Portfolio March 2024

Portfolio

Introduction

Welcome to my portfolio, full of beautiful work by a wide range of award-winning Dutch artists, illustrators, designers and authors. Each of them boasts a unique style, which has led them to wide-spread acclaim and international success. Their creative talents are available for comissions in any field, from illustration for magazines, books or online publications to pattern and product design. These illustrators also have archives of different illustrations which may suit your needs.

If you are interested, contact me. I am more than happy to discuss the ways in which we can work together and explore opportunities to bring creativity to your business.

Pattern design Floor Rieder

Illustration: Sieb Posthuma

Cover illustration © Studiogarcia

Kajsa Blomberg www.kajsablomberg.nl

© Renee Bounin

distinctive, elaborate and humorous drawings

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Floor Rieder

Floor Rieder is an illustrator and designer, mostly known for her magnificent and multi-award winning non-fiction children’s books and recently also for her mural art in Amsterdam. In 2014, she won the Golden Paintbrush prize for her children’s book debut Het raadsel van Alles wat Leeft (The Mystery of Life), by Jan Paul Schutten. A second book Het Wonder van Jou (The Marvel of You) about the human body and created in the same style as Het Raadsel, was published in 2015. The third book in the series followed in 2018. Her most recent book Van Rotta tot Roffa, about Rotterdam, was awarded the Best Dutch Book Design 2022.

Floor also illustrated a new edition of Alice’s adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll which was soon published in the UK, US, Germany, Russia and China. She used an old technique, painting on glass. The book won prizes such as Most Beautiful Book Cover 2014.

Floor Rieder makes editorial illustrations for newspapers, magazines, city maps and also designs for products. She designed and illustrated a theatre set and loves to design patterns, portraits and mural art.

© Peter van der Heijden

1, 2 editorial illustrations book reviews De Volkskrant

3 book illustration De wereld volgens mijn kat (The world according to my cat), Lannoo 4/5 editorial illustrations book reviews De Volkskrant 6 birth announcement card

7 editorial illustration Zeemagazijn, Scheepvaartmuseum

unique and sublime papercut illustrations

Geertje Aalders

Geertje Aalders is an illustrator, specialized in paper cuts and detailed, refined pen drawings.

Geertje Aalders’ cut-out illustrations are true works of art. She provides illustrations for books, magazines, packaging and stationary. Often they are papercuts, though she also creates detailed illustrations in pen or oil paint. Since 2013 she regularly illustrates books for publishers. Her cover for the book Arabische Sprookjes (Arabian Fairy Tales) was awarded The Libris Most Beautiful Book Cover 2017 and earned the Jenny Smelik Ibby Prize in 2018. The book has been published in the US and Canada.

Her most recent picture book Heel Keverburg kookt (Diner in Beetle Town), written by Bibi Dumon Tak is a masterpiece with the most amazing paper-cut illustrations. Geertje’s intricate organic patterns are also used on wrapping paper and packaging. In 2021 Geertje had the honour to design the december stamps for Post NL.

Common motifs throughout Geertje’s illustrations are flowers, plants and insects, stemming from her great fondness of nature.

1, 2 book illustrations

Diner in Beetle Town, Gottmer

Geertje Aalders

3 bookcover Heel Keverburg kookt (Diner in Beetle Town) , Gottmer 4 bookcover Arabische Sprookjes (Arabic Fairy tales), Gottmer. 5 book illustrations Diner in Beetle Town, Gottmer 6 design for windows in Haarlem, Ymere 7, 8 december stamps 2021, Post NL

cheerful and witty illustrations

With her cheerful and original illustrations Loes Riphagen stands out to the audience, press and juries. Her unique style and imaginative illustrations have garnered her international recognition and numerous awards. Her illustrations are characterized by their vibrant colors, cheerful characters, and intricate details.

She wrote and illustrated 20 award winning picture books, published intenationally and worked with many authors. Her book 'Yes, Coco can!' was awarded Picturebook of the year 2021 in the Netherlands. The little babybird Coco has become a success ever since, with many more books and several theatre shows.

In her latest book ‘The Gnomebook’, Loes created an enchanting book about the real life of the modern gnome, with lots of hidden jokes in every single one of of her illustrations!

Her work has been published in many countries, including France, Russia, Italy, Germany, USA, Latvia, Finland, Denmark, China, South Korea, Portugal, Japan, Spain and Slovenia.

