Dutch illustrator Marijke Buurlage lives with her boyfriend and daughter in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. She uses black ink and a brush to create her drawings, and then colors them in on the computer.
“I like to ease into it: After a giant mug of tea, a hearty breakfast and a quick cuddle with my cats, Puk and Flip, I usually begin with sketching and experimenting,” Marijke says. “Once I get my sketchbook out, the floor it littered with colored paper, pastels, pencils, paints and brushes in no time. I get a lot of inspiration from this ‘warm-up exercise’, and always return to it if I get stuck. Once the sketches are done, I finish them off on the computer.
I try not to work too long at a single stretch, and like to take the time to cook a decent meal. Sometimes when I have tight deadlines, I end up working until midnight. One of our bedrooms has become my studio; it’s a small but nice space with big windows and a view of our picturesque neighborhood.”
- Marijke’s work can be found on her website.
Text Caroline Buijs Illustration Marijke Buurlage
