There are books about art, and then there are books so meticulously finished that they’re almost art themselves. Almost everything that has passed through Trudy Dorrepaal’s hands belongs to that second category. As a book consultant, she is unmatched. Even past retirement age, she remains the ultimate authority in Belgium and the Netherlands when it comes to the art of book printing.
Under her watchful eye, the most extraordinary graphic works have emerged over the past decades books so uniquely crafted that they rise far above ordinary print. Think of Alle shows, the “fan book” by artist Marinus Boezem, which literally includes a functioning fan, or Gek van surrealisme for Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen: an exhibition catalogue designed as a box set with peepholes into the collections, built around four collectors’ houses inside.
These are gems of delicate beauty and tactility, revealing an exceptional love for the craft. Trudy’s knowledge of paper, lithography, printing and binding techniques is rare, as is her eye for detail and perfection. The fact that she has recently started collaborating with our printing house fills us with pride we can hardly imagine a greater compliment.
“Do you have a moment? (laughs) It’s a long story. I’ve always had a passion for art. As a teenager, I wanted to study at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam. But my father said no. ‘Art? You can’t make a living from that!’ he told me. So I first became a kindergarten teacher. Later, I ended up in the travel industry and hospitality sector, before starting to work for a cartographer. That’s where I took my first steps into the graphic world. I was involved in creating special custom printwork for clients. From there, things moved quickly. At Proost en Brandt, I entered the world of paper. I worked there for five and a half years and completely immersed myself in the subject. After a while, I was invited to give presentations in printing houses and schools. For the past seventeen years, I’ve worked for some of the most important printing companies in the Netherlands. First at Lecturis. When they went bankrupt, I started my own company, ArtLibro. In that role, I worked first with Drukkerij Roelofs and later with Coers & Roest. I often did crazy projects there are things that others thought were impossible, but that I just had to tackle. When something truly special was needed, people came to me. That’s become a bit of my trademark.”
“You’d really have to ask them that! (laughs) No, over the years I’ve built up quite a bit of credibility, of course. I have the insight to make certain things happen, even when they seem impossible. But above all, I’m very passionate. High-quality printing is extremely precise work. Every tiny detail has to be perfect: the type of paper, the layout, specific colour nuances, the quality of the ink, and so on. I really pour my heart and soul into every book.”
“I think so. Passion and perfectionism, probably. I rarely make things easy for myself, because I believe that everything is possible. Even when a client or printer doesn’t believe a project can be done, I keep going until I’ve figured it out. I know what’s possible and how to achieve it. And if I don’t, I’ll research it until I find a solution. Often, that leads to fantastic collaborations, sometimes it also leads to friction. But I don’t need to be liked; I just go for it.
Take the book Gek van surrealisme for Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. It was designed as a box set with peepholes into the collections of four private collectors. The book itself is structured around four collector’s houses, each with its own atmosphere and character, expressed through different types and sizes of paper. All exhibited works are shown within those houses. As a reader, you feel as though you’ve been invited into the collectors’ homes. Those kinds of projects: real challenges that’s what I love to do.”
“You can’t deliver quality without surrounding yourself with passionate professionals — designers, publishers, layout artists, bookbinders, papermakers and, of course, talented and motivated printers. Without them, it just doesn’t work.”
“A book is like a child; you have to be proud of it. It needs attention and love. I look for printers who show the same enthusiasm as I do. For me, a good printing house is, above all, made up of passionate people who are involved from start to finish. And a good lithographer is, of course, incredibly important as well. You have to be able to merge every detail into a convincing whole and you need to have a real feel for it, and know how to work with different screens.”
“When I was working for ArtLibro, I was connected to a fixed producer. That allowed me to fully immerse myself in some truly beautiful projects. Since 2022, I’ve been working completely independently, which gives me more freedom to enter into new collaborations. I want to offer my clients total creative freedom. It opens up new possibilities for the people who work with me, but also for myself.
One day, I got a call from your manager Jesse to have a chat. He had seen the book Straight-Line Leadership, which I helped bring to life, and I was immediately impressed by his enthusiasm. He’s incredibly passionate about his craft. That mindset is something I recognise in Buroform as a whole: giving it your all, with dedication and passion.
Recently, we completed our first collaboration: the book for Ellis Faas, a Dutch cosmetics brand. Today, I work with several printing houses in the Netherlands and Italy, depending on the project. But when I come to Belgium, it’s Buroform for me. The bar is set the highest there, in my opinion.”
“I’ve given workshops and courses for years to companies, universities, schools and academies. These days, I’m a bit more selective, but I still find it incredibly inspiring. I love getting young people excited, showing graphic designers what’s possible. You have to feel and experience a book. During a workshop, I completely immerse people in the story behind certain books.”
“I simply still love doing it, helping designers, guiding young people. I’ve built up so much knowledge, it would be a shame to let it go to waste. I’m open to all kinds of great projects, big or small, with or without a printer involved. People can call on me for full guidance throughout the design and printing process, or just for advice. Of course, I sometimes think about doing something else, but art and books remain my first love. You never really let go of that.”
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