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This week, I am thrilled to share a personal and inspiring illustration featuring my daughter Lotte, who has embarked on a remarkable journey of overcoming fears and embracing new experiences. As you can see in the artwork, Lotte stands tall and confident, defying her doubts and limitations. Lotte's journey is a reflection of her unique personality. She can be headstrong when trying out something new. She wants to do it perfectly from the start. We often find ourselves reassuring her that many skills require practice and time to develop. Despite her initial resistance, there are moments when she surprises us by taking on new challenges with determination. It's almost as if Lotte has a secret sanctuary where she practices and hones her skills. We can't help but wonder how she manages to make sudden leaps of progress. Perhaps there's a hidden space where she pushes herself, unobserved by our watchful eyes. Speaking of personal growth and new experiences, I also want to share the exciting time we had at the recent art fair. It was an incredible opportunity to connect with fellow art enthusiasts, engage in captivating conversations, and showcase my illustrations to a wider audience. Thank you for the positive feedback; this provides me with extra fuel to continue on. Also, a special thanks to those who subscribed to my TikTok account. As Lotte continues her journey of conquering fears, I hope this illustration serves as a reminder to embrace our own unique paths. Just like Lotte, we all face challenges and moments of self-doubt, but it's through persistence and taking small steps that we continue to move forward. Stay tuned for more captivating illustrations and inspiring tales from Lotte's adventures and my own.

We just returned from a much-needed two-day holiday at the lively amusement park, Plopsaland. To our surprise, the park was bustling with visitors, leaving us happily exhausted at the end of the day. Our stay in Middelkerke, near the serene sea, provided a peaceful retreat where I snored as hell and kept everyone on their toes... After a delightful breakfast, we took a leisurely walk along the shoreline. Lotte, as always, collected an assortment of stones and seashells, her personal treasures. Our getaway was brief, but it was needed and it was a refreshing and enjoyable break from our daily routines.

Exciting news for art enthusiasts! After the winter break, art fairs are finally back. I'm thrilled to announce that this Sunday, May 28th, the renowned Lambermontmartre art fair will be taking place on the vibrant Groenplaats in Antwerp from 11 am to 5 pm. It's an event you won't want to miss! I will be showcasing a selection of my unique creations, including the eye-catching piggy banks made from spray cans featured in this post. Additionally, all the illustrations I've crafted throughout this year will be available for purchase. If you're looking for an original and one-of-a-kind piece, this is the perfect opportunity to explore and support local artists. Mark your calendars and come join me at Lambermontmartre for a day filled with creativity, inspiration, and the chance to find that special artwork that resonates with you. See you there!

As an artist, I often find inspiration in everyday conversations and observations. Recently, I created an eerie black and white illustration that speaks to the importance of questioning the information we receive from various sources. The Illustration: The drawing features a malicious monster perched on top of a television set, its tentacles reaching around and inside the TV. A man's head is on the tv screen his eyes are pulled open by the tentacles. His scalp is removed, his brain is exposed and connected to the creature. The expression on the monster is malice, and the man's is fear. The Inspiration: During a chat I had with a colleague, we discussed a public figure, which sparked the creation of this illustration. My coworker asserted a "fact" about this person that sounded far-fetched and, upon further research, proved to be false. The source of the misinformation was a mainstream media outlet that had insinuated the idea, allowing it to take root without factual backing. The Message: The core message I want to convey through this artwork is that people need to be aware of the "monster" feeding them information. We should question the biases and filters through which we receive information, especially when it comes to news sources. It's crucial to be critical of the information we consume and not blindly accept everything we hear. Drawing Parallels: The Ministry of Truth A relevant reference to consider is the Ministry of Truth from George Orwell's "1984." Although we may not be living in such a dystopian reality just yet, it's essential to stay vigilant and recognize the potential dangers of allowing information to be manipulated. By being aware of the intentions and biases behind the information we consume, we can maintain our ability to think critically and independently. In Conclusion: My hope with this drawing is that people recognize the importance of questioning information they receive and to be aware of the potential for manipulation. By doing so, we can work towards a more informed and discerning society, less susceptible to the influence of the metaphorical "monster" in the screen. Just because something is presented as fact does not always mean it is true Always question, investigate, and think critically about the information you consume. The power to discern truth from fiction lies within each of us.

