Say no to stock photos

Sorry for the rant. Last week I realised just how much I dislike stock photos!

The only thing they're good for is on this site (click).

London felt trip

Last month I had to go to London for work and took a little friend with me...

He enjoyed the flight.

The trip continued in the underground.

We did some sightseeing at Somerset House.

There was a graphic art festival going on there...

And my little friend enjoyed the artworks. Look, there's the queen!

Then on to a small toy museum...

But the other toys didn't seem to like him....

...or scared him!

Off we go then!

...to spend a few relaxing hours in a little park, before we had to fly back again.

A week in Hong Kong, part 2

The other pages I drew in Hong Kong:



Sign in the park near our hotel.




Here 'skin colour' is not MY skin colour anymore!



So many things are not allowed, but no one cares.

A week in Hong Kong, part 1

So while I'm typing this, I'm sitting behind my laptop in Hong Kong, and I need to pack
because tomorrow we're already leaving for Japan!
Anyway, here are some recent pages of my traveldiary! Sorry, it's all in Dutch and I hope
it's readable enough, since I don't carry a scanner with me (these are photos).

Hong Kong started a bit disappointing, but our hotelroom comforted us!


Here we are at the 21th floor, that is actually the 18th floor, since there are no floors 4,13 and 14.
(4 is an unlucky number for Chinese, since it sounds like the word for death, and 13 is missing
because of Western superstition)

Great green view for Hong Kong! Tsin Shui Wai is far away from the centre of town, so it's
pretty quiet here. Hong Kong didn't stress me out like it usually does.


I love Jim Houser's art! There isn't much at his website, so just check google for examples of his work.

Left: The 90's called, they want their stock illustrations back.
Right: Thank god, also some more interesting work from Hong Kong illustrator Chocolate Rain.
(I'm just wondering what 'dress casual' day is like, since the Chinese here dress
incredibly casual already.

*('Potsticker' is actually a kind of dumpling).

Waiting for our Chinese friends with sore feet.

To be continued...

Spring is here!

Bird shit turning into a bird?!

Saw this adorable scene today. It's definitely Spring!

Flow photoshoot

I'm busy designing the cd cover of Jazz musician Iman Spaargaren.

For the cd I designed this little saxophone monster (Flow will also be the title of the cd)
and I made a sax-sized one from foamboard.
Today we had to shoot the photo for the cover, with Iman holding the monster like it was
a real sax. Photographer Ron Beenen turned it into a very professional shoot!

Looks almost real!

Red mess

Beesies are watching

All ready for tonight's match....

Ghost girl

I love toys so I bought myself another doll. it's a Pullip named Mir.

Mir is a Korean ghost. I dressed her up in a kimono, but closed it the 'wrong' way
(for the deceased). Here she is in Zoshigaya cemetery (Tokyo).

I love the autumn trees in Japan.

Cheap Japan

Many people think Japan is a really expensive country....

But look at this, chewing gum is free!

And they even have free BEER! Now what are you waiting for?!
(yeah, of course I know it's sugar free and alcohol free, ssssjt!)
Bur seriously, Japan isn't that expensive, it's much cheaper than most
European cities anyway. Although buying all these wonderful Japanese
things can make your trip expensive after all. ;-)

Emo

Yeah, I'd also be depressed if my head was missing....

(the sign originally said 'Nemo', the name of a science centre in Amsterdam)

Shoot!

Today I had a photoshoot for a portrait series of autobiographical comicartists.
The photographer, Marco Bakker, wanted to combine the real comicartists with
their drawn alter-egos.

Here are some quick idea sketches I made before hand.

My drawings.

Marco Bakker is busy adjusting the paper, while I strike a pose under my
'aureole'. (photo by Gert Jan Pos)

I really enjoyed this shoot. As a comicartist and illustrator, I usually work alone,
but it's great to have a chance to work with other creative professionals, who all
bring their own talents, ideas and experience into a project. :-)

Photo time

Stickers and grafitti on a photo shop in Berlin.

This horse seriously needs a handkerchief...

And just a pic that I liked from my Pullip dolls 'comic'.

All flowers need water

Oops!

(No, I didn't participate in a 'Miss wet t-shirt' competition, I had just washed
out a toothpaste stain)

Berlin things -part 2

Sanitary bin in a pulic toilet. And no, that wasn't on a plane.

A little mistake on the menu of an Italian restaurant.

Cut out in a bench at Tacheles (squater's place).

Best German toilet sign ever.

'Besides, clean is everything'

In a fast food restaurant. The sign reads: 'Toilet and more seatings'