© Merel Eyckerman
Hi!
I’m a book maker, illustrator, storyteller, thinker, illusionist, joker, worrier, perfectionist and a monomaniac.
If you want to get to know more about me and my work, take a look here.
Have fun!
Benjamin.
Now & Then
1980
Born in Neerpelt, in the upper right corner of Belgium, Europe. Where people speak like chewing on a rubber band. Except for some cows, grasslands and factories there wasn’t a lot to see. So I started to draw worlds that never got boring.
1980
1998
Raised in Overpelt (BE) in between four brothers. Yup… 5 guys! A lots of differences and bickering, but a lot of humor and love as well.
2000
© Eveliene Deraedt
I met Merel Eyckerman, love of my life, and a fantastic illustrator as well. You can take a look at her illustrations here.
2002
2003
While studying at PXL Hasselt (BE) I got the opportunity to study for four months at Lahti Polytechnic, Finland.
Afterwards I worked as an archeological illustrator at the excavations of Dayr Al Barshah (Egypt) and Sagalassos (Turkey) for an internship. In this picture you see me drawing a 3000 years old skeleton!
2003
Graduated. Moved to the centre of Antwerp to live together with Merel. I drew my first commissions as a freelance illustrator. My first book was published by Davidsfonds Publishers (BE)
2008
Moved to Lier (BE) with Merel.
After years of combining several parttime jobs, I decided to become a fulltime independant illustrator. As I am still, today.
I met Jaap Robben, a brilliant mind and even more brilliant writer. We published the poetry album ‘Let’s start a forest’, the beginning of a long collaboration.
2009
©Merel Eyckerman
Got married with Merel.
That was a great party.
And still is.
2010
Jaap Robben and I published ‘The Sourballs’, a picture novel for which we collaborated in a very intense way.
‘The Sourballs’ caught the attention of the press and was translated in several countries. A dutch bible belt organisation banned our book because they thought it to be ‘satanic’.
2012
Our son Rien was born.
And everything changed.
2015
Gottmer Publishers (NL) published the first two parts of our Suzy-series. The press welcomes her as a new hero in children’s books: ‘A new heroine is born!’ (CuttingEdge Reviews (BE))
2017
‘Tinkleman’ was published, once again a collaboration with Jaap Robben. It is our most translated book until today. Our special superhero is now peeing in Italy, Germany, France, Denmark, China, Corea, Slovenia,…
2020
Published ‘The Blues against the Reds’, the first book I drew and wrote myself. Bluebeard and Redhead can’t wait to conquer other countries, maybe yours!
2022
After seven years of dreaming, thinking, writing, digging and drawing, my first graphic novel ‘A child of clay’ will be published by Standaard Publishers '(BE) on Octobre 2nd.
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