Come on, there must be people out there still working. Show something damn it!
I feel like I am one of those 18th century -or when was that- illustrators, who had to draw far away countries and wild animals they had never seen themselves. Would the people from JavaherDeh recognize their village? I try to give the NRC readers a halfway informative image of all these far away places, but whether I am giving them the right impression? All I can do is my best.
I am especially proud of my research. I could hardly find any pictures of this German village, until I thought of Youtube.
In 1979 I was in my second year of art school, and we had to welcome the new first year students. We put a record player in the lobby, and played Nina Hagen full blast.
I am illustrating a series of 20 articles in the NRC economics section. The articles are written by twenty different foreign correspondents. It is very interesting and entertaining to email with all these guys (one woman...).These two are the first ones, China and Poland. This Friday it's Canada. The articles are really good reads btw.
Dutch fans of Americana music. I wouldn't want to embarrass any Clogwork guys, so I'll keep my opinions on my own blog this time. And before you ask, it is Johnny Cash's dog.
Finally I was drawing someone my friends in the dog park could relate to. It made for a fine subject while slipping and sliding on the ice. And I wasn't even the most elitist dog owner, one woman actually hadn't even ever heard of Dr. Phil. A doctor herself mind you. Which is pretty comforting when you think about it. Now I will stop thinking about Dr. Phil the moment he turns into fish wrapping paper. I don't know, I always get into these imaginary relationships with the people I have to draw, I can't help it. Like with Dr. Phil, jesus. I keep thinking of things in my life that I would have him talk about in his show. That is too creepy to even ask you guys what you would have Dr. Phil talk about regarding your lives. I have way more shit happening than I thought, I could fill (Phil) ten shows. Easy.
Click image to enlarge.
This is too funny. Peter Pontiac and I are not really side by side, we are back to back, pages 47 and 48. You can check for yourselves, the digital edition of the NRC is temporarily open to everyone. Here's a bigger version of my drawing.
This is my very last author drawing for the newspaper, sadly enough. I was supposed to have done them one year, 2006, ended up doing them well into 2007, but now I am really done, and Peter van Dongen will take over. My dear husband was kind enough to make me a website with the collected author drawings. The NRC will publish the URL with this last one, on August 31st. I hope I will sell some prints to the NRC readership. For now, you can tell me which of my drawings is your favourite, I'd like that. Please don't tell me your least favourite ones, I am a sensitive soul. I myself, I am most happy with Willem Brakman, Elsbeth Etty, Eva Gerlach, and Ramsey Nasr.
Great article. Ellen says the catwalk course improved her mood. The article improved mine, I almost feel like taking a course myself. Although I'm pretty good at walking on high heels already, or at least I used to be. I hardly ever wear high heels anymore. Back in my art school days I used to buy wild second hand pairs. Stiletto's were obligatory around 1980. I spent my best high heels day ever shopping all day in Amsterdam, on speed. Swear to god, it was the only time in my whole life that I have ever taken speed. But speed and high heels go together very well, I can tell you that. Otherwise I am very clean, I haven't even had a drop of alcohol in weeks. Went to Betty's this week, ordered a soda water.
Once again, a mysterious drawing. The eagle carries the author's mother, in a dream. But this scene is not mentioned in the review. I never see the article before it's printed, I basically do whatever I want. Which must puzzle the reader, sometimes. I would think.
Once again, running behind the facts. I'll give you two portrayed authors at the same time. And not only running in illustration. Read my blog and you won't envy me, sigh.
The article's headline reads "The Demonized Head", which makes you wonder whether that applies to the drawing or to the article... I'm very glad the drawing fits though, I didn't have much more than the book title "Devil's Fare" to go on. But I did a very stupid thing this time. Or rather, I didn't do a very stupid thing. I always upload my file to my ftp, and put a little 600 pixel preview on a web page linking to the file. This time I forgot the link @#$%^&*!! So I'm afraid they printed the 600 pixel jpg, but I am kind of hoping somebody has been bright enough to find the file even without the link. I can't really tell from the digital newspaper. Anybody care to tell me if the paper version turned out okay?
I wanted to upload today's newspaper when I realized I forgot last week's. So sorry! Here's the page.
My wonderful editor Ellen de Bruin wrote a book about Dutch women. She had me draw one for the newspaper. To see the page, click.
And the next one, now you are up to date. Remind me to do this again on Saturday, when my next piece will be in the NRC. More about Louis Paul Boon here.
I am so sorry, I have been neglecting Clogwork a little. I tell myself I am too busy, but that is nonsense, it only takes a couple of minutes to upload something. More about Vonne van der Meer here.