Homage to the 1950's

My editor at the cyclist magazine asked me if I could do a cover illustration for the april issue. She wanted me to come up with something that could be seen as a parody of the fifties. She mentioned the "Far til fire" films from that decade, but wanted me to add an element that would go against the feel-good-mood.
I have drawn the family, from the movies,on a bike vacation and placed them in a countryside environment, made up of two famous posters from 1951 (the ducks crossing the road) and 1931 (the wheat field and ocean). Both posters capture that feel-good-mood of that era.
The client was happy with the result, but asked me to take out the yellow toxic barrel, 'cause it was too scary. They let me keep my purple four-eyed frogs though.
I have made the color registration a little off and made the reds bleed out a little, so it looks like the prints from back then. Thanks to Frank Stockton for good advice on how to create that printed in the fifties look.

for an online history book: "life in a monastery and the struggle for power in Denmark 1131-1157"

I recently completed a bunch of illustrations for an online history book, that focus on the years 1131 to 1157. A chaotic time where the struggle for power, to be the king, made brother turn against brother. In 1157 Valdemar the first became king of Denmark, and since then the country has only been ruled by one king (or queen) at a time, and the rule, that a king inherits the power from his dad, got established.
It was difficult to recreate the monastery of Sorø, 'cause only the church still stands there today.

Pet peeves: Interrupted while playing table football

Lightning in the garden

Viking book spreads

The educational Viking book "Kampen om Vårbygård øllet" is a traditional fact book mixed with a fictional story set in the historical frame. The facts are on the left page of the book and the fictional story, about Helge, the rich farmer, and his foster-brother the blacksmith Svend, is on the right page.
The book was made by Sydvestsjøllands Museum, Sorø, and is intended for 6-8. grade school children. After reading through the book, the 6.-8. grades will come the the viking fortress Trelleborg for a couple of days, and play out the fictional story that I illustrated. Each pupil will be getting a role in the play, and learn how to cook and fight the ways of the Vikings.

Viking book: research trip and character development

I was assigned to do illustrations for a educational book about Vikings and the Viking fortress Trelleborg, thats located just outside Slagelse.
Every summer Trelleborg hosts a Viking camp where people can live out their inner Viking in the historical surroundings. I had an additional trip to Trelleborg later on in the schools fall vacation, so I could check out costumes and how to fight with sword, scissor, axe, danes axe, lance, french lance, and mace.

drawings from a meeting

Yesterdays evening was the annual meeting at the Danish Writers Union here in Copenhagen.
I find it very difficult to focus and concentrate about the things that are be said, if I don´t draw at the same time. In order to focus, there need to be some distraction, in this case drawing the other book illustrators and children book authors attending the meeting.

Leap

Tied up by a contract clause you can't leap from job to job