Cover stories: Issue 20.2 by Tom Jay

Cover stories: Issue 20.2 by Tom Jay

Dubbels, Tripels, Trappists and Saisons. Illustrator Tom Jay gets the beers in for the cover of our Belgian special

Beer Belgium Cover Stories cover story illustration Magazine covers Racing rouleur magazine Tom Jay

Rouleur’s Editor Andy [McGrath] emailed me to see if I would be interested in illustrating the cover of Rouleur 20.2. It was to be a Belgium special, celebrating all things Belgian. There was quite a lot to include: a Patrick Lefevere interview; heart problems with Johan Vansummeren; cyclo-cross; Tour of Flanders. Of course, I said yes.


My initial ideas were to go with an iconic Belgian landscape, or a lay down of different illustrated elements pulled from all the individual stories. This could’ve been quite straight forward, but I felt it lacked a cohesive element that would pull it all together. As an illustrator you’re always looking for the most effective way to communicate the brief. Is it intriguing? Is it entertaining? Does it bring something else to the table? And does it work with the text?

Tom Jay

I thought that as Belgium has a long tradition of brewing, and as some of its beers are often an an accompaniment to Belgian races, it could be fun to use the bottle labels to illustrate the different stories to be featured. I sent some really rough sketches over to Rouleur, and they went for it. Andy and I chatted through how it could work, using the the text on the labels to write the sub-headlines. It would mean the whole cover would be illustrated, apart from the main headline, which I think is a first for the retail cover.

Tom Jay


With this all in place I could start the final illustration. I draw all elements by hand using pencil, ink, chinagraph pencils and acrylic paint. I then put them together in layers on the computer, where I can control the colours. The colour pallet was obvious here: red yellow and black to really ramp up the Belgian-ness!


More Rouleur cover stories


As always the team at Rouleur were great with their feedback and comments, making sure I was drawing the right things the right way and spelling things correctly. (I managed to spell Belgium wrong on one of the first edits!) It’s also a credit to the magazine that they are so open to doing something different. It was a pleasure to work on, and I’m looking forward to seeing it on the shelves.

Tom Jay is an illustrator whose work, as well as Rouleur, has been seen in the New York Times, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph and The Financial Times, and many others. See more of it at www.tomjay.com.


Rouleur 20.2 is on sale in the Rouleur Emporium now

 
 

The post Cover stories: Issue 20.2 by Tom Jay appeared first on The world's finest cycling magazine.

Beer Belgium Cover Stories cover story illustration Magazine covers Racing rouleur magazine Tom Jay


READ MORE

Will Mark Cavendish return to the Tour de France in 2025?

Will Mark Cavendish return to the Tour de France in 2025?

We know the Manxman well enough now that we should never count him out when it comes to racing

Read more
‘Cycling is my home… but it’s less fun nowadays’: Simon Geschke on 16 years as a professional

‘Cycling is my home… but it’s less fun nowadays’: Simon Geschke on 16 years as a professional

The German rider reflects on how the sport has changed over his career as a pro cyclist

Read more
‘Our budget is 10 times higher’ - Canyon//SRAM manager Ronny Lauke on the changing economics of women’s cycling

‘Our budget is 10 times higher’ - Canyon//SRAM manager Ronny Lauke on the changing economics of women’s cycling

The German team boss on increased salaries, how the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift has impacted his team and acquiring a new sponsor in...

Read more
‘I hope I’ve inspired the next generation’ - Laura Kenny on a career of Olympic stardom

‘I hope I’ve inspired the next generation’ - Laura Kenny on a career of Olympic stardom

Part of our series of articles on British Cycling's Hall of Fame inductees, Laura Kenny reflects on her career, and how track cycling can keep developing

Read more
Opinion: The 2025 Tour de France Femmes will be the hardest yet

Opinion: The 2025 Tour de France Femmes will be the hardest yet

The composition of the women's peloton next season combined with a varied and challenging route should set the stage for another historic battle for yellow

Read more
Tour de France 2025 route will put Pogačar/Vingegaard rivalry back in the balance

Tour de France 2025 route will put Pogačar/Vingegaard rivalry back in the balance

The mountain-heavy 2025 Tour de France route will be the battleground for the fifth Pogačar v Vinegaard duel

Read more

MEMBERSHIP

JOIN ROULEUR TODAY

Independent journalism, award winning content, exclusive perks.

Banner Image