the movie

Watch the birdie!

Read the article on overruimte.nl or check my site. 

And then there was motion

Being far too busy which is making me dream about work every night finally paid off (besides the money): last night I actually did have a useful idea for one of the pieces I'm working on!! I was asked to make another illustration for Heijman's blog, and now here it comes: Not only is there the advantage of RGB colors, but also of.. motion. Ha!!
Hence the poorly animated gif, but this is the first stage of the test phase. You wait!

rusty nail

This is how photography beats illustration.. Never ever in a million years could I make a drawing as striking and alienating as this one, published in Dutch newspaper Trouw today. The headline reads Stubborn as a rusty nail. The resident disagreed with the demolition of his house for the construction of a highway.. 

meccano love

This weekend Dutch newspaper Trouw will print an article about the development in technology, and in particular the ethical side of this, which is symbolized by the story of Icarus. Therefore I have drawn a wing that is built from Meccano parts. I'm crazy about using elements that literally help me build an image. So whenever I get the chance to do so I grab it. I illustrated the parts very precisely so that all holes actually fit together. I'm sure I'm going to use them more often, they are so pretty!

exhibition stand

Today I got this little preview in my mail of the exhibition stand I was asked to do the artwork for.
I had to do 32 illustrations and it was a bit of a rush job, which had me running on caffeine for quite a few nights, but I do like the result! There will be boxes and posters as well, I'm excited about it!

I got mail!

Finally in store: Flow magazine's winterbook edition, starring my stationary-designs, yihaa! But even better, before I had seen the actual book myself, two Flow-readers wrote me a letter on my own paper. Just found them on my doormat! I was moved to tears a bit, to be honest. Thanks Paulien and Marloes; you made my day!

I got there

I got there, finished in time, but I'm too knackered to show you the results. Will do so soon.

4 out of 200

These are crazy days.. with hardly no nights. Making 200 drawings (or more) in one week (or less). But I'm getting there..

patterns

I see a pattern emerging in my house.. 

(top two blankets made by my grandmamma, bottom blanket from a secondhand shop)

legonie

My sister's starting a small company in organizing children's parties. We created this Lego Bingo as part of one of her themes. This is just the demo, but I think it looks so good allready! I have to play it over and over again with my 3 year old. And not just because he wants to. I'll let you know as soon as she's ready for take off beause you will want to know; she's gonna rock! You want to be a kid again, like never before..

kill your darlings

Spend the day working on a drawing I couldn't get right. I think it's because of this one element, but somehow I grew attached to it. I finally gave up and decided I had to let it go. Off you go, my little bundle of cord!

flow magazine

Flow magazine just posted a piece on their blog about my contribution to the magazine. It includes, among other things, stationery by various designers including myself. In store on the 19th of November!

disconnected

What better way to kickstart your day than by walking the woods with family and dogs? Especially now with autumn colors. And I have found such a magical place, it was like a fairytale. With lovers names scratched in every tree, I saw one go back to '69..
I'd should sing about these woods being so inspiring & invigorating, and show you all the beautiful drawings I made up there. But I can't because I didn't. I could never capture this, and I probably never want to. Being there, you just disconnect for a while, and that's how it should be.

finished

Showed you a little preview on September 30 of the project I was working on. I finished it this week and it consists of dozens of small drawings. Here are some of them.

playing time

I've bought myself some nice linocut-stuff again. This used to be one of my favorite graphic techniques back in art school. Considered it playing time. So, soon I'll be carving you some serious pieces of art with capital P, O, A's. Let thou be warned! And not be discouraged by the above tryout..

krteček

This was such an inspiring movie we saw in cinema this morning. You'll be seeing more trees in my work from now on!

the simple life

In response to the question: what makes life simple?
First take a bath & think, then go to bed & draw.

