Niek van Ooijen: "With comics, the possibilities are endless"
- Design
Sometimes, Niek van Ooijen looks back at his time at ArtEZ with a sense of nostalgia. Life at the academy, always working on your dream... Luckily, five years after graduating from the Comic Design programme, he’s found his place in the world of comics. What would he say to his 19-year-old self? “There will always be a classmate more talented than you.”
Choosing comics after high school wasn’t surprising for Niek. “Most school subjects bored me, and I barely put in the effort,” he recalls. “But my notebooks were always filled with drawings.” People around him thought it was cool that he wanted to make comics but had no idea what that could lead to. “Now, they see me working and realize that comics can take you in so many directions.”
Organizer of the Nieuwe Garde Comic Festival
In addition to creating comics and illustrations for clients, Niek teaches, works on small cultural projects, and is part of the organization of Nieuwe Garde, a comic festival in Zwolle. “In the Netherlands, there aren’t many salaried jobs for comic artists,” he explains. “Almost everyone is a freelancer. That might sound risky, but projects often last a long time, giving you a sense of stability. If you want to achieve something in the arts and culture sector, you have to give it your all,” says Niek. “But as long as you’re doing what you love, it doesn’t feel like work. I’d rather give 120 percent every day to what I do now than settle for something less fulfilling.”
I used to be the one kid in class who could draw well. At ArtEZ, I was suddenly surrounded by dozens of versions of myself. I loved it."
Teaching and creative freedom
Teaching has become a passion for Niek. He works at a creative center in Zwolle and at the Art & Design preparatory program at ArtEZ. “I’ve always enjoyed being in front of a group, but I didn’t expect to be so involved in teaching. Helping people with the same dream as mine is incredibly rewarding." Still, he sometimes misses his academy days. “It was inspiring to be surrounded by classmates who shared my passion for comics. I used to be the one kid in class who could draw well. At ArtEZ, I was suddenly surrounded by dozens of versions of myself. I loved it. During the programme, I was given a lot of creative freedom, and I miss that at times. ArtEZ really challenged me, and I grew so much because of it.”
"Focus on what you’re good at"
Niek remembers how uncertain he felt at the start of his studies. “I thought I wasn’t good enough at drawing. But now I see that I have strengths others might not, like storytelling. That’s harder to learn than drawing.” His advice to his younger self? “Focus on your strengths. Everything else will fall into place.”
My book about palliative care is still being used by RadboudUMC, which makes me proud.”
A strong start
During his graduation, Niek and his classmate Melanie Kranenburg published the graphic novel Naasten, about palliative care. “That was a great start. Not only did I earn some money from it, but it also led to new projects. That book is still being used by RadboudUMC, which makes me proud.”
A versatile field
Today, Niek creates comics and illustrations for various clients, from group portraits and posters to infographics and scientific articles. “As a comic artist, you can do so much more than people might think. The field offers plenty of opportunities, you just need to find what suits you. As a creator, you’re incredibly versatile.”
Future plans
Niek is currently working on his first solo book, a coming-of-age story about finding your place in the adult world. He also dreams of having Naasten translated. “The Netherlands is a small language market. It would be amazing to share my work with other countries.”
