When scrolling through the pages at high speed and it still takes almost a minute I realised I’m making a big book.
Sleigh Ride
Here we go again, with the annual sleigh ride I illustrated for Krombacher Beer. Follow Santa and his best friend to the most beautiful places of the world and guess where they are.
I hope you enjoy the ride as much as I did. Hey ho!
Krombacher Schlittenfahrt 2023
Columbusstrasse is now up for Preorder
My next graphic novel “Columbusstraße” is now ready for preorder, you can do so here.
This is what the announcement looks like in Carlsen's spring/summer program. There are also a few example pages online.
“A family saga during the Second World War
After his father's death, Tobi Dahmen discovers a collection of old family letters. Based on the moving contemporary testimonies, he reconstructs a chronicle of the German war years as reflected in his own family history.
Meticulously researched and emotionally told
In his stirring graphic novel, Tobi Dahmen not only tells the story of his family, but also impressively reflects on the German past and the questions of political and personal responsibility.”
The Cover
Good morning, friends. I have some news to share. Here it is, the cover for my upcoming graphic novel.
Even though I'm still very busy with it, I'm happy to tell you that my book will be published by Carlsen Comics next year. Just in time for the Comic Salon.
I then worked on it for 4 years. With all research it’s 8 years. I'm already looking forward to holding that doorstopper in my hands. I hope you do too.
Simon Gronowski
What a wonderful world.
On Wednesday I took the early morning train to Mechelen near Antwerpen, to visit the memorial Kazerne Dossin. The so-called "waiting room“ for Auschwitz in Belgium. I wanted to visit the museum and be present during the start of the „Elke naam telt“ event, every name counts.
During World War II, 25,843 people were interned in the Dossin Barracks. They were stripped of their names and assigned numbers before their deportation, most of them did not survive. The memorial invites people to read their names out loud and records them, and keeps them to memorise all the people who have been murdered. I read the name of Tobias Muller, born also on 24th of march like myself, in 1896.
The most memorable moment was the appearance of Simon Gronowski. Monsieur Gronowski survived the Holocaust, because his mother helped him escape from the train that was heading to the death camps. He was the only survivor of his family, his mother and sister were killed at the camps and his father died of a broken heart shortly after the war. Simon found comfort in music and became a celebrated jazz pianist. Although very old he held a speech at the celebration about his life and warned in fiery words about the danger of the far-right, the ground on which the evil dwells.
After that we were treated with some piano music by a young master student from Belgium, but also by Simon himself. To listen to this man, with his life-story playing „What a Wonderful World“ by Louis Armstrong left everybody in the room speechless. I still am deeply impressed, it still moves me as I write this.
I am so thankful that I could be there and witness this. Thanks to Anne-Sophie from the memorial for the invitation. And I feel so honoured that I am able to draw Simons story of his escape for the comic anthology “The Unimaginable Image”.
The unimaginable image - international workshop at Kamp Westerbork
Just returned from Kamp Westerbork from a three days workshop on site. It was an intense time, but also a great experience to work together with historians and these great artist colleagues.
The unimaginable image is a comic book project by comic strip maker Erik de Graaf, researcher Kees Ribbens and Bas Kortholt, researcher at Camp Westerbork, based on 6 comic drawings from 1945 that explained daily practice within the German extermination camps. Ten comic artists will attend a three-day workshop and will then put their vision of the Holocaust on paper. The result will eventually be seen in an exhibition and a book.
Happy Birthday WWF!
I was in Berlin lately, to celebrate sixty years of the German branch of the WWF. The World Wildlife Fund is one of my oldest clients, I’m happy to work for them so long already, 20 years already. Time flies.
The WWF night was great, set in the beautiful Tipi tent, with great speeches, also by our enviromental minister, spoken word and band performances and nice conversations afterwards during the summer night.
Thanks for the invitation, looking forward to the next twenty years.
Columbusstrasse at Schauraum Dortmund
It was a lovely evening at the Schauraum: comic & cartoon. Full house, lots of familiar faces, and there were some good questions after my talk. And a social gathering with a beer afterwards. This was my first live presentation of my book Columbusstrasse, even though it isn’t published yet. I couldn't have wished for a nicer premiere. Thank you very much for the invitation and the great support from the incredibly nice team of the Schauraum.
The wonderful exhibition “But I Live” can still be seen until Sunday. Definitely take a look if you have the chance.
Mischpoke
Finally I can hold it in my hands, the Mischpoke, the wonderful collection of images and texts by Alexandra Wehrmann. With texts by, among others, Johnny Bauer, Phillip Holstein, Sven-André Dreyer, Katja Vaders, Andreas van der Wingen, Half past selber schuld and many more. It's a huge pleasure for me to participate in this great project.
Alexandra about her book:
“Shortly before the idea for this book came about, Markus' mother died.