© Vincent Kuyvenhoven

1, 2 illustrations Het Kabouterboek (The Gnome Book), Gottmer

illustrations

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Come along, Kees, Gottmer 4, 5, 6 bookcovers, Gottmer 7, 8 illustrations The Gnome Book, Gottmer 9 illustration Coco kan het! (Coco can do!), Gottmer

colourful and humourous illustrations with a nostalgic feel

Noëlle Smit

Noëlle Smit is an accomplished illustrator known for her vibrant and humorous artwork. After graduating the University of the Arts in 1999 she has been working as a freelance illustrator and illustrated dozens of children’s books published around the world.

Noëlle's illustrations are characterized by their lively colors and nostalgic feel. Her illustrations have a magical quality that evokes a sense of wonder and joy. Her own picture books Naar de Markt (To the Market), In de Tuin (In the Garden) en Aan Zee (By the Sea) have received outstanding book reviews.

Her picture book Fiet wants to Run by Bibi Dumon Take won the Picture Book of the Year Award in 2011. In 2021 she received a Silver Paintbrush for her illustrations and in 2022 her fable book with Janneke Schotveld was awarded a prestigious Dutch award. Noëlle loves to design posters and dachshunds, her favourite dogs.

Noëlle’s studio is located in a magical green place where you will find her with two companion, the dachshunds Tom, also a main character in her series of picturebooks Teckel Tom and her new dog Nena.

© Jean-Pierre Jans

Life), by Jan Paul Schutten.

Au marché

3 illustration from Aan zee (At the beach), Queriodo 4 Dachshund greeting cards, Greetz 5 illustration

Dikkertje Dap, Querido 6 illustration

Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam

7 illustration Naar de markt (To the market), Querido 8, 9 bookcovers

Querido

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hyper realistic, refined and amazingly accurate drawings

Medy Oberendorff studied product design at the Academy of Visual Arts Maastricht and obtained a Master in Scientific Illustration from Maastricht University.

She worked at Leiden University as a scientific illustrator until 2009, after which she continued work as an independent illustrator. She has taught at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam.

With infinite patience and a unique style, she focusses in on the everyday animals and plants that surround us but often go unnoticed. With refined and detailed representations of reality. For Lannoo she made 'Wonderbos' and 'Het Wonderlijke Insectenboek' which won a Vlag en Wimpel award. For Rubinstein she made the picture book 'Johannes de Parkiet' and 'Gerda de Goudvink', written by Mark Haayema.

Her drawings are sometimes (large placed) used in public places such as hospitals and museums but also on stamps for Post NL.

1, 2 illustration Het wonderlijke insectenboek (The Wondrous book of Insects), Lannoo

3, 4 book illustration Wonderwood written by Jan Paul Schutten, Lannno 5 book illustration Johannes de Parkiet, Rubinstein

6 bookillustration Plant, cookbook Van Nijgh Cuisine

7 image available for licensing

Marenthe is an illustrator of wondrous things, graphic designer, typographer, pattern designer, concept-maker and adventurer. Her work is radically different and sought after by the sharp and shrewd across the globe.

Marenthe studied at the Academy of Arts, Graphic Design and Illustration in Belgium, graduating cum laude in 1994.

Marenthe has a passion for creating and an unquashable desire to share the wonders of nature, love and happiness with the world. She does this from her studio in The Hague, looking out over a beautiful forest.

Marenthe’s work has been recognised in Europe, Asia and the United States. She has won a number of prestigious international awards, including a European Design Award (silver) and Merits from the Art Directors Club, New York. Marenthe was shortlisted for an award from the Type Directors Club Tokyo and has been nominated several times for the Dutch Design Awards.

© Petra van Vliet

1 illustration for Flow magazine 2 image available for licensing

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3, 4, 5, 6 images created by Artifical Intelligene 7 collage art journals & designs

a unique colourful style that combines traditional techniques with digital artistry

Jose Luis Garcia Lechner

Jose Luis Garcia Lechner is an Amsterdam-based illustrator. He grew up in the Netherlands and has Spanish/Dutch heritage. He graduated from the Dutch art academy St. Joost in Breda, specializing in graphic arts and graphic design, followed by an internship in New York.

Since 1996, Jose Luis Garcia has been working full-time as an illustrator. He draws inspiration from cooking dinners illustrations from the mid-20th century and music.

Jose Luis has developed a unique style that combines traditional techniques with digital artistry. Jose Luis's colourful and outstanding work can be found in a wide range of media, including (cook) books, (food) magazines, newspaper, restaurant menus, packaging, advertising campaigns and online platforms.

