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  • 11 messages
  • November 23, 2019 22:58
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November 23, 2019 22:58

I have a question of which I can find no answer and that is: why did Willy van der steen choose the color orange for the Suske en Wiske albums in 1945. Where the color tips are Dutch or has the publisher determined it, thanks in advance for your response

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  • November 24, 2019 10:27
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November 24, 2019 10:27

He has not (or at least not in 1945).

In 1944 there was not even a color:

https://www.standard.be/cnt/dmf20130122_00442781

In 1946 he chooses a red color. This for the Flemish market only.

They keep that up for about 12 years.

In 1953 the first Dutch series was created, still with a red cover.

In 1959 the style is adapted under the influence of the atmosphere of Expo '58. Here the color becomes more orange than red, also in the separately running Dutch series .

The Dutch series was therefore already with a red cover before it ever turned orange. Despite a separate running Flemish series, the color also changed from red to orange.

So to conclude that the color was only to appeal to the Dutch market does not seem right to me.

In the biography of Peter Van Hooydonck we read on page 211: "(Antoon) Sap was much more contemporary and adapted the look of the albums to modern requirements." So the influence did come from the publisher, but I think Vandersteen didn't just let everything be decided without having something to say about it himself. Furthermore, the printing process was also changed and the spot color was added.

Van Hooydonck also always refers to the "red" albums in the same reference book, despite the "orange" colour. In that respect it is not orange but just a lighter shade of red.

PS if I'm correct, Van Hooydonck was also the buyer of the cover of Rikki and Pukki.

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