Inspiration can come from anywhere, but for me, it often comes from my family. This week's illustration was inspired by my daughter and our bedtime reading routine. Last week, when putting my daughter to bed, we read "The Gruffalo," and I made a deal with her that I would read two pages and then she would read two pages. She started to learn how to read this school year, and I was impressed by her fluency, which sparked an idea for a drawing. I wanted to capture the moment of reading with my daughter, so I started with a small sketch. I loved the fluid motion of the drawing and wanted to translate that to a larger canvas. So, I projected the sketch onto a bigger piece of paper using a magnifier. Once I had the right size, I tweaked the drawing where needed and began painting with my trusted Holbein Acryla Gouache paints. First, what color palette would I use? I wanted to use only two colors in multiple shades: blues for the children's room and yellows and oranges for the images of the Gruffalo coming to life. The painting process was slower than usual because I wanted to add a lot of details to the illustration. Once a part was done, I added finer details with colored Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils to push the details up a notch. I love how this drawing turned out. I love the popping colors. It pushes the imagination in the drawing forward, and it translates the moment I had with my daughter while reading ”The Gruffalo” very well. Below a video on the thoughts behind this process

Hi everyone ... Ugh I have been sick for the past week, had a case of the flu. It's been a rough few days, with a fever of 38C and lots of sleeping. But my strength is returning. Being sick means I didn't have much time to work on this weeks illustration. But as fate would have it, this week's illustration is actually perfect for the occasion. It's a drawing of me wearing black pants, a regular shirt, and a red tie, wielding a katana to slice away the snot monsters coming out of my nose. I had a lot of fun illustrating this one, and it captures the mood of being sick, and pushing back against it quiet well. I am feeling better at the moment not at the full 100% just yet but almost. Take care of yourselves! If you do get sick rest, sleep as much as you can and eat and drink well. See you all next week!

Hey everyone, I'm excited because I'm putting one of my old comics back online! The comic is called Game Night Adventure, and I hope you take time to read it. This long-form colored comic is 177 pages long and was developed from my earlier comic, Game Night, which was all about my girlfriend and me and our love for board games. Game Night Adventure is a coming-of-age story set in a fantasy world. I originally posted Game Night Adventure as an online comic, sharing one page each week for about three and a half years. If I could make it today, I would probably do things differently. A while ago I took this comic offline, and recently I realised that I should still be proud of what I accomplished, even if I approach things differently now. Game Night Adventure is now back online and ready for you to read! The story follows a young couple named Kaya and Melvin as they arrive in a small harbour town and discover that strange things are happening. People are getting sick, and the world around them seems to be leading into war. Not long after, they find themselves on an adventure, trying to figure out what is happening in this world. Follow this link to read the first page and start your adventure today! Thank you for your Game Night Adventure Or if you are more interested in how I made a page, check out this link: How is a comic page made?

Hey there! I wanted to share with you my new business cards that I recently had to create after losing my former social media channels. Since my previous cards had information about those channels, I had to make new ones with updated information. I decided to stick with a square format because it's a style that I love, and the printer I used for my previous cards also offers square cards. The front of the card features new illustrations, and the back has my contact information. It wasn't the easiest process to get them printed correctly, but I'm glad I got them done in time before the markets started. I thought I would find a square card holder easily on the internet. Well, it is not as common as I thought. So yesturday evening I decided to make one myself out of some spare wallnut wood I still had laying around. I started working on it late last night but had to pause and finish it up the next day, as people still needed to sleep, of course. Tomorrow I am experimenting with an inlay, and I'm excited to see how it will turn out. I plan on adding my autograph to it as well, but first, some testing is in order. Check out the pictures below, and let me know what you think!