His playful and mazing illustrations of historical characters and buildings can be found in the permanent exhibition about Dutch royals in the Stedelijk Museum Breda.

www.studiogarcia.nl

© Kajsa Blomberg

1 editorial illustration

2 illustration Stedelijk Museum Breda

4, 5 Food illustrations

6 invitation poster Glou Glou Wine

7, 8, 9 botanical illustrations

3 design for tile wall Gazelle

Jose Luis Garcia Lechner

Maartje Bodt

Maartje Bodt, a stylist and illustrator based in Amsterdam, founded the brand Marie Bodié in 2016. She combines this with her work as a stylist for major fashion brands and magazines. Known for her colorful and cute illustrations, Marie Bodié's artwork brings joy and positivity to viewers of all ages.

Her eye for detail and fashion trends can be seen in her cutting-edge watercolor illustrations which capture the cultural zeitgeist and trends of today. Marie Bodié’s illustrations have been licensed among other things for greeting cards, phone cases, t-shirts, fabrics and interior items such as wallpaper.

These hand painted illustrations stand out and are much loved. Her work is easily recognized by its intricate details and harmonious colour use. Maartje's work is a manifestation of her deep appreciation for aesthetics.

Clients include: Greetz, Estee Lauder, H&M, Glamour Magazine, Moonpig, Topshop, &Other Stories, Casetify and Starbucks.

© Emma Peijnenburg

3 editorial illustration FD magazine

4, 5, 6 design Greetz

fineliner illustrations and visually stunning

Illustrator Margot Holtman was born and raised in Amsterdam. In addition to her education at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy, where she graduated in Audiovisual in 2011, she pursued a minor in Illustration at Pratt University in New York (United States).

Margot's illustrations showcase her mastery of pen techniques, utilizing intricate linework and shading to create visually stunning and highly realistic images. Her dedication to capturing the essence of her favorite subjects; animals, nature, and food is evident in her work. Her illustrations can be found in newspapers, magazines, books, murals and stationery. Together with biologist and journalist Caspar Janssen, she creates the column 'Aard van het Beestje' (The Nature of the Animal) every week since 2019 for The Volkskrant. Recently all these columns have been compiled and published as a book under the same title.

Work and clients: Volkskrant, Trouw, Happinez Magazine, 'Langs de Lange Lindelaan' (2019, Prometheus – poetry anthology with Arie and Romy Boomsma), WeTransfer, Vice, National Geographics and PostNL.

© Kajsa Blomberg

Mylo Freeman

Mylo Freeman is Dutch/American and grew up in The Hague, Holland. She attended the art academy in Amsterdam and majored in illustration and painting. After graduating she spent several years in New York and had an exhibition with her work at the Drawing Center. Her first book 'Potje!' (Potty!) received the prize for best toddler book of the year right away.

Mylo made around 60 books up till now and the series of princess Arabella is one of her most wellknown books.There are 16 books about Arabella that are published in more than 10 countries. Also there’s an app, a series of dolls and a theatreplay around her character, all in all proving there is a serious demand for books with diversity.

With her books 'On Ladies and bags' and 'On Ladies and jewelry' she tries to reach a slightly older audience with a love for fashion.

In return these books inspired Mylo to do a series of large fashion illustrations, in which experimenting with form and material gives her a great sense of fulfillment and freedom!

© Martijn Gijsbertsen

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fashion illustrations

stories with a single line

Eva Gans

‘I like to present the world from my perspective. With only a few lines, I expose the small traits that make us human. Every minute detail is vital to the image as a whole.’

It is almost impossible to suppress a smile at the sight of Gans’ work. With one line she tells a story or an anecdote, inspired by her playful perspective on the mundane. Her work is described as follows: Gans’ work has an impressive light-heartedness to it. With a single, deliberate stroke of a pen she captures the world around her with a remarkable eye for detail. Colour, object, posture; she is able to find the essence of that which she draws, thus reaches the audience directly. Her vitality and cheerfulness jump off the page in both an uplifting and moving experience for the viewer.

Eva is an autodidact. After a year at the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam she developed her own style and decided to pursue a career in illustration. Eva draws commissioned pieces for individuals and businesses like logos, illustrations, wall-paintings and greeting cards.

