Tuesday 14 April 2015

The Bologna Childrensbookfair 2015

I went to the Bologna childrensbookfair this year. I already went there as a student several years ago. So i knew what to expect. But still it was overwhelming because now it was for real. I was armed with my portfolio, posters and busnisscards. I had some goals in my head that is needed to reach. Like, at least show your portfolio 2 times, talk to the flemish publishers, go the the network event of VFL. Talk to other illustrators. Eat an icecream. Meet up with a friend. Get a good overview of the current international market. And I can say I did all of them. So my trip to the fair was a succes but also a good preparation for the fair of next year.

Because it is a hard world as an illustrator on this fair. The whole year you work behind your little desk thinking you are the only one doing this and that. But everything is put back in perspective if you see the walls and walls of drawings of other upcoming and new illustrators. Also the publishers aren't jumping up and down to meet you. It is the other way around, you are thankful if a publisher wants to take a look at your portfolio for even a second. So you try to make the best of it, take it all in and plan. What can I do this year? How can I do it? Who do I want to speak? And what is for next year if I can make appointments?


But even if you don't talk to anyone on this fair you can easily fill your days with lectures, watching the exhibition, browsing for new interesting books. And those stuff i did as well. For expample I saw a lecture from my favourite aplicationmakers Fox&Sheep. 



To have a little idea about the fair, you can look at this Youtubeplaylist 

This movie gives a good picture off all the illustrators that are walking around there. You have like 10 walls in the entrance hall where people can leave their message. The fair is only buzy for 1 hour and you know those walls are already full of portfolio's bussinesscards, posters and drawings.



This is a movie about the small hals 29-30. I think those are the most fun halls of the 4 publisher halls. The flemish AND Dutch publishers are found here. you also have 2 other very big other halls. So if you see this, you now it is a very big fair.




Plans that i already promised myself now is that i will participate in the illustration competition of next year.



Karel the rabbit


A little while back somebody saw my Sheeppainting at a friends place. He contacted me and asked me to do a painting for him about the favourite rabbit of his daughter that had past away. I couldn't work on it for a big while because of other work. But now it is finally here an i had lots of fun painting it. It is again something very different in my repertoire of styles and work. And that is what i love about me. That i can do so many different things.