Mars Gremmen
Profile Mars Gremmen
Mars Gremmen was born on February 12, 1969, in Nijmegen. He is a Dutch cartoonist, caricaturist, and illustrator and is known for his ability to transform ordinary situations into absurd and humorous comic strips.
Besides his creative work, Mars is an enthusiastic birdwatcher who dedicates his leisure time to exploring the outdoors in search of birds, butterflies, and dragonflies.
Childhood and Education
For years, Mars had the ambition to create illustrations that humorously represent modern life. These illustrations resemble a cartoon version of the works of the painter Pieter Bruegel de Oude. At the studio, he was given the opportunity to do so in the style of Jan van Haasteren.
''My aim is to have a joke on every puzzle piece''
Mars Gremmen
Career
Mars' career began in 1994 at 'Sjors & Sjimmie stripblad' (formerly 'Eppo'), where he wrote scenarios for 'Sjors en Sjimmie' and drew his first professional comics. After that, he continued to create many more comics, illustrations, and caricatures for magazines such as 'Hello You!', 'National Geographic Junior', and 'Veronica Magazine'.
In 2016, he received a Stripschappenning award for Best Youth Album of the Year for his comic 'De ontdekkers'. He hopes to someday publish a book featuring his best drawings, "to inspire drawing passion in other artists and myself!" But he's already quite content with providing relaxation and amusement to thousands of puzzle enthusiasts around the world.
Studio Jan van Haasteren
In 2021, Mars joined Studio Jan van Haasteren as the fourth illustrator to strengthen their team. The first illustration he drew for the studio was a 1000-piece puzzle titled ‘At the Hairdresser’. His puzzle images are vibrant and colourful, filled with humorous narratives and witty scenes.
Signature
In Mars' puzzles, there's always a birdwatcher to spot. In subsequent puzzles, that same birdwatcher is eagerly searching for a kingfisher.
The heron, the raven, and the cormorant are also frequently featured in his illustrations. Additionally, the Acrobat family and Tarzan appear in several puzzle images.