© Kajsa Blomberg

All illustrations for hotels, stationery and greeting cards

modern, contemporary and vivid illustrations

Merel Corduwener (1991) studied Illustration Design at ArtEZ University of the Arts. She graduated in 2013 and immediately started working for leading Dutch newspapers such as de Volkskrant, NRC and Het Parool.

Merel’s illustrations strike a balance between humour and poignant social commentary. She likes to tackle a wide variety of subjects, with human interaction as the focus. She incorporates her fascination with the world around her into her works.

In 2017 Merel was nominated for the European Design Award in the category 'Book and Editorial Illustration'. In 2019, her first book 'Polderpolonaise' was published in both Dutch and English. In 2022 her beautifully illustrated non-fiction book 'Tot over mijn oren in het plastic' (Up to my ears in plastic) written by Daniel Poolen was published and her first picture book 'Het Kijkmeneertje' (Little mister lookaround) with her friend Mira van der Lubbe.

Merel draws and paints all her illustrations with watercolour and finishes them digitally. This mixed-media approach facilitates her detailed and brightly coloured illustrations.

© Marie Wanders

1, 2 book illustrations Tot over mijn oren in het plastic, Gottmer

3, 4 book illustrations Tot over mijn oren in het plastic, Gottmer 5 illustration Woordgraptogram, Loopvis 6, 7 illustration Little Mister Look Around, Gottmer 8 illustrations for Micropia, Artis Amsterdam

award-winning illustrator with an impressive legacy

1 illustration Mr Coats, Querido

2 illustration Rintje (Rusty)

Sieb Posthuma

Sieb Posthuma (1960-2014) has left a comprehensive oeuvre that extends to many disciplines, including designs of stamps, costumes and stage settings for theatre. Also, he wrote and illustrated numerous children’s books. His style is characterized by the exuberant use of colour, graphic elements and humour.

Sieb’s work is published in many countries, including USA, Brazil, China, Germany, Japan, France, Spain, Italy, Finland and Portugal. There have been various expositions about his work: in London, the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, at the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, in the Literatuurmuseum in The Hague, in the Original Art Annual Exhibition in New York. In 2017 Teylers Museum in Haarlem held an exhibition with a selection of his illustrations. In 2018, illustrations from the book Alexander’s thread were included in the exhibition Artist in Books in the Hyundai Museum of Kids, Books and Art in Seoul.

One of Sieb’s most famous creations is Rintje (Rusty), based on his own fox terrier. Besides various picture books, Sieb wrote and illustrated a story about Rintje every week for the Dutch newspaper NRC. Lemming Film and A Private View produced a 52-episodes stop-motion animation series, shown in Netherlands and Belgium. In 2024 the book 'Mannetje Jas' (Mr Coats) will be the basis for a ballet performance for young children, by The Dutch National Ballet.

© Dorien van der Meer

In 2008 Sieb designed the stage setting and costumes for Coppelia, in request of the Dutch National Ballet. His designs received unanimous favourable reviews by the press: The designs by Posthuma are a milestone in the history of ballet (NRC 2008). In december 2016 Coppelia was brought to stage again in Amsterdam.

3 stage design Coppelia, The Dutch National Ballet 4 Rintje in Amsterdam 5, 6 bookcovers

7, 8 illustrations from Een vijver vol inkt (A pond full of Ink), Querido

observing and picturing the seemingly normal day to day life

Sylvia van Ommen

Sylvia van Ommen studied illustration at the art academy in Zwolle, Netherlands. After graduating in 2001 her first book Drop (sweets/jellybeans) was published, shortly followed by De verrassing (the surprise). Drop won an award for best children’s book in 2003 and in that same year De verrassing was chosen on the longlist for the Gouden Uil (literary price). Both books are translated and published in several countries.

Os and Jo, the characters in Drop, appeared again in the books Mindfulness en andere moderne ongemakken (Mindfulness and other modern discomforts) and in Een succesvol leven, we slepen ons er wel doorheen (A successful life, we muddle through).

Sylvia makes illustrations for (picture) books, interactive design and she writes. She likes to observe and picture the seemingly normal day to day life, discovering the humor and weirdness in small things. Animals in all sorts and sizes are often the main characters in her work.

No, look, it isn’t raining right now.

2 Os & Jo cartoon

© Maurice van der Bij

1 Gallery for the Trees drawing

3 free work 4 Gallery for the Trees drawings

5 illustrations from Mindfulness en andere moderne ongemakken

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Sylvia van Ommen

www.kajsablomberg.nl | kajsa@kbizz.nl

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