TTP Repartee with Jasper Rietman Part I

Jasper Rietman, Site 2

Thumbtack Press’s newest artist Jasper Rietman is an emerging illustrator from the Netherlands. Although his witty, beautifully drawn illustrations and comics are gaining a groundswell of recognition around the world, his approach still surprises people with its hilarity, inventiveness, and style. We chatted over GChat for a bit last week and talked about his personal comic project TRI/P, some of the challenges of editorial illustration, what he most likes to draw, and how to tell a story in pictures without words. Part 2 is here. 

You can see Jasper’s TTP collection – with pieces starting at $19.99 – here.

Thumbtack Press: Hey Jasper is that you?

Jasper Rietman: Hi Ben!

TTP: Yoooo!

JR: Yes, it’s me. Cool, everything works fine.

TTP: Great. I think the chat is easier than video, plus then I don’t have to shower. (Kidding kidding.)

JR: Yeah, this is better. It’s a bit easier to answer your questions as well I think. Ah I see you and Thumbtack Press like TRI/P on Facebook as well, nice!

TTP: Ha I was doing my research!

TTP: So yeah TRI/P was the first thing I wanted to talk to you about because it was the first thing I saw of yours. I think I first saw it in the It’s Nice That article. Where did it all come from? How long has it been going?

JR: I think I’ve been making them since 2009, while I was still a student. I’ve studied illustration and was always interested in telling a story with images, kind of using cinematic techniques, so one of my teachers asked, “Why not try to use multiple images instead of one?”

TTP: Hmm

JR: I think it was shortly after I made the series of images that are also on Thumbtack, the one with the taxi [Site 2, top] and the one with the giant pigeon [Site 1, below].

Jasper Rietman, Site 1

TTP: I think this is really interesting – the traditional use of 3 shots vs. the idea of the storyboard because storyboards can go on forever, but 3 is a definite limit. Sort of like satisfying the demands of a fugue, or a sonnet.

JR: Yes, but to me it doesn’t really feel like a limitation. The idea behind those illustrations was to make the viewer think about what had happened “before” and what was going to happen “after” the illustration was made – does that make sense?

TTP: Do you mean outside of the 3 panels? Or “beyond” them?

JR: No while doing Site 1 and Site 2 - do you know which I mean?  I did those and my teachers asked, “Why not draw what has happened before and after?” So in a way that’s what started it all.

TTP: I remember the pigeon one – sort of on top of a city.

JR: Yes, that’s right.

TTP: But also with this really textural sky. Reminds me of Jerusalem. When I think of Jerusalem and looking out from the city I think of those colors.

JR: Oh really? That’s cool. Gives it a whole other meaning and context.

TTP: Yeah I mean the sort of gray, the browns, the whites. And yes, even the pigeons. But anyway so you were in school till ’09? where did you go?

JR: I graduated in 2010, ArtEZ academy for the visual arts. It’s in a city called Zwolle.

TTP: You studied illustration?

JR: Yes, especially editorial illustration, even though our illustration department is renowned for children’s book illustration as well.

TTP: Are you still in Zwolle today?

JR: No, I moved to another city called Deventer when I met my girlfriend, who was already living here. But it’s really close, less than half an hour by train.

…

Jasper Rietman, No Title (1)

Part 2 of the chat is here, with more on what makes a comic funny vs. interesting, choosing illustration clients and topics, professional life, and more from Jasper. 

In the meantime you can peruse his TTP collection here.