Reviving the Golden Age of Illustration
Marieke Nelissen stands as a remarkable figure in contemporary illustration with her creations of intricate artwork that transports you back to the Golden Age of illustration.
Her meticulous drawings require significant time and dedication, but the resulting illustrations will draw you into the scene.
From children’s book illustrations to commercial images, Nelissen’s style creates work that creates nostalgic emotions.
Early Life and Multicultural Influences
Based in the Netherlands, Marieke Nelissen’s artistic perspective was shaped by a childhood rich in diverse cultural experiences. During her youth, she lived in Mexico and Costa Rica, exposing her to a variety of artistic traditions that continue to influence her work today.
Her formal education culminated in 1997 when she graduated from the Art School in ‘s-Hertogenbosch with a degree in Visual Communication, specializing in Illustration.
Career Evolution and Professional Journey
Nelissen’s path to becoming a full-time illustrator wasn’t immediate or direct. Following her graduation, she spent many years working as a graphic designer at a small design company.
When the company went bankrupt in 2009, Nelissen experienced what she described as a feeling of liberation rather than disappointment. She reflects, “Naturally, it was a period of uncertainty and searching for direction, but I quickly rediscovered drawing. I felt an enormous urge to draw and really wanted to work as an illustrator.” This pivotal moment allowed her to reconnect with her original passion for illustration.
Within about four years of this transition, she had established a successful graphic and illustrative company, enabling her to draw almost daily — both commissioned work and personal projects.
Artistic Style and Inspirations
Nelissen’s distinctive artistic style has been characterized as having “all the charm and intricacy of traditional 19th century illustration, full of drama, humour and story telling thanks to her unconventional compositions, use of light and shadow and small, whimsical details.”
Creative Influences
Marieke Nelissen’s artistic vision draws inspiration from several renowned creatives. She cites illustrators Rebecca Dautremer and Shaun Tan as significant influences, alongside artists and directors like Edward Gorey, Lisbeth Zwerger, Tim Burton, and Wes Anderson. The cinematic influences are particularly evident in her use of dramatic lighting and storytelling composition.
Nature serves as Nelissen’s primary inspiration, a theme consistently seen throughout her work. Her illustrations frequently feature detailed botanical elements, animals, and natural environments, rendered with both scientific accuracy and a magical feel.
Technique and Artistic Process
Materials and Methods
Nelissen’s primary technique involves building up multiple layers of gouache, which gives her images a sense of volume. She works on watercolor paper, using a combination of watercolor, ecoline (a liquid watercolor ink), various inks, and pencil.
For variety in her work, she sometimes incorporates colored pencils and ink to achieve a looser style or works with a glass dipping pen for black and white linework.
Creative Philosophy
Nelissen approaches her illustrations with emotional investment and patience. “I create my illustrations with a lot of feeling,” she explains. “I really take the time for that. The world I create on paper has to be right. Every detail is worked out to the smallest detail. I only stop when I find that my illustration really lives.”
Notable Art Works
Over her career, Nelissen has built an impressive portfolio of children’s book illustrations, commercial work, and personal projects. Her client list includes numerous distinguished publishers such as Lemniscaat, Luitingh-Sijthoff, Gottmer, De Fontein, Hoogland & van Klaveren, Lannoo, Van Holkema & Warendorf, and Clavis.
Highlighted Projects
Her work spans a diverse range of illustration projects:
– Illustrations for classic literature, including “The Wizard of Oz” and chapter illustrations for Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”
– Book covers for historical novels for children and mystery series, including the Butternut Village Mystery Series by Jay Spenser
– Illustrations for educational publications, such as a small book about songbirds
– Cover design and illustration for “The Different Tree”
– Animated Halloween e-cards for Jacquie Lawson
– Illustrations for poems in Highlights for Children magazine
– Book covers that integrate historical and fantastical elements, such as one featuring the famous Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam for a magical story about art, history, and time travel
Work Process
Nelissen maintains a structured daily routine that balances her creative work with family responsibilities. After taking her children to school, she retreats to her home studio, a space she describes as “small, comfortable, and over the years perfectly laid out with drawers and cabinets for my materials and illustrations.” There she works until it’s time to collect her children from school.
What distinguishes Nelissen’s work is not just her technical skill but the emotional investment and patience she brings to each illustration. Her belief that “everything is possible in illustration” reflects the sense of wonder and possibility that permeates her art, inviting viewers into worlds that are simultaneously familiar and magical.