WOBBY WORKOUT - Zach Jansen

Wobby Workout is a work period at our studio in NS16, Tilburg. In this focused and individual setting, artists can explore and experiment with the Risograph printer, fostering the development of innovative ideas and working methods. In the summer of 2024 we invited illustrator Zach Jansen (NL/ES) to work at our studio.

Zach wanted to use his work period as an initial opportunity to gather both practical and theoretical knowledge that he could apply as an autonomous artist. He wanted to push himself onto a new path by changing the materials he typically used. During his Wobby Workout, he gained insight into the Risograph printer, which expanded the scope of his work and created new relationships and dimensions.

“After Wobby’s invitation, I spent a lot of time reflecting on my existence as a creator in the lead-up to the work period, attempting to think more self-critically about my relationship with my work. At times, it frustrated me that, as a self-taught artist, I didn’t attend art school. I feel that I would have had more tools for navigating the relatively new life of an artist if I had learned how to vocalize the meaning behind my work and had more practical skills in digitally editing my illustrations.”

Before his Workout, Zach's work was often colorless and drawn in ballpoint pen. His work is characterized by detailed cross-hatching, which has created most of the shading and texture in his drawings. Through the use of riso, he’s discovered new effects and ways he can use color to enhance his work, which he previously thought impossible.

“My work is generally quite rigid and lacks a certain spontaneity. Although I’ve often tried to change this and always admire work that is more rudimentary, it feels too unnatural for me not to over-hatch a drawing. With riso, however, it’s inevitable that the layers don’t align perfectly, which introduced a certain fluidity and imperfection to the work. As a result, the prints, in my opinion, have a certain dynamism that my work often lacks.”

The work period resulted in a series of 14 A4 prints, made under the guidance of our risoprint experts, Marjolein Schalk and Bobbi Oskam. These were presented for the first time in September 2024 at the fifth edition of Wobby Wonderland.

“Encouraged by Marjolein, I also decided to focus again on visual storytelling, an art form that has always appealed to me but also intimidated me because I see myself primarily as an illustrator, not so much as a writer. However, I wanted to use the work period to challenge myself and see if it might set me on a new course, so I planned to create several comic pages. My first attempt was a story linked to the hotel. Doubting my writing abilities, I decided to write it in Spanish with the help of Eduardo Zerbo, a Tilburg-based creator with more writing experience."

Zach’s Art Prints are available in our webshop now.

Further exploration
In addition to his work at Wobby, Zach sought to broaden his creative horizons in Tilburg. Inspired in his teen years by David Hockney, he expressed interest in learning etching, which local artist Marijn Dijkmeijer graciously offered to teach. This technique aligns with Zach’s cross-hatching style, and he looks forward to incorporating it into his future projects.

Zach has also engaged in textile work in the past years through embroidery. With Tilburg’s rich textile history, he now has an application running at the local Textiel Museum, to further expand his artistic repertoire.

Additionally, he’s has also begun collaborating with Studio Zwarte Banaan, a 3D printing studio run by Tilburg-based artist Jelle Heuver. Together, they are working on a unique vase—a nod to Tilburg’s nickname "Kruikenstad." The project blends Zach's distinct drawing style with Jelle’s 3D printing expertise. The plan is to transform Zach's characteristic faces into 3D elements that will adorn the vase. They aim to achieve this by using pulp shaped by a 3D mold, allowing Zach to apply his illustrations directly onto the surface.