When did you first get into drawing?

I started drawing when i was very little, in kindergarten i already made imaginative drawings. Loved to draw and paint. As a child i was quite dreamy and had a lot of imagination. If it was up to me back in the days, i would rather draw all day instead of going to school.

Why did you choose to make fashion part of your inspiration?

 My grandmother Annie has had a lot of influence in that, I think I was 6 and we always watched old Hollywood movies together, "The wizard of Oz", "Singing in the rain", "The little princess", and of course "Sissi". 

She also had luxurious fashion magazines, and In that period my love for fashion came in. Just one look in the magazines and seeing the clothes and models, I literally felt it in my bones. 

When my grandmother said that back in her day the covers were hand drawn, I knew i wanted to be a designer/illustrator.

What is your particular working day as a creative?

I usually start to get everything settled for drawing. And then it's time to find some images that inspires me. I have to get in a flow, and with music on its easier to get in my drawing bubble. Sketching mostly takes a couple of hours. If the drawing is ready for painting i will tape it and start with creating the illustration with colour. But every day is different, if i have a deadline i will work in the evening or night to get things finished on time. 

What tools do you use when creating your images?

My phone is my holy grail, I make pictures or screenshots from things i see. 

Buildings, nature, animals, colours, patterns. Lots of hand images and different angles of the face, because I love drawing emotion in my illustrations. Mostly i draw with the image in my phone, I like to expand the image to see the details better. Some days I think it's better to print the image out. 

I find it very inspiring to be in a theatre or museum. To see the paintings of the past or see a good documentary, cultural movie or a costume drama, it creates a kind of inspirational energy i cannot describe. History books of different time periods also helps me to create new things. And patterns, i absolutely love patterns, especially from the past. Old book covers, tiles, repeat patterns on clothes and wallpaper.

The mediums i use are pencils, brushes, aquarelle paint, paint markers, ink and crayons. Drawing and painting the old fashioned way is something i prefer doing. Although hand-painted works suits me better, i cannot say i will never draw digitally in the future. Maybe a combination of those different techniques, who knows........

"My phone is my holy grail, I make pictures or screenshots from things I see. 

Buildings, nature, animals, colours, patterns. Lots of hand images and different angles of the face, because I love drawing emotion in my illustrations. Mostly I draw with the image in my phone, I like to expand the image to see the details better. Some days I think it's better to print the image out."

M.Jong

What advice do you have for younger artists looking to be part of this industry?

I want to say to them, dont worry to much about other people's opinions. Just make sure you have your own signature, and stay true to that. Take your time for creating an illustration, something created from your own mind is always good. Keep on drawing and dare to be different. Challenge yourself with the difficult aspects of drawing and painting and try different mediums. Too much distraction from social media can be annoying, because you see those beautiful illustrations from others. Sometimes it is better to turn off your notifications while illustrating, so you can be more focused on your own thing. 

What are you drawing today? Music are you listening to? Books that you are reading?Favourite artist/designer at the moment?

I mostly draw models, shoes and bags lately. 

Sometimes its painted very detailed and other times i draw in my own style. I noticed that i am illustrating a lot of models. I love drawing the face, you can see emotion in it. I think i do that because i see how much energy and time designers put in their collection. To give you a glimpse of all that I give you the opportunity to take a look under my magnifying glass. I see designers as storytellers and to make my illustrations this way, i hope their story continues. 

I listen to Mozart, Bach, Celtic music, violin music or jazz when i am working. 

But i love Motown, Nina simone, French chansons, actually music from all times. 

The books i love to read are novels from Jane Austen or the Brontë Sisters. 

There are so many designers that i really like such as Iris van Herpen, Viktor & Rolf, Sarah Burton, Simone Rocha, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Manish Arora, Pierpaolo Piccioli, Giambattista Valli, Raf Simons, Marc Jacobs, Silvia VenturiniFendi, Dries van Noten, Jean Paul Gaultier, and John Galliano. 

"I mostly draw models, shoes and bags lately. 

Sometimes it's painted very detailed and other times I draw in my own style. I noticed that i am illustrating a lot of models. I love drawing the face, you can see emotion in it. I think I do that because i see how much energy and time designers put in their collection. To give you a glimpse of all that I give you the opportunity to take a look under my magnifying glass. I see designers as storytellers and to make my illustrations this way, i hope their story continues."

M.Jong