3-2-1: you're in the air

And here we are, my contribution to Heijman's blog _overruimte.nl. I've zoomed in on it on my website, if you'd like to see more details. Loved working on it!

sloooowly

I. Can. Not. Stop. Myself.
Have. To. Show:

Aaaghr the suffering with these ongoing projects, I'm just not patient enough. I want to hold my baby's in my arms, show them to the world. But, I'm getting there, I know it! Untill then a little sneak preview of a small part of it.

joining the party

Indeed, these amazing illustrations are NOT mine. Sad to say. They are made by Dutch illustrators (Patswerk, LouLou & Tummie and Esther Aarts) for overruimte.nl, the corporate blog of Heijmans. However, and that's why I wanted to show them, I have been asked to join in: Yippie! Just finished my piece today and it's been fun. Can't wait to show, hopefully that will be tomorrow. What's so great with online publications, you won't have to wait for weeks&weeks. And also, I got to work with RGB-colors, tripple Yippie!!

little preview of big project

First of many more to come..

hmmm..

Why do I distrust the work that is finished within half a day? Can it be that easy? I will show you when it's printed and you be the judge..

what are the odds

This week I had to make 2 illustrations for magazine X about television. They were placed independently of each other in the magazine, but there had to be a link in them somehow. I decided to do so by using similar hands in each drawing (A&B). 

Yesterday I was asked to make 4 illustrations for newspaper X about the 'truth'. This following month they will appear in every weekend-edition. They, also, wanted them to be related to each other, so you would see 'Ah here's yet another article about The Truth'. And the editor of the newspaper thought it might be a good idea to have 'hands' come back in every drawing..(C) What are the odds? In one week?

diffspotter

I've been asked to take part in this huge book, showing "the best Dutch talent". Ha, just so you know.. Last year's edition was called XXLbooks Photography 2011, the release of 2012 will display lots&lots of illustrations. I'm very proud to be among colleagues like Cyprian Koscielniak and Leendert Masselink.

So this morning was spend on making choices which illustration(s) I wanted to appear in the book. My number one choice was this illustration I made quite some time ago. I still get a lot of comments on it and if I had to make the same illustration today I wouldn't change a thing. ..And what do you know?! I DID have to make the same illustration today, for it was nowhere to be found! It's just so typical, god.
Took me about four hours, that wasn't so bad. And now, today's contest: spot the 10 differences and win this hot-of-the-press-limited-edition, printed on 310 gsm paper, signed&numbered! Mail your answers to info@leoniebos.nl and watch your mailbox. The one in your frontdoor. 

I'll grab another cup of coffee and get back to the piece I was supposed to work on today.

bringing it on

Yesterday my old-time-favorite-partner-in-crime Monique Wijbrands (drawings 43/44/45, only € 65 apiece; go watch&buy!) and I went to the Hague for the exhibition on contemporary graphic and illustrative art, Bring It On. Check out the Ship of Fools Gallery untill the 2nd of November. Over 170 affordable works.

Very characteristically I lost my vest and my art folder all in one evening. 
Got the vest back though..

prrrrrretty

prrrrt prrrrrrtprrrrt prrrrrrrrrrt prrprrrrpretty happy with it.

back on a bag

Next to showing the stuff that makes me tick, I suppose this is what an illustrator's blog should be all about; the behind-the-scenes, the previews and what nots. So hereby; the making of my first totebag-design for envelop.eu (An online store where illustrators can create and sell cotton items.)
The design is actually part of a draft I made for a magazine-illustration, that got a bit out of hand. It was supposed to be just a quick outline for approval. But I was so sure of my idea and the way it would turn out that I got on&on with it. And then it was rejected.
Ja.
But. Here it is again, back on a bag! And I'm thinking that these failures could be the start of something new.

preparing for exhibition

Next week I will participate in an exhibition, so today was all about printing and cutting and thinking frames and prices. Found myself carrying around this large art-folder once again, and it felt like I should be doing this more often.

robot

Robot made by my 3-year-old. How simple things could be...

must haves (part one)

After skates, today it's crates. That's right; they have my name on them. Ever since I saw how Mauricio Arruda turned them into this amazing cabinet I have my mind set on them.
Besides that I appreciate the mix of colors and the geometric repetition.

put your hands up for amsterdam (our lovely city)

There is a first time for everything. So this is my first babystep into Bloggerhood. Also, today was the first time in about four years that I've used my rollerblades. Took this picture riding them home in my bike after 2(NOTE!) rounds of Vondelpark.