthy environment where people can grow. One thing I found especially valuable was sharing my own past experiences with clients and real situations. That way, others could learn from them without having to go through the same challenges themselves.

You describe web projects as your passion. What is it about the medium of web design that excites you most?

Web design really combines everything I love about creative work, digital design, photography, management, and collaboration. I enjoy taking ownership of web projects, guiding them from concept to execution, and working closely with developers along the way. It’s a space where all these disciplines come together and constantly evolve, which keeps it exciting for me.

In addition to design, you also practice photography. How do you see these two disciplines intersecting in your work?

I love photography and also work in it occasionally, mostly in fashion and architecture. I think to be a strong visual creator, it helps to understand multiple disciplines. As mentioned before, typography is important, but creating a beautiful website requires balance between many elements, visual design, photography choices, development, and more. Photography plays a big role in understanding what to show, where to place it, and how to use imagery to elevate the overall design.
Besides being behind the camera, I also sometimes step in front of it, which gives me a better understanding of the model’s perspective. That experience helps me communicate more clearly on set and know how to achieve the look or feeling I’m aiming for. In the end, it all connects and helps me create more thoughtful and cohesive work.

You’ve mentioned fashion, architecture, and music as sources of inspiration. How do these fields filter into your design process?

Honestly, anything that’s visually strong or thoughtfully made can be inspiring. I tend to look at things from a psychological perspective, how they’re presented, what’s behind them, and how they affect people. Design should always serve a purpose. I also pay a lot of attention to everyday choices, where I eat or drink my coffee, how I dress, what furniture I buy, where I train, because all of these environments and decisions help me understand how things work, how they look, and how they’re experienced. Through that, I often find inspiration and connect with people who are doing interesting things. In the end, I combine multiple influences, but I’m especially inspired by people who push boundaries and show that, with enough motivation and dedication, a lot is possible.

Many young creatives look to you for guidance when entering the freelance world. What advice do you wish you had when you were just starting out?

I wish I had understood earlier that there’s space for everyone. Not just for the top or highest-paid designers, but for every level. The key is finding your niche and making your work visible. Design is very individual, and style is personal. While there are principles that work and others that don’t, there’s still plenty of room to create something unique if you stay consistent with your work. I’d also say that design work is not a reflection of your personal value. Learning to separate your work from your self-worth is incredibly important, and it’s something I understood quite early on. Once you make that distinction, it becomes much easier to grow, take feedback, and keep enjoying the process without taking everything too personally.

Looking ahead, what kinds of projects or collaborations would you love to explore next?

I’d love to work more on physical products in the future. Fields like interior or fashion design are complex and very different from digital, but being involved in product ideation, brand direction, or photography direction would be amazing. On the digital side, I’d also like to work on more web projects connected to interior design, architecture, and design-focused brands.