Hop, at the drawing board with Jordy te Braak

'Danced around like a monkey and learned nothing' Jordy writes about his studies on LinkedIn. But how then did he develop into the professional he is today? "A lot of work! I started out as a video editor, moved on to the advertising industry, and through positions as Art Director and designer, entered the world of toy design. Other than that, I'm a self-taught artist. It's good if you have talent, but if you want to become a pro at something, you also just have to put a lot of hours into it!"

Together with two local illustrators, Reamon van der Horst and Tamara Boon, Jordy founded Tekenclub Amersfoort. "The first or second Wednesday of the month we get together to draw, each time at a different creative location. For example, we have been at OostWest, Bombari and Kultlab. Everyone is welcome! You don't have to be a full-time illustrator. We sketch and chat; it's super fun to connect with other creatives."

For Jordy, being a maker also has to do with guts. "Making art is something vulnerable, because you take something out of yourself and bring it out. You just have to dare to do that. And also dare to fail and make mistakes. I sometimes make sketches that I think are terrible. When I look at them again three weeks later, it turns out there is something in them after all. So I always tell my students: 'Never throw away the drawings you think are ugly and don't scratch anything!"

So as a teacher, Jordy shares his tips and tricks on a daily basis. Will he also tip his favo creative addresses to us? "Sure! I get my drawing supplies at MONO Art Supplies. They have everything - from spray cans to charcoal and from good paper to canvas. And everything of the best quality. Furthermore, there is a funny little store in the Koestraat called Warhammer. There you can go for miniature wargaming: a kind of Stratego meets Lord of the Rings. I love coming to FLUOR for the music and parties. I even had my wedding party there!"