Jan van Haasteren

Jan van Haasteren (1936) is one of the Netherlands’ most famous illustrators. His chaotic, humorous drawing style has made him world-famous, especially thanks to his jigsaw puzzles for Jumbo. Each puzzle is filled with funny details and recurring elements such as the shark’s fin, Saint Nicholas, and of course Jan himself – a delight of recognition for fans.

Since the 1980s, Jan has worked with Jumbo, and his puzzles have become an international success. To meet the growing demand, Studio Jan van Haasteren was founded in 2013, where Jan and four fellow artists now create new puzzles.

His puzzles are not only a challenge to piece together but also a game of spotting hidden jokes. A unique blend of humour, detail, and fun that continues to captivate generations of puzzlers.

Learn more about Jan

  • Dick Heins

    Dick Heins (1959) is a Dutch comic artist and illustrator. He began his career in the 1970s, creating comics for titles such as Bobo, Eppo and Junior Suske en Wiske. In 2013, he joined Studio Jan van Haasteren, where his lively and humorous puzzle scenes stand out for their personal details – including a recurring butterfly as a tribute to his wife, Cindy.

    Learn more about Dick

  • Rob Derks

    Rob Derks (1974) is a Dutch comic artist and illustrator. He co-founded Studio Noodweer and has worked with Studio Jan van Haasteren since 2013, designing humorous and highly detailed puzzle scenes. His puzzles always include two long-bearded men, as well as regular appearances by Freddie Mercury, the letters AC/DC, Elvis, a blue pen and a pair of twins.

    Learn more about Rob

  • Mars Gremmen

    Mars Gremmen (1969) is a Dutch comic artist, caricaturist, and illustrator, known for his lively, humorous drawings. Since 2021, he has been creating puzzles for Studio Jan van Haasteren, always packed with things to discover – from dedicated birdwatchers to recurring characters such as Tarzan and the Acrobatic Family.

    Learn more about Mars

  • Wilma van den Bosch

    Wilma van den Bosch (1956) is a Dutch comic artist and illustrator, known for her cheerful, colourful style. She worked for over 30 years on Donald Duck and other children’s magazines, winning several awards including the Stripschapprijs for her lifetime achievements. Since 2022, she has been part of Studio Jan van Haasteren, where she creates, among other things, the Junior puzzles.

    Learn more about Wilma

Frequently asked questions to our artists

  • Each artist draws about 3 puzzle illustrations per year.

  • The average drawing time is 2.5 to 3 months for 1 puzzle illustration. Do you want to know more about how a puzzle is made? Click here

  • The artists work about 6 to 12 months ahead. So it is not surprising that a summer theme is drawn in the middle of winter. Or a Christmas record in the middle of summer.

  • Each artist has their own inspiration and can come up with ideas for new puzzles. Once a quarter, the artists meet, and in collaboration with Jumbo and Jan’s eldest daughter, Saskia, the ideas are discussed. The best ideas are put on a wish list and then finally come to the turn to be drawn. There are always many more ideas than the artists have in a year to draw!

  • Yes! In any case, Jan and Saskia guide the artists, and Jan must be completely satisfied with the record before it is taken further into production. But in addition, all 3 artists regularly share their work, and the others can, for example, offer extra jokes.

  • The sketch is drawn with pencil, then it is drawn over with East Indian ink, and a crown pen and then it is colored in. Jan and Rob both colour manually with a brush and ecoline. Dick first makes a digital version of the inked plate and then colours it on the computer.

  • The artists have all made their hobbies their work and do this with a lot of passion and dedication. In the few remaining hours, they prefer to spend their time with their family, making music, walking the dog, or well… drawing! Dick’s wife is a big Jan van Haasteren puzzle fan.