if I can make it there

Yesterday I got a call from New York - which I didn't know at that point but it sure didn't look Dutch to me - but surrounded by a bunch of freshly released toddlers I thought it wise to let my voicemail do its job. So straight after escaping the schoolyard I played the message of a very friendly and enthusiastic lady congratulating me with being admitted to this year's Annual Exhibition of the Society of Illustrators in New York (there you have it, indeed). I'm thrilled!! And if I can make it there..
This is the piece that was selected, Megaliths, it belongs to a series of drawings I made for newspaper de Volkskrant about Dutch attractions.

bank slash bunker

Some might say I'm overdoing it with the houses, but I can't help myself. And technically, this isn't a house, it's a bunker. Made it for a financial magazine, in which there is an article about how banks are more like impregnable fortresses nowadays.

leolino

My first linocut since a decade (true story) and they turned out quite nice if I say so myself. Not finished yet, but soon. And when I re-open my shop and you're in need for some Lazy Dutch Women; that's where you'll find them.

tribute

Just finished my latest work for newspaper de Volkskrant, which I cannot show yet because it is yet to be printed. However, I do want to give you a sneak preview and in particular the clouds-section. Because here I paid a little tribute to the best painting I've seen (and proud to say: have in my possession). It's called Secretariat by Monique Wijbrands, painted after an almost fatal trip to India, showing the Chandigarh Secretariat by Le Corbusier against a beautiful blue and salmon colored sunset. Long before I actually became aware of my passion for all kind of buildings in art I fell in love with this painting. It also was the first of my architectural-inspired works decorating my home. When moving into my new apartment end of this year, all cabinets, doors and windows will have to make way for this painting.

(am I dismissed of being accused of ordinary theft now?..)

power to the pencil

Took the ferry to Amsterdam Drawing yesterday, an art fair for Amsterdam galleries showing off their artists, young and/or established. Here are a few of my favorites. Marijn van Kreij, Erik Mattijssen and Nanda Runge. Left with my little stack of business cards untouched in my pocket, because even though I don't miss the highbrow art scene at all, I felt a little humble surrounded by all that diligent manual labor..

wall street journal

I was published in The Wall Street Journal today!! I don't have enough social media channels to brag about this, I'm so out of my mind! Have to try and find a copy of it somewhere in Amsterdam, or else I just have to buy a ticket to NY. In the meantime I made a screendump of the article. And yeah, I'm going to frame it alright! I'm probably too hysterical about it, but no shit?!!

UPPERCASE

A few months ago I was selected to contribute to the third edition of 'Work/Life 3: the UPPERCASE directory of illustration'. I'm a huge fan of the UPPERCASE magazine, and to be part of this book was quite a big deal to me! Finally the book is printed and I can't wait for it to cross the Atlantic Ocean. But before that at least I'm allowed to show the outcome of my assignment. This assignment was based on an interview given to editor Janine Vangool in which I mentioned living on the prettiest square in Amsterdam. The illustration shows how my personal life and surroundings are woven into my work. I thought it fit in well with this edition's theme 'An Illustrated Life', in which "the personal nature of Work/Life is pushed to a new level."
It's going to be another great book by UPPERCASE you don't want to miss! Buy it here! 

thank Sue

Met up with turbo-talented Sue Doeksen yesterday who surprised me with these awesome cans with silkscreened labels. They are given a place of honor, which is yet to be decided..

mini book

Little diy in Flow magazine, in store now! Should give you the ins & outs about it here & now, after all it's the main purpose of my blog. But just did that on my site, so go there. Click on there.. 

Sorry for the detour, dear family members coming from Facebook. 

that's why..

Now I know what's with all the houses! I have to squeeze at least one of them into almost every illustration these days. But there you have it: I'm secretly being manipulated by my iMacs reflective display.. Love it.

 

EXCLUSIVE: All about the E in Leonie! Yes, what about that??

Find out on the improved webiste website!

the worst trips

I haven't been a model blogger lately, but I was either too busy or too lazy. Also my site could use some updating, but I will get to that. In the meantime here's my latest, published in Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant. It's the first in a series on the worst trips written by some of Dutch finest. This one is about the ordeals when going on holiday with a camper. For years I envied my neighbors seeing them packing theirs and driving off to unknown but surely gypsy-like destinations. Until I read the article and my mind is at peace now.

that's nice

happy camper

And there you have it: more nature in my latest. Warned you about that.

It's a pretty large illustration, which fills the entire page, and it's all about camping. (The white dot & frame belong to the newspaper's grid.) Didn't feel like drawing a tent in a meadow, as I was told, instead I thought it might look better drawing it from the inside looking out. Now all the diagonals create an almost abstract picture. It feels just right. It's rare, but I might just.. print and frame this one.. 

hugely-happy

This weekend two illustrations in Dutch newspapers Trouw and Volkskrant which clearly show I'm getting rather passionate about architecture lately. Don't know yet if it's a whole new direction or if it's just a phase I'm going through. Either way I was hugely-happy with them and couldn't wait to go and buy the papers. Afraid they would wrinkle I carried them home like two newborn babys. My newborn twins. They look quite alike, I agree. But I'll have you know; there will be sisters and brothers where these came from..

the delta works

Yesterday's paper with yet another wonderful 'attraction' Holland has to offer the world.
Thanks to Monique Wijbrands for taking a picture of the newspaper I forgot to buy. Once again. But I still have 13 chances to remember, there are so many attractions to draw.

power to the plant!

