Sunday, February 22, 2009

Splinters so far

Pag153.jpg picture by erikdegraaf
After my exposition and making a New Yearscard for Klare Lijn International, I am focusing completely on Splinters, my new story, again. I work in parts at the story normally. That means that I do sketches, line-drawings and color-work of 30 to 40 pages together. In that way I can keep the overview and it gives me some variation. Currently I am working from page 139 to page 177 (and that's still not the end of Book 1).
Pag146-1.jpg picture by erikdegraaf

After Esther and Victor have found each other back at the cemetery, Victor is telling her what has happened to him during the first weeks of the war. After the capitulation all soldiers, including Victor, had to go back to their camp. After a few days everybody who could prove they had a job, could go to their hometown.
At the end of may 1940 Victor, together with his mate Chris, are on their way home by bicycle. Along the way they are stopped by some German soldiers, who are watching over a crashed German plane. The situation then gets quite tensed...
I show you some of the sketched pages. 
Pag167.jpg picture by erikdegraaf

Coöperation Oog & Blik and the Bezige Bij

OogenBlik.jpg picture by erikdegraaf
In the United States sales of Graphic Novels have reached almost 30% of the total sales in regular bookstores. In Europe editors of literature see the interesting potential of this segment.
Oog & Blik is a small Dutch Graphic Novel editor with a beautiful list of authors. The Bezige Bij is a big Dutch editor of literature. They've decided to coöperate in editing graphic novels. In that way Oog & Blik (and its authors) have a fantastic entry to the regular bookstores and a new public.
This year the two editors have planned to produce some 30 books. On the list are famous authors like Chris Ware, Charles Burns and Dupuy & Berberian but also talented artists like Judith Vanistendael. 

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Inspirated by...


Affiches1-1.jpg picture by erikdegraaf
I was born in 1961 and didn't experience the Second Worldwar myself. But in Splinters I want to reflect the atmosphere of that period as good as possible. I have seen a lot of images and movies about the war, but what I found very characteristic from that period are the propaganda posters, from both the Allies and the Germans.
Affiches2.jpg picture by erikdegraaf
They look very heroïc and strong. I especially like the contrast between light and dark and the use of color. It gives strong shadows on faces, clothes and objects. And that results in very clear, almost graphical images. 
I try to translate that style into my drawings and catch that recognizable atmosphere. And by using strong shadows, greyish colors, sepia and clear imagery, I hope to give my story its 'own' Second Worldwar feeling.
2Paginas.jpg picture by erikdegraaf