Veerle's blog

Our next guest illustrator lives closer to home in the Netherlands. Time for some introductions:

My name is Femke Hiemstra, I'm a 32 year-old artist/illustrator who works and lives in the hart of Amsterdam. For the past nine years I've been doing mainly illustrationwork for (sponsered) magazines or design compagnies. But lately my work is shifting to making more personal pieces. Now I'm working on a serie paintings for a shared solo exhibition for the Roq la Rue gallery in Seattle.

Femke likes to draw fantasy creatures. She brings them to live using a divers refreshing color palette. Each piece of art tells a story and has a different very well-considered concept. You can tell she puts a lot of time and effort in each piece. She has a divers yet very recognizable style.

Your drawings have many different characters, is it hard to come up with those?

Characters play a leading part in my work. I often look for a way to give a (static) object personality. When it's characterized I can give an object more emotion.

What interests you most in an illustration?

...in my own work or it that of others? In my own work: that I enjoyed making it, that the concept and the technique are in balance. In work of others I tend to go for a personal style or craftmanship first, but I admire a good concept too. It has to have a certain spark to it. Another sign can also be jealousy. Grrr, I wish I made that piece!

Did it take long until you developed your own personal style?

It's still developing I think, and I hope it will keep on developing. When I left the School of Arts in Utrecht my handwriting was still influenced by the work of others. Through the years I peeled it down to a more personal style, a more personal handwriting. But to say that my current 'style' is the end of the track? I hope not.

What was your best idea so far in relation to your work as an Illustrator?

pff.. hard to say about my own work. It's always changing!

How has the Internet influenced your work?

Internet is indispensable. It narrows down the time looking for good example material with hours! Altough it didnt cut down my habit of buying more books than my bookshelf can handle. I'd love to get lost on the internet, I don't mind to wander off from the subject. In that way I've stumble upon the most unexpected websites. And also the great advantage of using MySpace. It's such a fab place to get in touch with other artists or galleries.

More examples at Femtasia.