Taking it to the next level. Damnit I mean business!

plan T

Following my previous blog; the observant viewer might have noticed flora appearing in my drawing. That's new. I'm exploring various ways of drawing plants and trees and all that blooms. And to remind myself that I need to implement more green into my work I just bought a new (low maintenance) plant. And I'm not ashamed to admit that by doing so I might follow an upcoming trend. I believe plants will be the new owls and geometric patterns. Mark my words, in green.

bits of this&thats

I'm working on a drawing and included a) some of the buildings I saw when visiting London & b) a pinch of risograph-texture I spotted in several exhibitions. So my trip already paid off!

 

portfolioladida

Sending some stuff to the Ministry of Finance, they were calling for designers for a new coin honoring 200 years Kingdom of the Netherlands. Thought I give it a go. I could have put a little more effort in my portfolio, but as always I started too late. I did however bleed while cutting the paper (and finger) & covered myself in nonwashable ink when opening my new ink cartridges, so it wasn't completely without effort.

the lengths we go through

Today: the 4th Tourist-Attractions-illustration in Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant. This time about Madurodam, a sort of interactive miniature Holland. I seized the opportunity, being in the middle of my 'architectural phase', to draw yet another fine building. Thing is, I couldn't find clear pictures on the Internet of the specific building I had in mind, which was the Volkskrant building. This one isn't actually in Madurodam at all, but I thought it was a nice twist. So I had to hire a car, drive over there, and take the pictures myself. True story. 
Just to give you some background information and to illustrate; we illustrators do get to see places sometimes..

every artist was first an amateur

Window decal I made for Flow magazine, in cooperation with the Rijksstudio of the Dutch RijksMuseum. I transformed the famous painting by Hans Bollongier into a Paint By Number painting, because my starting point was the quote Every artist was first an amateur. I was very curious about the end result, when printed, but I think it has become quite nice.
In any case, I cleaned my windows once again, was about time..

pyramide tribute

Weekly column on sightseeing in the Netherlands. Today, a piece on the Pyramid of Austerlitz, built in 1804 as a tribute to Napoleon Bonaparte. The article is by Gidi Heesakkers, she writes: To avoid bored visitors walking out immediately, the area around the pyramid is decorated like an endless fairground. This made me want to draw a deserted area, but when finishing the tower I thought it looked a bit like a rocket taking off. Adding the little planes would complete that image.

all aboard

Finally, my boardgame arrived! Check my site for more details: leoniebos.nl/safety-game

great art / bad pictures

"Another cracker of a show at London’s KK Outlet, this time showcasing the work of the very well-curated selection of artists that make up Hugo & Marie, New York’s most wonderful creative agency. Loosely based on the merging of science and visual arts, the 12 artists and illustrators – many of whom we regard as being some of the very best working today – have pooled their extraordinary minds to create this monster of a show." It's Nice That 

I saw this show with my own eyes last Saturday and - after 2 days of Pick Me Up - I could barely handle any more impressions but: what an a-ma-zing exhibition!! Surely it doesn't get any better than this, some of the works blew me away. Like this one, yes I'm sorry it's a pitiful-iphone-picture so it doesn't come close to what I saw, but still. It's by Kustaa Saksi, I'm sure destined to be an artist with a fabulous name like that.. But then, also to be able to live up to it and be this good. Can you hear me sigh with envy?..

And below Kustaa Saksi; pitiful-iphone-picture #2. Another insanely great work I could never see myself doing. This one is by Merijn Hos. At least his name resembles mine more than Kustaa Saksi's did, could there be hope?.. But, no, this is so playful and refreshing. I've got a long way to go, but a girl can dream. Hmm, that might be why the show is called Being / Dreaming..

i love london

How I love London... I'll keep a close watch on Pick Me Up 2014, another good reason to go back. But likely sooner. I'm in a hurry now but I'll be back with more photos and names that you do not want to miss.

london's calling

A little publicity has never hurt anyone; London will know I was in da house! The Somerset House that is, for the return of the Pick Me Up 2013, graphic arts festival. I expect a spectacular Inspiration Injection. Looking forward to four days of jolliness, can't wait!

on the cover & on the wall

A remake of one of Koekkoek's old school pictures. Loved working on it and couldn't wait to see the result in print. And now, finally in store! Thanks again, Astrid from flowmagazine!

and we continue

Next drawing will be about 'fault gold'. I was quite amazed after reading the article. Who knew one could actually die from the consequences of gold digging? The toxic mercury used by gold diggers to loosen the gold from the soil not only causes memory loss, but also kidney and brain damage. The mercury content in some areas is four times higher than the international permitted level. But that's just the small gold diggers; in the industrial gold mining cyanide is used, cyanide! And there is even talk of slavery!

Read all about it in the next Panda, magazine of WNF (Dutch branch of WWF). The overall theme of this issue is love. Hence, the sketch of gold wedding rings ..

(not) under construction

Finished. Boardgame. Construction company. Lot. Of. Work. Tired.

who cares

Today in Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad, two illustrations about taking care of a family member. I've had better days when working on illustrations, but I think it turned out quite well given the struggle I've had with it. You wouldn't say it took me the entire weekend though, even I think the end result looks so simple.. But check out the a-ma-zing details on my site.

butt, but..

Years ago I made an illustration about plastic surgery, for the life of me I cannot remember the name of the magazine. But last week it was somehow picked up from the depths of the internet - I took it off my website ages ago -  by a newspaper's editor who wanted a similar drawing for a piece on customizable beauty. Botox, breast enlargement and what not. Even though she wanted to settle for the original illustration (before) I wished to redo the image in my current style (after). And what's so funny, if I compare them with each other, it's like a double 'before & after'. Not only does it show the post-surgical-lifted butt, but: it has a fuller shape now than it had in the first drawing.. 
Check my site for more uplifting images :).

Thanks to Misja from newspaper Trouw for the nice cooperation and the beautifully designed & printed end result!