Lennard Kok’s work is about paring down his layouts to their simplest elements of line and form. He does this to great effect in the comics and zines he creates with their clean and clear boards but also in his other illustration projects such as editorial and designs for apparel.
As well as keeping things minimal visually, Lennard is great at applying the same ethos when storyboarding his comics. He has a knack for creating tension and movement with the subtlest amount of of effort. One of his zines, risograph printed in three colours over 16 pages, is a good example of this.
In ‘Falling Objects’, he is able to inject energy and impact in just two panels. The same is true in ‘Face Plant’ with its humorous and unexpected punchline.
I’m a Dutch illustrator based in Utrecht. In 2012 I graduated from the HKU University of the Arts Utrecht.
My work mainly consists of illustrations and comics. I like to play with compositions and the power of leaving things out. Everything has to be in the right composition which in my opinion is suitable. For me, it’s an everyday thing to always be busy moving things around until they’re perfect. It is something I implement in my personal and professional life.
I always start my illustrations by drawing them with a pencil. Usually, I keep erasing and improving until I am satisfied about the composition that I had in mind.
I really enjoy the moment when lines come together and everything is in proportion. All this is done on one piece of paper. After that, I scan it in and turn the pencil line into a black line, from there on it’s a digital file.
After a period where I had to discover, explore and improve the way I work, I’m now at a point where I don’t solely concentrate on style, but also on how to use my illustrations in a different manner. I’m working on ways in which my signature style is expressed in whatever technique or expression I use.
© Lennard Kok, 2014