On a Tuesday in November. After her death, the slides surfaced. Pictures that exist in many families - and yet something was different. Due to a coincidence in the form of floodwaters that spilled into the garage where the pictures were stored, the motifs had become alienated. Presumably due to substances brought along by the flood. These substances, dissolved in the water, had drawn wild color gradients on the photographs, which now ran across faces, making details unrecognizable, but sometimes almost appearing like frames.
The slides held a tremendous fascination for me from the very first moment. Because they told stories. Stories of wild cellar parties, of traveling in caravans, of summit crossings, of cold buffets. From parents, from sisters, from uncles, aunts, grandmas, grandpas, cousins. The idea quickly came to add texts to the slides. So I sent the garage finds to several dozen people. To authors, poets, journalists, but also theater makers, comic artists and painters.
I asked each of them to choose a motif and write a text of whatever kind. The only requirement: it should be about the topic of family in the broadest sense. Many of those addressed picked up the ball and sent me their contributions.
A selection of what was sent to me can be found in this book. None of the contributions have anything to do with the lives of the people in the slides, nor were the writers committed to the truth. (…)”
Book Two
Here I am starting with book two of Columbusstraße, trying to capture that sad day.
Venster Academy
Had a great time lately at Illustrator’s academy Venster in Utrecht. @ellenvesters asked to me talk a bit about my books, and how you do this, making a book, a graphicnovel. So I talked about the creation process of “Fahrradmod”, but gave also some sneak peeks of my upcoming book “Columbusstrasse”.
Thank you for the invitation, I really enjoyed it there and to meet all these talented people. ❤️✏️📔
Live Reading with Joris Bas Backer
Finally another reading. In May, more precisely the seventeenth I will read together with my very esteemed colleague Joris Bas Backer. We read from our books "Kisses für Jet" and "Fahrradmod" and talk about what it was like growing up in a small town. I am very pleased that the Literaturhaus Krefeld invited us to this. From now on you can pre-order your places by email to literaturhaus(at)krefeld.de.
Update: A video from the event can be seen here.
This Is Ska 2023
Very happy to spread the news about this years This Is Ska Festival. What a lineup, wow! I’m glad that I could contribute the artwork for the poster again.
Inktpot exhibition at Stadhuis Utrecht
On friday we enjoyed the opening of the exhibition we did with De Inktpot at the town hall of Utrecht. The historical association of Utrecht Oud-Utrecht turns hundred this year, so we made a comic page for each decade, hundred years, ten decades, ten artists.
Mine was the one that I moved to Utrecht in, so apart from the historical events I put on the paper as stickers in street art style, I also put a little skater girl there, the newest member of this family, one of the most beautiful sights my hometown has to offer.
Thanks to the Inktpot and Oud Utrecht for inviting me and for all the beautiful stories and art about our lovely town.
The exhibition is to be seen until 24th of march during public hours.
Terry Hall
I’m very happy to announce that I drew Terry Hall for the cover of the upcoming Detail Magazine Thank you for the commission, I really enjoyed doing this.
Award for the design for Weingut Waalem
The fabulous Jörg Stauvermann asked me to help with designing this well-shaped bottle with delicious content. The vermouth collection from Weingut Waalem of Föhr, containing ingredients and flavours from the island. I’m happy to announce that our design already won an German Design Award 2023 Special Mention. 🎉🐻❄️
Fotos: Thorsten Schmidkord, Levke Martens und Axel Rauterberg
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The last one!
About last night: I drew the last panel of the first book of Columbusstrasse for now. Just like I did with the last one of Fahrradmod, I recorded this for you. With some words of gratitude for keeping me going for the three years I am working on this now. So thank you very much, your interest is highly appreciated.
I’m sure this page won’t be the last one, as some corrections and additions need to be made, and then there is a second book waiting. But for now I’m taking this moment looking back. I made it, due to my plan 150 pages per year, counting 462 now. See it here.
Thank you!
Good Work 2022
Hallo und guten Tag,
es ist dunkel draussen, noch oder schon wieder, das Jahr neigt sich dem Ende zu. Es ist die Zeit um zurück zu blicken, bevor wir ein neues Kapitel aufschlagen.
Es war ein turbulentes Jahr, in dem viel aufgeholt wurde, ich bin nach beinahe zwei Jahren zuhause wieder zurück in mein Studio gezogen und komme so endlich wieder unter Leute. Und es war dieses Jahr endlich wieder möglich, nach so langer Zeit wieder Konzerte und Festivals zu besuchen. Das grosse Highlight für die ZeichnerInnenzunft war natürlich der Comic Salon in Erlangen. Eine besondere Ehre war für mich dort zusammen mit Barbara Yelin, Reinhard Kleist und Nathalie Frank die Arbeit an unseren Comic Projekten zu präsentieren. „Erinnern mit dem Stift in der Hand“, hiess das Panel, in dem ich auch zum ersten Mal Bilder aus meiner gerade entstehenden Graphic Novel „Columbusstrasse“ vor echtem Publikum vorstellen durfte.
