Today, we’re excited to introduce Goed Blauw, a creative team of Dutch artists and close friends, Elvera and Carlijn. They first connected at the Art Academy in Zwolle, bonding over a shared passion for illustration and vibrant designs. After a few years working independently, they reunited, driven by a shared vision to create colorful, playful art for both kids and adults. In 2022, they launched Goed Blauw, transforming their artistic experiments into a thriving creative venture known for bringing joy and personality to kids' rooms, nurseries, and family spaces with whimsical wall art.
Q: How did your journey as illustrators begin, and what brought you together to form Goed Blauw?
A: We met at the Art Academy in Zwolle, the Netherlands. We studied illustration together and became close friends. After graduation, we started our own businesses separately, but after a few years, we got the idea to make something together. This started out as fun and curiosity about the outcome of our collaboration, but it turned out to be what we loved doing most. So, we started selling the artworks we made, and it worked well. In 2022, we officially quit our personal businesses and began working together full-time after years of balancing both.
Q: Can you share a memorable moment from your time at Art Academy that influences your collaborative work today?
A: It’s not one particular moment, but more about how our personal work evolved. Elvera went from scribbling detailed drawings to creating linocut prints that emphasized color and form, which she then edited in Photoshop. Carlijn developed a style that combines graphic design, photography, and painting. We both began integrating different techniques, shaping the way we illustrate today.
Q: How has your artistic style evolved since you started?
A: We started with very clean and bright colors and images—lots of jungle animals and art targeted for children’s rooms. Over the years, we began experimenting with different textures, colors, and subjects. We broadened our horizons, you could say.
Q: Could you describe your process of combining handmade drawings and paintings with digital techniques?
A: We start by deciding on the texture, such as a printed linocut texture that shows ink on the paper in various colors. Or we paint sheets of paper with different strokes and colors, then digitally cut out the shapes we want to create a collage. In recent years, we’ve also used Procreate for creating shapes, painting, and drawing digitally.
Q: Can you tell us about one of your favorite commissioned projects and why it stands out for you?
A: Recently, we were asked to create two new book covers for book classics and given free rein to interpret them our way. The challenge of capturing an entire story in one image is such a joy for us.
Q: How do you balance creating art that appeals to both children and adults?
A: We usually avoided human forms in our illustrations, focusing on animals and nature so that adults who enjoy a bit of color could also buy our art for themselves, not just for children. But recently, we’ve started creating more illustrations of human figures, mostly women, which we also love doing.
Q: How do you handle creative differences when working collaboratively?
A: It might sound a bit unbelievable, but we don’t have creative differences very often. Typically, if one of us suggests a change, we try it, and it usually works out well—or not, and we both agree on that.
Q: What's your favorite part of working together as a duo?
A: We get to combine the best aspects of each of our styles. It’s also time-efficient when you both have a family with three kids, as we can tackle tasks together. Plus, there’s always another set of eyes when one of us is stuck.
Q: What inspires your artwork?
A: Nature is a big inspiration. Colors and light, like how a grey morning sky blends with a weak autumn sun, affecting the trees and road, are endlessly inspiring. Each time we look at something, we think, “How could I capture that in a drawing?”
Q: What advice would you give to artists considering a creative collaboration?
A: Make sure you know the other person well. Set clear agreements on business matters and write them down. We have a contract outlining what happens if one of us wants to leave. But it’s also important to trust each other enough to allow creative freedom, knowing it might improve the outcome.
Q: How do you manage your time between creating art and other aspects of your lives?
A: It can be challenging. Our work ebbs and flows—sometimes it’s busy, and other times there’s a lull. When one of us has a child sick at home, the other can help more, and we switch as needed. Some weeks we work in the evenings; other weeks, we just relax with Netflix and wine. Sometimes separately, sometimes together. ;)
Q: What's the most rewarding part of being artists for both of you?
A: Seeing something that started as an idea in our minds make its way into other people’s homes, on books, posters, or cards, is amazing. It’s incredible to see others enjoying our work and to feel it resonates with them.
