Erik
Kriek

These are just off the press here in the Netherlands and are hitting the shops as we speak. The ‘economy’ edition of the seven Potter books (in Dutch). I was responsible for the cover illustrations, under the art direction of graphic designer Rob Westendorp, whom I share a studio with, so it was an ‘in-house’ collaborative production, which had its advantages.

Both Rob and publisher de Harmonie wanted to steer away from the downtrodden depictions of a bespectacled boy on a broomstick and approach the imagery from a more abstract starting point. Rob and I decided to use elements from the stories as decorative structures rather than as illustrations per sé. I also was keen on using different elemental materials; rock, air, fire, water, wood in the images so as to accentuate the magical element of the books. For those who have read the books the choice of the imagery are obviously evident. For those new to the books they wil hopefully provide an evocative lure, without leading the imagination too much into one particular direction. We, Rob and I that is, are very pleased with the final result. So is the publisher. Let’s hope the readers are also.