Die Arbeit daran schreitet gut voran, ich denke, ich werde zum Ende diesen Jahres die letzten Seiten des ersten Buches zeichnen, wobei das natürlich relativ ist, der Verlag hat natürlich auch noch ein Wörtchen mitzureden und die Recherche hört irgendwie auch nie auf. Die Archive bringen immer noch alte Neuigkeiten ans Licht. Im Zuge dessen war auch die kleine Recherchereise, die ich im Herbst diesen Jahres unternommen habe, ein persönliches Highlight dieses Jahres.
Ebenso hat mich sehr gefreut, an einem der kleinen Filme mitzuwirken, die die Illustratoren Organisation seit diesem Jahr produziert, um die vielen Sparten unter dem Dach der Illustration zu beleuchten. Es war ein Fest zusammen mit meinem Kollegen Thilo Krapp so viele geschätzte KollegInnen zu versammeln und gemeinsam über unsere Arbeit zu sprechen. Den Film gibts bei der IO, oder auch hier gleich hier:
Und natürlich gab es dieses Jahr auch wieder zahlreiche schöne Projekte für meine zahlreichen Auftraggeber. Wieder viele Illustrationen für die Jugendorganisation des WWF, für Unterrichtsmaterialien von Kanjertraining hier in den Niederlanden, und für diverse Schulverlage. Dazu hatte ich auch wieder die Freude mit Jörg Stauvermann zusammenzuarbeiten, mit dem ich zusammen unter der Regie von Kessler & Co. an der Ausstellung für das Nationalparkhaus auf Juist gearbeitet habe, sowie an dem wunderschönen Gefäss der neuen hochprozentigen und preisgekrönten Köstlichkeit des Weingutes Waalem. All diese Arbeiten und mehr habe ich wieder in einem kleinen Jahresrückblick zusammengefasst.
Wenn Sie Lust haben und die Zeit finden, freue ich mich, wenn Sie mal reinschauen. Und wenn Ihnen gefällt, was Sie sehen, und ich Ihnen für Ihr eigenes Projekt helfen kann, melden Sie sich gerne bei mir. Das mache ich gerne, das ist mein Job. Und ich freue mich schon aufs nächste Jahr, wo jetzt schon viele schöne und spannende Projekte auf mich warten.
Ich werde mich nun aber in den letzten Tagen dieses Jahres ein bisschen mit Aufräumen beschäftigen, ausmisten, die Webseite überarbeiten, auf der mal langsam all die schönen Projekte der letzten Jahre Platz finden sollten, und natürlich noch die vorerst letzten 8 Seiten meiner Graphic Novel zeichnen, bevor es dann nächstes Jahr mit dem zweiten Buch weitergeht. Als ich damit angefangen habe, hätte ich nie für möglich gehalten, dass wir so schnell wieder einen Krieg in Europa erleben würde. Man sieht, dass es immer Kräfte gibt, die nicht aus der Geschichte lernen wollen. Die Arbeit an meinem Projekt ist dadurch für mich nur wichtiger geworden. Ich erledige sie daheim, wo die Heizung zwar nicht ganz so hochgedreht ist wie in den Jahren zuvor, aber der Strom funktioniert, ich meine Lieben um mich habe, und immer genug zu essen auf dem Tisch. Dafür bin ich dankbar, besonders jetzt, wo das alles nicht mehr ganz so selbstverständlich erscheint.
Es ist an uns, auch dorthin zu blicken, wo das nicht so ist, und zu helfen, wo wir können, wie wir können.
Ich wünsche Ihnen und Ihren Lieben frohe Weihnachtstage, erholen Sie sich gut, und kommen Sie munter rüber in ein ein neues, hoffentlich friedlicheres Jahr.
Alles Gute wünscht Ihnen und Euch,
Ihr und Euer
Tobi Dahmen
Thank you Wolf Erlbruch
Rest in peace Wolf Erlbruch. Thank you for your beautiful art, thank you for your wise stories, for all these very human animals you drew. You’ve enriched our lifes and this will stay. I’m feeling deeply blessed that I was able to study under your sharp watch, from your unbeatable talent.
Comic Salon 2020
I haven’t posted here for a while. But now I have to, as I am heading for the Comic Salon in Erlangen next week. Finally, after the break two years ago due to the pandemic, w are finally able to meet up with friends, readers, colleagues and publishers in person. I am so looking forward to this. I will be signing ‘Fahrradmod’ at the booth of Carlsen in the main tent on three different occasions, but there is also a panel with Barbara Yelin, Nathalie Franke, Reinhard Kleist and me, where we talk about our work for the remembrance culture. Also Thilo Krapp and me will present along with the artists who took part the all-new clip for the Illustratoren Organisation (IO) about the work of comic artists.
See you in Erlangen. Here is my full program and that of my publisher. I can’t wait!
Carlsens programme.