Artist Spotlight: Goed Blauw
Today, we’re excited to introduce Goed Blauw, a creative team of Dutch artists and close friends, Elvera and Carlijn. They first connected at the Art Academy in Zwolle, bonding over a shared passion for illustration and vibrant designs. After a few years working independently, they reunited, driven by a shared vision to create colorful, playful art for both kids and adults. In 2022, they launched Goed Blauw, transforming their artistic experiments into a thriving creative venture known for bringing joy and personality to kids' rooms, nurseries, and family spaces with whimsical wall art.
Q: How did your journey as illustrators begin, and what brought you together to form Goed Blauw?
A: We met at the Art Academy in Zwolle, the Netherlands. We studied illustration together and became close friends. After graduation, we started our own businesses separately, but after a few years, we got the idea to make something together. This started out as fun and curiosity about the outcome of our collaboration, but it turned out to be what we loved doing most. So, we started selling the artworks we made, and it worked well. In 2022, we officially quit our personal businesses and began working together full-time after years of balancing both.
Q: Can you share a memorable moment from your time at Art Academy that influences your collaborative work today?
A: It’s not one particular moment, but more about how our personal work evolved. Elvera went from scribbling detailed drawings to creating linocut prints that emphasized color and form, which she then edited in Photoshop. Carlijn developed a style that combines graphic design, photography, and painting. We both began integrating different techniques, shaping the way we illustrate today.
Q: How has your artistic style evolved since you started?
A: We started with very clean and bright colors and images—lots of jungle animals and art targeted for children’s rooms. Over the years, we began experimenting with different textures, colors, and subjects. We broadened our horizons, you could say.
Q: Could you describe your process of combining handmade drawings and paintings with digital techniques?
A: We start by deciding on the texture, such as a printed linocut texture that shows ink on the paper in various colors. Or we paint sheets of paper with different strokes and colors, then digitally cut out the shapes we want to create a collage. In recent years, we’ve also used Procreate for creating shapes, painting, and drawing digitally.
Q: Can you tell us about one of your favorite commissioned projects and why it stands out for you?
A: Recently, we were asked to create two new book covers for book classics and given free rein to interpret them our way. The challenge of capturing an entire story in one image is such a joy for us.
Q: How do you balance creating art that appeals to both children and adults?
A: We usually avoided human forms in our illustrations, focusing on animals and nature so that adults who enjoy a bit of color could also buy our art for themselves, not just for children. But recently, we’ve started creating more illustrations of human figures, mostly women, which we also love doing.
Q: How do you handle creative differences when working collaboratively?
A: It might sound a bit unbelievable, but we don’t have creative differences very often. Typically, if one of us suggests a change, we try it, and it usually works out well—or not, and we both agree on that.
Q: What's your favorite part of working together as a duo?
A: We get to combine the best aspects of each of our styles. It’s also time-efficient when you both have a family with three kids, as we can tackle tasks together. Plus, there’s always another set of eyes when one of us is stuck.
Q: What inspires your artwork?
A: Nature is a big inspiration. Colors and light, like how a grey morning sky blends with a weak autumn sun, affecting the trees and road, are endlessly inspiring. Each time we look at something, we think, “How could I capture that in a drawing?”
Q: What advice would you give to artists considering a creative collaboration?
A: Make sure you know the other person well. Set clear agreements on business matters and write them down. We have a contract outlining what happens if one of us wants to leave. But it’s also important to trust each other enough to allow creative freedom, knowing it might improve the outcome.
Q: How do you manage your time between creating art and other aspects of your lives?
A: It can be challenging. Our work ebbs and flows—sometimes it’s busy, and other times there’s a lull. When one of us has a child sick at home, the other can help more, and we switch as needed. Some weeks we work in the evenings; other weeks, we just relax with Netflix and wine. Sometimes separately, sometimes together. ;)
Q: What's the most rewarding part of being artists for both of you?
A: Seeing something that started as an idea in our minds make its way into other people’s homes, on books, posters, or cards, is amazing. It’s incredible to see others enjoying our work and to feel it resonates with them.