Since we discovered Sanny van Loon a while ago, the Dutch illustrator has created several beautiful things for us, including paper goodies for the Flow Book for Paper Lovers 4, a poster for the Flow Book of Posters & Cards, and showing us her ‘Day in Illustrations’ in Flow Magazine issue 18. Here, she takes some time out to tell us a bit about her work and more.
Can you tell us a little about the ‘golden bike’ you drew in your ‘Day in Illustrations’?
Like all over the Netherlands, bikes are the main form of transport for people living in Amsterdam, in fact there are more bikes than people here! But, unfortunately, they can get stolen if they’re not locked up properly, or—because they’re all mainly the same model, namely an omafiets (a roadster)—they do tend to get ‘lost’, by which I mean: they’re hard to spot when they’re parked among so many other similar-looking ones! So, I sprayed my one gold to make sure it stands out from the crowd easily, and to deter theft as bike thieves in Amsterdam tend to avoid stealing the more eye-catching options. What’s more, it really cheers me up every morning to get on such a nice bike. But it’s an old bike and I’m going to need to get a new one soon, which I plan to spray another nice color and add a layer of glitter to it.
What, for you, is the best part of your day?
When I close my studio door behind me after having spent a productive working day on fun projects. Then I cycle home feeling very satisfied, arrange to meet some friends or relax on my couch and catch the day’s last rays of sun.
Where do you get your inspiration?
This sometimes comes to me at completely unexpected moments, like during a walk, before bedtime or when I am daydreaming. Plus, I also find it on Pinterest, in old illustrated books, at festivals where I work or during a trip to an unknown city. And in thrift stores or a museum.
Sanny graduated as an illustrator in 2014 and now works as a freelance illustrator and hand-lettering artist. You can find Sanny’s work in, among others, Flow Book for Paper Lovers #4, a poster for the Flow Book of Posters & Cards, and showing us her ‘Day in Illustrations’ in Flow Magazine #18, and on her website and Instagram.
Photography Iris Bergman Illustrations Sanny van Loon