I have always loved drawing. I find that most of my digital pieces are a result of merging traditional hand-drawn techniques with digital ones. The journey is about finding my own style and trying to develop color in my work so that I have originals and not just prints. A while ago, I stepped into a different direction with a couple of my illustrations. It's all part of the journey to figure out how to make my digital illustrations into originals without them just being prints. My process for creating digital pieces always starts with sketching my lines with a red pencil. This is easy to erase digitally since I filter all the red out of the piece after it's inked. Then, I ink the linework with black pens, using either brush pens or fine liners. After the image is scanned, I remove the red and increase the depth of the black if necessary. Then, I create a separate layer with only the black inks. Depending on the piece, I may cut this layer into pieces or color it in different colors depending on the character's coloration. This is what changed; I always used to keep it as black line work. But recently I started making the linework into a gradation of the fill color. This has been adapted in the original (by hand) illustrations. Examples can be seen in the children's stories. To give the final digital illustration a more artisanal finish, I overlaid a paper texture. This makes the final image have more tactile features and feel more like it was made by hand. You can see the process in action in my latest TikTok video. Drawing is an ever-evolving process. You learn new ways to approach a subject; this filters into your work; you see how someone approaches that same subject in their way, and this gives you a new idea. The ever-evolving journey and getting better with every step has been a fun endeavour. It can be frustrating once you hit a couple of walls. But overall, I am still in love with the process. Thanks for joining me on this adventure!

As an illustrator, I have been following the developments of AI's such as Midjourney. It is interesting to see how capable these AIs have become in such a short amount of time, generating images and illustrations with great detail or great style. I can't help but wonder if AI will overtake a huge amount of jobs, even creative ones. In many ways, it reminds me of a YouTube movie called ”This Anime Has The Internet Furious” by Scamboli Reviews I saw recently, which had a very interesting premise about the weavers vs. photographers of the past. The weavers who lost their jobs to machines during the industrial revolution. Similarly, the invention of photography was seen as a threat to painters, as it was quicker and more efficient. However, not everyone saw photography as a threat. Some artists adapted, incorporating their knowledge of painting into photography and becoming successful photographers. I believe that AI has the potential to broaden our perspectives and inspire new ideas. It can serve as a tool to both assist and challenge human artists. But as an illustrator, I've also noticed a high flow of generic art being created by AI. The Midjourney AI is often trained on generic styles, resulting in illustrations lacking in identity or personal touch. These images are aesthetically pleasing, but they fail to resonate with me on a deeper level. These images below are pieces created by AI, and while pretty, they do little for me. I see them as concept pieces for maybe a game or a movie, but they do not evoke emotion, except for the statement, "wow, pretty I have seen something like this before." I try to create works that have an emotional connection with people. I don't always succeed, and for all the pieces I create, there are also popcorn pieces that just look cool. Sometimes, I try to make people laugh with certain situations. In manga, which has a general sameness to its art style, there are artists like Kentaro Muira, who created Berserk, and Takehiko Inoue, who created Vagabond, who bring their own style and personality to their work. There are many more examples, such as Eiichiro Oda who created One Piece, Tatsuki Fujimoto who will probably become one of the greats... I think that better things will always rise to the top, and in the coming years, our vision might be changed and challenged by AI. I have noticed that on a lot of platforms, such as Pinterest or Instagram, a lot of accounts before the emmergence of AI had this concept art-vibe. I see a lot of those images being created by AI now, which is normal as it is sort of the flavor of the month, and this is what those AIs were trained upon. But I have seen some fine examples of it creating stunning illustrations as well. Where I see AI hitting the hardest is the book industry. Already, Amazon is being flooded by AI-generated books, illustrated books, and so forth. But what I do see happening as well is—let's imagine you are a book publisher. An author has his book written and needs a cover. In the olden days, you would write a brief, a summary of the book, a couple of events that would go nicely on the cover, and a description of the characters so the illustrator or photographer had an idea of what to make. Then a sketching phase will ensue, which will eventually lead to a finished product. These processes take some time to complete. Today, that brief, a summary of the story, a description of an event, and a couple of character descriptions—would give you a cover for Midjourney in a couple of minutes. These jobs will vanish soon enough. I've also explored different ways to monetize my art, such as selling originals at art fairs or making illustrations to order or for printing (books). I understand that not everyone can make a living from their art. If I sell some originals, I am glad. I have a main source of income, and of course, I would love to live from drawing alone. But I have noticed in some sectors, this comes at a price, and if I want to draw what I think of, then this too comes at a price, but that one I am willing to pay. I have my reservations about AI, but I don't believe it will spell the end of the creative industry. Instead, I think it will kill off many generic jobs, but the demand for human connection and personal touch will only grow. While AI can generate amazing images and ideas, it still lacks the emotional intelligence that human artists possess. Who knows? Maybe in time this barrier will vanish as well. But I still believe that there will always be people who want that human touch, that original, and not that print. While AI may lead to job displacement and other challenges in the creative industry, it also has the potential to broaden our perspectives and inspire new ideas. I do see some jobs becoming the weavers of our time. As for me, I'll continue creating original illustrations and exploring new ways to monetize my art, and hopefully adapt with the times.

