Have you always been drawing?
No, not really. Since I was eleven years old, roughly. I was greatly impressed at the time by a cousin who drew/copied pictures of Donald Duck from comic books. When I stayed over one night I tried my hand at it. It was easier than I expected. My pictures were admired by young and old. Boys and GIRLS. After drawing all the characters from the Donald Duck series, I drew the characters from ‘Asterix’ and then ‘Suske en Wiske’.
When did you realise you wanted to become an illustrator?
After I graduated, teaching jobs were not exactly for the taking and those that were available were poorly paid. After I was given a fairly large illustration assignment, I decided that I would become an illustrator. I had never dreamed of being an illustrator. Because clients were not beating down my door after that first assignment, I worked in other areas on the side. Slowly but surely, these side endeavours were replaced by children and illustrations.
What kind of formal education have you had?
On finishing senior general secondary education (where I could choose drawing as an examination subject), I enrolled in the teacher-training study programme for drawing/handicrafts in Utrecht. After that I studied another year in the grade-one teaching programme in Amersfoort.
How does your work come in and who are your clients?
Most of the work I receive via my own network or via my Web site. I have also received a lot of work through Dutch-illustration.com. Most of my clients are companies or organisations. I actually do very little work for publishers.
How do you start work on an assignment and what inspires you?
Method 1: take a deep breath, begin and compel inspiration to come.
Method 2: start making somewhat haphazard sketches and continue until it becomes something viable and good.
Method 3: I get an idea while in the shower, cycling, sleeping or while letting dinner burn.
I usually use method 1, unfortunately.
In what medium do you usually work?
Propelling pencil and Wacom pen. I usually draw in Flash. Then colour in the illustration in Painter. I prefer to use the ‘digital watercolor’ and ‘pastel’. But I am not afraid to experiment.
When is an illustration finished?
I have no idea. I sometimes think I continue working on something for too long. I prefer to work in a fresh, easy atmosphere with the feeling that I don’t have to put much effort into it. But if I draw a crisp arm that hangs awkwardly from a body, then I tend to fiddle with it until I get it right. Unfortunately, this does not always improve the drawing as a whole in the end.
What would you still like to create?
The site: dingendienietdeugen.nl. (things-that-don’t-jive.nl). I have had the site name for roughly three years now but have still not made a start on building it. This site should serve as a stage for small and large things in our world that don’t jive, that don’t make sense. Things such as the inordinate breeding of goldfish and world politics. Things that don’t make sense, with logical arguments given on why they don’t. And of course, good illustrations. I would also like to make drawings that are more political and more brazen.
1] Jos Collignon: Funny jokes, beautiful style
2] Radio 1: Have it on all day long. Always brings surprises and amazement.
3] Edika: My favourite from the unsurpassed French comic strip Fluide Glacial
4] Woldhek: Especially the way in which he chooses the style and material of a head…
portrait: Elsie Geerdink
translation: Ellen van Boggelen-Heutink
