This is an older piece from the time before I started illustrating. I just now realize that I never make pieces like this anymore. Things are constantly changing. At the end of the 90's I had the feeling that I had become master in most of the historical letterforms: from Roman minuscules and Capitals, over Gothic, Uncials and Half Uncials to  Carolingian and its variations. I could write them fairly perfect and that was that. Then you start realizing that that's where it ends or where a new adventure starts:  looking for your very own style. It has not been easy but in the end I found my own style: combining calligraphy and illustration.

At the end of 2017, I started up an Etsy shop. It was hard work but I'm happy to announce that, at this moment, I have more than 20 prints available.  Please drop by now and then, there will be new ones in the future.
Click on 'SALE'.


Eind 2017 startte ik mijn Etsy-shop. Het was hard werken, maar ik ben blij jullie te kunnen meedelen dat er momenteel meer dan 20 prints beschikbaar heb. Kom nu en dan eens langs, er komen regelmatig nieuwe bij.
Klik op 'SALE'.
​
  

Een tijdje geleden ontdekte ik in mijn kast dit kleine kruidenboekje van jaren geleden. Ik stond aan het begin van mijn letter-avontuur en voelde toen al dat ik kalligrafie zou gaan combineren met illustraties. Het kursief schrift is nooit mijn dada geweest maar ik ben toch tevreden met hoe het boekje eruitziet. Als ik me niet vergis heb ik toen alles met een zelfgesneden ganzenveer geschreven.

A while ago I discovered this small book of herbs that I made many years ago. It was the very beginning of my calligraphic journey and I already knew I wanted to combine lettering and illustration. I've never been good at cursive writing, yet I'm happy with the whole concept. I think I remember having written everything with a hand-cut goose feather quill.

It's the start of a new year and that's a good reason for having another GIVEAWAY! 
You can be the winner of this small, original watercolor beetle. Anyone can enter, I'll ship anywhere in the world. Deadline is Friday, January 19th, 2018. I'll use a random number generator to pick a winner from all those entered and will announce the winner right here on Saturday 20th.  GOOD LUCK!
 To enter:
you write in the comments below why you would like to win this original illustration :) 


​De start van het nieuwe jaar is  hét moment voor weer een WEGGEVERTJE!
Je kan deze originele aquarel-kever winnen en iedereen kan deelnemen. Deadline is vrijdag 19 januari 2018.  Ik gebruik een random generator om de winnaar te trekken. Die maak ik dan bekend op deze blog  op zaterdag 20 januari. SUCCES!
 Om deel te nemen: 
schrijf in de comments hieronder waarom je graag dit originele werkje wil winnen :)

  See more of this 'PENS' illustration on www.jokeboudenslettering.com/blog/category/fineliner/3

Een jaar geleden ging ik op zoek naar de verborgen stukjes van mijn stamboom. Ik heb altijd een liefde gehad voor geschiedenis. Het is fascinerend om de verhalen van mijn voorouders te leren kennen en de dingen die ze hebben meegemaakt. Ik ben de gelukkige bezitter van dozen vol oude foto's, bidprentjes, overlijdensberichten, doodsbrieven, dagboeken en testamenten. Ik ontdekte veel interessante feiten. Sommige voorouders kwamen uit Frankrijk of zijn naar Nederland verhuisd, sommigen waren criminelen en sommigen waren ridders. De meesten waren eenvoudige mensen uit de arbeidersklasse maar ik vond ook enkele burgemeesters terug. Vorige maand ben ik bezig geweest met het maken van een concertinaboekje met mijn voorouders in vrouwelijke lijn. Ik heb uiteindelijk negen generaties op papier gezeten en ik hoop in de komende weken en maanden nog meer generaties te vinden!

​Some year ago, I set out to discover the hidden pieces of my family tree. I have always had a love for history. Learning the stories of my ancestors and the events they lived through is fascinating. I have boxes full of old photos, prayer cards, obituaries, diaries, wills ... I found out a lot of interesting facts. Some ascendants came from France or moved to The Netherlands, some were criminals and some were knights. Most of them were working class people but I also found some mayors. Last month I've been busy making a concertina book, focusing on my maternal ancestry. I ended up with nine generations of my mother’s side of the family. I hope to find more information in the following weeks and months! 

​Today, my daughter asked me if I knew Domenico Gnoli, an Italian artist . No, I've never heard of him!  She knew his work from school. We looked him up on the internet and immediately my attention was drawn. Gnoli (1933 - 1970) was a  stage designer and painter, born in Rome. Like American Pop artists, Gnoli took as his subject matter mundane objects, rendering them with exactitude.The paintings are large - some over 6 feet on their longest side - and present blown-up details of furniture, hair, clothing, a brick wall. I love this dreamlike proximity to each item, his attention to detail and the colors that he uses: I'm a fan!
​

A while ago, I got this commission for a logo for a biological florist. The fact that it's about flowers is of course something that inspires me enormously. So I started this design full of enthusiasm and made a lot of different styles.  

And this is the one that was finally chosen. A good choice, I must say, because it reflects very well the atmosphere of the not too sophisticate flowers this client is working with. By the way, this client is my very precious niece and I'm very thankful that I could work for her! The final design is carried out in negative, white on dark grey. Below you can see the business card. It turned out beautiful, don't you think?