Hello, everyone! Today, I want to share with you the wonderful world of storytelling and how I combine illustrations with children's stories. I'll take you through my creative process of developing concepts, character design, and crafting morals and values within my stories. To begin with, my stories often revolve around two main characters: my daughter and one of our cats. I've placed them together as a duo, and they usually embark on funny, everyday adventures. These designs have evolved over time, and these are the latest iterations of how they look. If I am doing a single illustration, I imagine a situation and then add the two characters and their interaction with the environment. For example, I made a drawing of them walking through the forest. I like the drawing, so I thought about what could happen next. The situation I imagined was Lotte and Puck walking in a forest, and a monster was hiding in the trees. I didn't imagine it as a scary illustration but just something light-hearted and fun. Tucked in between the trees was an octopus hidden away, acting like a tree. The basic idea was fun, and the illustrations turned out fine. But then I imagined what else could happen. They needed to cross a river, but they couldn't, and then the octopus helped them out, and they continued on their way. Most of the time, it remains a single image, but sometimes it evolves into more. But the many times this happened, it did seed an idea. The idea was that if I made very short stories (four to five pages), this would translate into a more classical approach for a children's book. I tend to prefer to write in English; it is weird, but it has always been the case, if I want to rhyme, my brain can do it more easily in English. I tend to write out a small idea for a story first. For example, the scariest monster: Lotte and Puck are playing in their room when a monster jumps from under the bed and tries to scare them, but it doesn't work. Ashamed, he apologizes, and they become friends. When I have this, I start working on the poem. During this process, I generally already have images in my head, and I note those, which form the guide for how many pages it will become. After many years of practice, when I want to make children's illustrations, I tend to combine my comic-like style, with more rounded and organic shapes, with a more classical approach. I use gouache paint and a playful, colorful palette. This style enables me to bring whimsy and charm to my stories, making them more engaging and memorable for young readers. Once I have a solid story idea and a poem to go with it, I start the illustration process. I usually begin with rough red pencil sketches, trying to visualize the characters and scenes in my story. These initial sketches help me establish the overall composition and flow of the narrative. Sometimes, I even create a storyboard to ensure that the visual elements are well-balanced and complement the text. After finalizing my sketches, I move on to the painting process. Gouache is a medium where you can lay flat even layers, and this looks nice and crisp. But you can also thin them, or even scrape some paint off the paper with water and suck up the pigment with a brush. This makes it more like watercolor. The paints I use are Acryla Gouache by Holbein. Once they are dry, they are permanent, and water has no effect on them. I tend to pick a center of attention, and this is what gets painted and gets all the detail. Once I have painted my multiple layers, I pick up colored pencils and use these for my linework. Everything else that adds detail to the scene becomes a colored line drawing but not a paint layer. I have found that this points to a core element, mostly the main characters. You can read their emotions and what they are doing. But I do think that it has a very pretty aesthetic to it. When the illustrations are finished, they are scanned, and the rest of the process is digital. I decided a while ago how this would look. It would be an illustration, square format, and next to that would be a square, colored page with white text. This would be a warm and vibrant color with a paper texture overlay. I want to create stories that help children. I like stories with a moral to them; they can be educational, but they should still be fun. I should not be a summation of “you can't do this or that because those are bad!” I'd like it to be a little bit more evolved. For example, a story about a character overcoming their fears might encourage readers to face their own anxieties and develop resilience. Another story might demonstrate the importance of friendship, teamwork, or perseverance. In practice, I would point at the scariest monster; one of the short stories already published on this site talks about how a monster who wants to scare people might have more fun making friends than just scaring everyone and not creating bonds with each other. In addition, I hope this fosters a love of reading. I have a weird relationship with reading, as I have trouble staying focused on it. My mind always goes places, and I like that because reading creates images and ideas for me. But it is a hassle as I sometimes have to reread certain parts multiple times. I also hope these stories help develop children's emotional intelligence and empathy. By presenting relatable characters facing various challenges and dilemmas, my stories encourage young readers to reflect on their own emotions and experiences, as well as those of others. In conclusion, the art of storytelling through illustrations and children's stories is a powerful tool to captivate young minds and ignite their imagination. I hope it inspires them to do great things. Even though I am just at the beginning of this adventure, I hope you will follow along, and who knows, it might inspire you as well. These stories will be posted under “children’s stories” on my website.

