crucero #2

it has been on the newsstands for a while, and it's successor is almost ready to set sail. this is my second title for german crucero magazine, with a pensive copenhagen mermaid and fluffy cloud formations.

hello io!

it seems i forgot to mention some important news: last year i became a member of the german illustratoren organisation, you can find my work and details in their online portfolio. they represent the artistic, political and business interests of all illustrators in germany.

today was my first time going to the general meeting of the members, which luckily took place in frankfurt this time. the location was lovely, they had rented a room at the hr broadcasting house, surrounded by blooming trees and sports grounds. it was a joy to meet all the different kinds of illustrators: technical, childrens books, animation ... lots of stories and business cards were exchanged, and after a long and interesting day of presentations, discussions and votings we were dismissed with a lovely huge buffet and barbecue on the balcony. thanks, guys!

frankfurt and beyond - more stories from the vhs

the new issue of pandora, the magazine of the vhs frankfurt's english creative writing courses, was a great opportunity to do some collaging, which was very enjoyable. my personal favourite is the bee in the dress! one of the perks of being the designer is that i could naughtily slip in two short pieces after the deadline ... ;)

back to the future - an interview with workyourart.com

a few weeks ago i was suprised and delighted to find an e-mail from debbie in my inbox, asking me if i would be interested in doing an interview with her.
debbie runs "work your art", a website dedicated to helping creatives with the business side of it all. there are guides, how-tos and interviews, and you can also sign up to get a "work it weekly" to-do item via e-mail to further your promotion and selling skills.
answering debbie's questions was a good way of focusing on my goals, and really thinking about what i would like my own ominous five-year-plan to include. since i have not sold much of my work, and it's only available at a small café in my hometown, i can't say much about the business side yet - so i contributed the little i do know, and hope it is at least an interesting read for anyone who is just starting out - or a slow starter like me! :)

you can find it right here.

crucero - all aboard!

jolly good news, even before christmas, actually: my first proper magazine cover! it's in the shops and everything! :D

you can also take a little peek on issuu:

a former colleague of mine published the first issue of his own cruise ship magazine called "crucero", which is "cruise" in spanish.
i am on board - literally - as well as a few other ex-colleagues from the city magazine we used to work at, which i think is a really lovely thing, getting the old gang together again. i am working on the next issue as i write this post, so fingers crossed this will work out for everyone!
it was really tricky to make it so that all the text that needed to be on it fit, and that it was legible! one of my favourite details are the flowers, which are actually highlighted by an extra shiny printed layer.

i also did an infographic on a ship's scrubber system, which filters the gas emissions. i got a little pencil sketch to work with, and after hours of reacquainting myself with illustrator, i managed to make some sense of it all! live and learn ...

here's a little bonus for you, if you have scrolled all the way down: this is one of my first ideas for the cover, which i really loved. it was abandoned because the powers that be decided the ship wasn't recognizable enough for the first issue. as you can see, i kept the jungle foliage frame!