right here

So, allow me to share my latest epiphany: drawing buildings from my immediate surroundings - instead of wasting hours on the internet trying to find the right picture of the right building captured at the right angle - is a definite win-win-situation where a) I enjoy working on the illustration a lot more because of its personal nature and b) it helps me to appreciate my new neighborhood that as a result is really starting to grow on me now. Right. Catch breath. 
Never expect me to disclose actual groundbreaking revelations, and I won't let you down.

we have lift off!

On a daily basis I serve you icons in Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant. All credit goes to art director Lucas van Esch for being both patient and encouraging over the many many recent months. Could have simultaneously carried a baby to full term, but that wouldn't have made the papers though.. And these will! A selection:

grams

I made an illustration for Bright Ideas about Grams, the recently launched online Black Market for all your quality drugs, rifles, hitmen, hacking tools and what not. It looks like Google, even the logo is quite similar, but the difference is this search engine will only bring you the forbidden fruits. So I'm hoping it's as shielded as it's supposed to be, for I tried to gram every illegal service. Didn't order any crystal meth or deadly weapons though, just so this is very clear to anyone that might be inquiring into my whereabouts since this assignment.. I'm a mom yo!

intimate

My fourth illustration on the philosopher's big questions is published today in newspaper De Morgen. Philosopher Stine Jensen writes about sharing (or not sharing) personal information, which according to her is the big issue of the 21st century. There is an increasing degree in which we decide to share our privacy. The thing we might not be aware of is that it's actually traded, giving power and influence to politics and media. Journalism, government, businesses and even the law, they're all stakeholders.

So sharing the way this illustration came about might not be such a good idea. Considering it was while taking a shower. It used to be a lot more comfy when I was still in the possession of a bathtub, but texts stick perfectly fine to wet shower walls as well. And after all, it's just the thinking part that takes place here. For the execution I'm properly decent.

Now, I like to see a dealer try gaining power and influence by this piece of intimate information.

The illustration itself (less intimate) can be found on leoniebos.nl.

issues to keep you awake

Because of Belgium's month of philosophy several Belgian and Dutch philosophers were asked by newspaper De Morgen to write an article on the issue that keeps them awake. What is the big question of our time?

The first out of eight I had to illustrate was by Coen Simon, the question being How much fakery can society take? and is published in today's newpaper. 
Due to our new digital media, true & false can hardly be distinguished from each other, and even new digital systems themselves don't make things any clearer. However, the fact that there are technological resources standing between man and the truth is as old as man himself. Think Plato's cave. The role of the philosopher of our time is not bringing to light truth itself, but the ways in which they're established.

Anyway, I came up with an image where two well-known optical illusions are combined. Everyone knows the duck/rabbit and the trick it plays on our minds. Well, not everyone maybe. My four year old was so confused by the image, he took it to bed. I'm wondering, did it keep him awake..

does 'size matters' matter?

The question was: are men with wide faces more attractive for a one-night stand? 
Research indicates that the skull width of a man determines the woman's choice in partners. We prefer a strong, tough guy for our short-term-relationships. A broad head indicates more manhood, because testosterone affects the facial growth. Whether these testosterone-tough-toyboys automatically carry better genes for posterity has not been proven, despite the many studies on this issue.

But really, the actual question should be: who cares about these fucking studies?

license to print

Last day of my screen-printing-refresher-course. I just received my license to print. I'm good to go. True, the larger surfaces need some more practice.. But the small parts, I've got them covered. Note to self: stop covering yourself with ink.