Studio Jan van Haasteren
The lead-up to the studio
In 1980, the Olympics (Sportsday) became the very first puzzle that Jumbo released by Jan van Haasteren. The puzzle proved to be a success, and soon another puzzle was released.
In the early years, there was no fixed structure for the puzzle images. Jan drew images for other clients, and Jumbo selected which ones should be turned into puzzles. This collaboration continued for about 15 years, satisfying both parties.
This continued until 1995, when Jumbo felt the need for more puzzles from Jan; waiting for advertising posters was no longer sufficient. Therefore, Jumbo became one of Jan’s commercial clients, specifically for puzzle images.
The brand Jan van Haasteren
Commonly, they were referred to as “the Jan van Haasteren-puzzles”. As more puzzles were published, an official and recognizable logo was introduced. This logo has been updated several times and, since 2014, it has not only been used for puzzles but also for merchandise and similar items.
From that time onwards, the now so well-known ‘family members’ began reappearing in the puzzles. At 65 years old, Jan stopped doing other work and now only draws puzzle images for Jumbo. With a lifetime contract, Jan continues to draw as long as he is able. He creates approximately 3 to 4 images per year.
Fan base
The Jan van Haasteren puzzles became increasingly popular, and a true Jan van Haasteren fan base had emerged. As the demand for the puzzles kept growing, Jan’s eldest daughter, Saskia, began working on the enlarged drawings, allowing Jan to focus on the creation of a new sketch. Father and daughter also hid many jokes in the puzzle images, to maintain the humorous tone.
In 2012, the demand for Jan van Haasteren puzzles became so overwhelming that Jan and Saska could no longer keep up with the pace of the puzzling fans.This led to the idea of creating a studio with multiple illustrator.
''Drawing is like speaking through a different medium, it's a language on it's own.''
Illustrators of Studio Jan van Haasteren
Jan suggested approaching Rob Derks and Dick Heins as illustrators for Studio Jan van Haasteren. Jan knew Rob and Dick from previous meetings and workshops, where they left a good impression. After successful test drawings, Rob Derks and Dick Heins were added to the drawing team; Studio Jan van Haasteren officially became a reality in 2013.
Recognizable characters and elements were introduced to assist the illustrators in creating Jan van Haasteren puzzles. As a result, the familiar family members have been included in the puzzles since 2013, although occasionally a family member or familiar element is left out by accident.
In 2021, Mars Gremmen joined the drawing team, followed by the arrival of Wilma van den Bosch in 2022, both determined to strengthen the team.
Anniversary
In 2023, there was something to celebrate, as the milestone of 10 years of Studio Jan van Haasteren was reached and grandly celebrated.
Jan van Haasteren was invited by his good friend and artist Marius van Dokkum to hold an exhibition at the ‘Stadsmuseum Harderwijk’. The exhibition ‘‘Alle gekheid op een stukje’ ('All Madness on a Piece') was festively opened on May 25, 2023.
In addition, a unique XXXL puzzle was released with 30,200 pieces. The puzzle consists of 10 puzzles of 3,162 pieces each, forming a puzzle of 6 meters by 1.80 meters and weighing 20 kilograms! One of those puzzles was the newly drawn puzzle by Rob Derks called 'Jan van Haasteren Studio 10 Years', which was also released in 1000 pieces. This puzzle was also the final puzzle for the Dutch Championship Puzzling 2023.
Studio Jan van Haasteren
The studio is not a physical location where all illustrators come together to create the puzzle images. Each illustrator has their own workspace, often in the form of a studio at home. The illustrators stay in touch with each other via WhatsApp and email. Every quarter, they come together to discuss the themes of the new puzzles and provide feedback. The themes and scheduling of the puzzles are determined by Jumbo, the publisher of the puzzles.
Saskia, Jan’s eldest daughter, no longer draws, but remains actively involved in the studio to ensure that the illustrators capture the true ‘Jan van Haasteren’ style. She also participates in various activities related to the Jan van Haasteren brand.
