You can't ride a tandem alone

Twice a year we hand our studio window over to a local artist to make their own interpretation of studio twin. This round it's Flore Paumen, an illustrator who grew up in Leiden and now works from Rotterdam. Last week she stopped by for a coffee, and we asked her about the tandem now rolling across our window.

Where did the inspiration for the design come from?

I often try to zoom in on how small things can bring so much joy: the wind in your hair, a beautiful stone on a mountain, or a bird whistling somewhere. I always try to work something playful into my illustrations, and I love wobbly lines. Lately I've been really into cycling, which means I draw a lot of it too. Luckily I share that interest with Ezra, so when he asked me to make an illustration for studio twin, a tandem came to mind pretty quickly. Riding a tandem on your own is just awkward — but with two of you, you make each other stronger. That idea felt fitting for studio twin, because Matthew and Ezra have been building this together for years, each with their own strengths.

What did the design process look like?

After going through a few sketches with Ezra over lunch, I started developing the illustration. I usually do most of the work on paper and then go over it digitally, filling in the details there.

How was it to finally see the design on our window?

It was really cool to see the illustration on the window, especially on one of the most beautiful streets in Leiden! It's so much bigger than when you're working on it yourself. That never stops feeling strange.