Wytse at the entrance of Jailbreak.
Wytse was born in Sneek 39 years ago. He lived in this city till his 18th. In his student days, he crafted lots of denim jackets and skate board decks for friends and classmates. Then he moved to Groningen to study at the Art academy. He wanted to pursue an education in art so he could discover himself. But once he was studying, it immediately became a goal in itself. Wytse had a great desire to prove himself. “The moment I started the education, I knew that this was exactly what I wanted to do. If I wanted to achieve my goals, then I really needed to have the courage to set high standards. So that’s what I did and still do.” Wytse comes from a family with great interest in science. He has two younger brothers. One is working in the ICT sector and the other is a Doctor in Science and teaches mathematics at university. His father practiced the profession of tax consultant and his mother has been a kindergarten teacher and later she studied theology. “I think I got my creative side from my mother, she loves literature and my brothers and me often did handicrafts with her. Both my parents and my brothers support me in my work and I’m very thankful for that.”
Wytse has lived in Leeuwarden since 7 years. As an illustrative designer, he prefers working with thick lines and bright colors so that he delivers clear and powerful pieces of art. When he designs a poster for a band, he listens to their music and searches for stories about the band members. He likes to design pieces for clients. This way, he does not only have guidelines, but also benefits from the communication with the customer, which is something he appreciates. “I like to get feedback from clients. That way, I can improve myself over and over again. Occasionally, I also suffer from a designer’s block. When this happens, I force myself to get some fresh air, like going out for a walk.” Wytse has learned that there is a great deal more to designing in practice than you would initially think. It’s not just drawing. In addition to working together, there are commitments involved as well as deadlines and stress fields.
Wytse is a single father of an eleven-year-old son and a nine-year-old daughter . “I turned single recently. Fortunately, I’m very busy and so I can easily clear my mind. I am glad that I can be a part of the organisation of the Jailbreak Festival again. This event was born from a passion for tattoos, music and quality. It is a meeting place for like-minded people. Here I also have the launch of my first book which I’m really proud of.”
Wytse tried tattooing some time back in the days, but he prefers to design art on paper. He found it a little bit too enervating to place something so permanent on a person’s body. He is capable of designing tattoos for others, but he believes it’s better to let the real tattoo artists draw the tattoos. “I think a tattoo artist feels best how to design a tattoo. You’re working on human skin and not on paper, this requires a different method. I am not in a position to do so. Additionally, I don’t want to stand in the way of their creativity.”
