The Collective Series: Hello Sander, give us a brief introduction about yourself.
Sander Ettema: I am a 29-year-old illustrator living in the northern regions of The Netherlands, I work freelance based on all kinds of things.
TCS: Describe yourself in three words.
SE: Rambling, obsessed, escapist
TCS: Favorite song now on repeat?
SE: Manilla Road – The Riddle Master (PRESS PLAY)
To help us get to know the creatives a little more. We’ve created a series of questions to ask the Collectives to see what makes them so unique.
For the first edition, we speak to our newest design and illustrator Sander Ettema based in Drachten, The Netherlands.
“To approach the worlds within my illustrations as if it were alive.”
TCS: Experimentation and creativity go hand in hand. What do you do to explore beyond your style of design and routine?
SE: At the moment I am trying a bunch of tabletop RPG systems they’re good for inspiration on stories and help me to train myself to envision things, I watch loads of films, play video games, look at old designs, furniture, read books and comics. There is usually something I haven’t considered in my own projects or designs before so inspires me to try it!
TCS: What challenges you?
SE: Working on a certain idea, style or in a certain medium for the first time and trying to see if I can get it to work.
TCS: Think of yourself as a creative therapist – what would you say to fellow artists stuck in a creative rut in the midst of COVID?
SE: I find this tough to answer, but here goes anyway: I would say always allow yourself to play within your craft as well, being only very strict and serious can sometimes make me hit a wall as well. So if you have certain “design rules” set for yourself, maybe it’s time to throw them overboard and try something a little more loose, or vice versa. Different approaches make for different results.
TCS: What advice did you get that was the most rewarding?
SE: To approach the worlds within my illustrations as if it were alive. To “direct” the objects and characters within it and to get myself in the mood of the scene, I’m doing.
TCS: What made you laugh out loud?
SE: Nancy comics by Ernie Bushmiller
TCS: What inspires you?
SE: Working on projects with my friends, playing tabletop RPG’s, playing Dark Souls, listening to Kate Bush.
Nancy comics
is an American comic strip, originally written and drawn by Ernie Bushmiller
TCS: Your proudest work so far?
SE: Something that hasn’t been released yet, it’s a card/board game I’m secretly working on. It’s been really fun and rewarding to work on.
TCS: What can we expect to see from you in the future?
SE: Well hopefully that card/board game, as well as more projects with more interaction, built into their design. I’ve been thinking of making a fully designed RPG campaign, a video game, and more illustrations, I hope!
