Jenna Arts on Imperfection, Editorial Illustration, and Why Human-Made Art Matters
Jenna Arts, an illustrator from Antwerp, believes that illustration should embrace both imperfection and playfulness. In her interview with Creative Boom, she characterizes her quirky characters as both familiar and unusual. Her illustrations have been featured in publications such as NRC, De Volkskrant, and De Correspondent, as well as in promotional work for Eurostar and Frontaal Brewery. Arts stumbled upon illustration at the age of 15 or 16 after discovering a Parisian illustrator. She completed her studies at AKV St. Joost and interned at NRC, where live drawing influenced her artistic style. After battling two years of depression, she now appreciates her work more and establishes boundaries, while also voicing concerns about stagnant editorial budgets and the allure of AI-generated art.
Key facts
- Jenna Arts is an Antwerp-based illustrator originally from the Netherlands.
- Her work has been published in NRC, De Volkskrant, and De Correspondent, and she has created campaigns for Eurostar and Frontaal Brewery.
- She decided to pursue illustration at age 15 or 16 after reading a magazine article about a Paris-based illustrator.
- She graduated from AKV St. Joost and interned at NRC, where live drawing in a newsroom shaped her style.
- Her early characters featured tiny heads and wavy limbs; she has since adopted a more realistic approach.
- She experienced a two-year period of depression during which she did not draw.
- She created album artwork for Klangstof and Robin Kester, which she considers more experimental.
- She criticizes editorial budgets for not increasing and advises illustrators not to settle for less than their work is worth.
Entities
Artists
- Jenna Arts
Institutions
- Creative Boom
- NRC
- De Volkskrant
- De Correspondent
- Eurostar
- Frontaal Brewery
- AKV St. Joost
- Further
- Klangstof
- Robin Kester
- Very British Problems
Locations
- Antwerp
- Belgium
- Netherlands
- Paris
- France