My name is Ash. I am an animator and cartoonist from Ngunnawal, residing in Magan-djin (Australia).I make comics traditionally with pencils, graphite, fountain pens, dip pens, cel painting, and tracing papers. I also use hand-made animation methods for little films, such as sand animation, shadow puppetry, flip-books, and scratching/painting on 35mm film stock. I'm interested in telling cartoon stories that explore childhood, dreams, and the feeling of 懐かしい.I am currently serialising a comic called Nina, while developing future animation and comic projects.For my job, I work as an arts facilitator - teaching animation, digital art, comics, and illustration in various community and disability arts contexts. I also work in a children's art gallery.I am open to work, residencies, exhibitions, commissions, and collaborations.
(㇏(•̀ᵥᵥ•́)ノ)
ashleigh.djokic@gmail.com
0422 252 489
All animation is hand-drawn, either traditionally on paper or digitally with RoughAnimator or ToonBoom. Please note most of this is personal work and animation practice. There are also some shots from volunteer roles on short film projects or animation tests (as specified in the video).
Earthsea - animatic and board thumbnails
Ashey - animatic and board thumbnails (Bluey parody)
The Fish - animatic and board thumbnails (2020 Grad film)
My animation showreel demonstrates hand-made methods, including scratch-film (35mm), shadow puppets, traditional animation, and sand animation. My methodology is influenced by Norman McLaren, Caroline Leaf, and Michele Cournoyour - whose practices embrace improvisation and expression with tactile materials.
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sample pages from my comics
Nina is a liminal and surreal comic series about an inner child gone wild. The story explores the consequences of unresolved childhood trauma, doppelgängers in alternate dimensions, and what it means to confront the worst of your shadow. Nina also touches on climate breakdown, and how the way we treat ourselves and each-other can affect our relationship to the natural world.Nina is made by hand with pencils, graphite, fountain pens, inks, fabriano paper, and tracing paper.Nina volume 1 and 2 are now available in my shop, as well as a comic zine called Anin.comix available online herevolume 3 coming mid-2025! volume 4 late 2025!
(㇏(•̀ᵥᵥ•́)ノ)
Animated Flow was my 2021 honours thesis, wherein I explored to what extent improvisation is possible within the animation process. See video for a showcase of my experiments.Send an email if you'd like a copy of my thesis (ashleigh.djokic@gmail.com).
The Fish was my 2020 graduation film as part of my animation studies at Griffith University. My roles included: Director, Story-artist, and 2D character animator.Synopsis:
For a child, it’s a beautiful noise-maker. For a mother, it’s a reminder that the sea she grew up with is now a memory.
Vulcana’s Circus Connections was a project that connected Junction Park State School Students with the Residence of Annerley TriCare Aged Care.I was brought in to create an animation to commemorate the project. I collected life-drawings each week to keep track of special moments, which I weaved into the animation.Vulcana partnered with Junction Park State School, Annerley TriCare Aged Care Residence, Annerley-Stephens History Group and Annerley RSL to deliver Circus Connections. Funded by We Are Queensland through the Queensland Government.