Hi Everyone, Today I want to elaborate on the future and share my thoughts, new projects, aspirations, and website updates. So, whether you're a parent seeking charming children's stories, a young kid captivated by imaginative illustrations, or a teen (or adult!) intrigued by fascinating monsters, let's dive into the adventure that lies ahead! I'm thrilled to announce two new sections on my website dedicated to children's stories and comics! These sections will become more important over time, this is where my hearth is currently invested in, and I hope you'll enjoy exploring them as much as I have enjoyed creating them. Children's Stories: I've found my groove in creating captivating children's stories, and I'm excited to share my progress with you. Currently, my website features one story accompanied by four beautiful illustrations and a four-page poem. Each story I create will have four to five illustrations, depending on the narrative's needs. A second story is already in the works; more on this one soon. Comics: The comics section on my website is a treasure trove of content, and I'm excited to share more about what you can find there now and in the future. Currently online, you'll discover "Little Wild One," a series of gag comics inspired by my daughter and one of our cats. I have created around 30 of these comics, and I'll be posting them gradually. I don't have any plans to make new ones but I am happy to share the ones I already have. Another comic you'll find soon is "Game Night," a gag comic I made years ago about my girlfriend and me playing board games, with humorous situations getting out of hand. I've been considering doing a remaster of these comics, but nothing is final yet. I will eventually add these to the comic section for your enjoyment. "Game Night Adventure" is a long-form comic with over 150 pages, chronicling a new adventure in life. I am my own biggest critic and looking back I would handle this comic differently especially in the writing department. But I do believe that all this is a process so I think I should share this as well. Therefore, I've decided to re-upload "Game Night Adventure" to my website. Instead of adding it weekly, I'll consider uploading it in chapters due to its length. This will be added soon. Experimenting with "D": In addition to the new website sections, I am eager to experiment with a darker comic called "D,". The comic is about a mysterious main character who's lost his memories and seeks to unravel his purpose while battling monsters. This comic will be told in smaller, episodic stories, gradually revealing the depths of the protagonist's personality. I hope to captivate and engage readers of all ages with this thrilling new project. Due to four years of my work disappearing from the internet. I am now sitting on a lot of content to repost. This means I have time and space to experiment with new things. So one of the first things I am eying is the project named “D”. Just to be clear there is no timeline for this yet. Furthermore, I'd like to share that I plan to utilize the blog section on my website more like my former Instagram. This means that new drawings will be added regularly, making it a space to showcase my latest creations. Sometimes the blog post will contain additional illustrations, while other times it might trigger some thoughts or provide insight into how I created the artwork. There will also be instances where the blog post simply features the illustration itself, offering a visual treat for visitors. Apart from my love for illustrating, my ultimate dream has always been to make a living through my drawings. While working for animation studios, gaming companies, or advertising agencies might be a more accessible path, I have chosen a different approach. I want to create and share what I feel through my art, staying true to my creative spirit. For now, striking a balance between my family, my day job, and my passion allows me to create. This balance helps me stay focused on multiple things but especially my well-being, ensuring that I remain inspired and motivated. Of course, if I could make a living from all the things I create, I would say, "Where do I sign?” This would be my preferred state and I am trying to work towards that, but until that day comes, I am committed to a balance between my art and other sources of income. First of all, thank you for reading this far and showing an interest in my work. My journey so far has taught me how important it is to adapt to the times, especially in a digital age. I do think that old school tactile ways still have strength in this day and age. With all the distractions in the world today I do think that finding that balance between security and a certain freedom is the best way forward for your mental health. I look forward to showing you all my new illustrations and ideas through my website, www.foeshel.com, and various social media platforms. Let's embark on this exciting adventure together, embracing the future of Foeshel and its diverse range of children's illustrations, comics, and monsters for all ages!