Along with a range of illustrated merchandise which includes greeting cards, prints and tea towels, artist and tutor Milan Topalović has worked on a variety of live projects, including trail maps and guides along with festival branding and engaging murals. With a background in portraiture and short stories, he infuses nostalgic imagery with charming, characterful details in a modern and colourful illustrative style.
He is an educator, having lectured at Birmingham City University and run wellbeing and mindfulness workshops for businesses around the city, including Selfridges and Westside BID.
Milan runs weekly and fortnightly art classes for adults on Zoom and on Bournville Green.
During a children’s book festival, he collaborated on a piece with authors and illustrators including Chris Riddell OBE and Dame Jacqueline Wilson DBE.
Wes Anderson, Paris, The Electric Cinema, Damien Chazelle, Benjamin Lacombe, The Oscars, vintage picture books, pancakes, JK Simmons, Lego, Nick Cave, Julie Andrews... these are a few of my favourite things.
Clients
Sony
Selfridges
National Trust
Hallmark
University of Birmingham
British Cycling
Genting Resorts World
Birmingham Children's Hospital
Crosscountry Trains
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Transport for West Midlands
UK Greetings
Little White Lies
Wild in Art
Hotel du Vin
Meadowhall
mac Birmingham
Millennium Point
Wychavon District Council
Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum
Awards
Winner, Independent Birmingham Membership Card Design Competition, 2017
Winner, Little White Lies’ Netflix House of Cards Competition, 2016
Winner, Birmingham Mail's 'Big Hoot Favourite Owl Design' poll, 2015
Winner, Secret 7" Florence + the Machine Vinyl Design, 2011
Winner, Ladyhawke Portrait Competition, 2011
Nomination, ‘You’re Bussing It’ campaign w/ I Choose Birmingham, Birmingham Media Awards 2025
Nomination, Alexis Deacon Picture Book Award, BCU Awards 2010
Publications
The Birmingham Art Book (2 artworks selected), 2022
Finalist, HBO Game of Thrones Official Compendium, 2015
Best of British Illustration 2012 AOI Images 36 Annual, featured in ‘Self Promotion’ category, 2012
Commendation, ‘Emerging Talent’ category, Cheltenham Illustration Awards Annual, 2011
Adult Leisure Art Classes
Zoom (Weekly, group drawing and painting classes, one-to-one tutoring)
Quaker Meeting House, Bournville (fortnightly drawing classes)
For more information about Milan’s classes and student work, click here.
Guest / Termly Workshops
Westside BID (Black Sabbath portraits wellbeing workshop)
Resorts World Birmingham (Paint & Prosecco, Watercolour & Wine)
Selfridges (Drawing for Wellbeing: Mental Health Awareness Week)
Birmingham City University (lecturing, one-to-one progress sessions and assessments)
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery (Drawing Ozzy / I Draw Comedians portrait workshops)
mac Birmingham (term courses and holiday workshops)
Coffin Works (Christmas wellbeing workshop)
For more information about Milan’s workshops, click here.
Features and Interviews
BBC Radio WM with Danny Kelly (live broadcast)
BBC Radio WM ‘Life and Times’ with Kath Stanczyszyn (live broadcast)
BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester Rik Mayall mural interview with Tom Edwards
Birmingham Children's Hospital (televised)
Big Centre TV (televised)
Style Birmingham Magazine
Creative Review
Birmingham Mail
Wild in Art
Ordnance Survey
Lost at E Minor
Electrolyte - The Electric Cinema Magazine
I Choose Birmingham
The Young Creatives
J U L Y
Brindleyplace Artisan Market ☀️
Central Square
11-3pm, Thu 16 July
Edgbaston Night Market 🌙
Greenfield Crescent
4-9pm, Fri 17 July
A U G U S T
Botanical Gardens Artisan Market 🌺
Birmingham
11-pm, Sat 1 Aug
Kings Heath Artisan Market 🏡
York Road
10-3pm, Sun 9 Aug
More dates announced soon 📅