Karl Meersman

Meersman worked between 1974 and 2018 across caricaturist, writer, illustrator and painter. This article rests on 3 published texts and 2 scholarly references drawn from named institutional registers. Every statement below returns to a source shown in the evidence panel; where the record is silent or divided, the article says so instead of resolving it.

• Name — Karl Meersman • Born — 14 September 1961 • Birthplace — Temse, Belgium • Occupation — Artist • Known for — caricature, editorial cartoon, illustrator • Training — Art history, graphic design, printmaking, publicity, figure drawing

Meersman comes from an artistic family. His grandfather was a painter, and both his mother and father were professional artists. When he was a young boy, his parents took him to the art school in Temse, where they worked as teachers. At age thirteen, he entered a drawing contest for children, but was disqualified because the jury did not believe his entry was drawn by a child. After deciding he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his parents, he dropped out of high school and attended different art night schools instead. He was awarded degrees in publicity, printmaking, and figure drawing. In the meantime, his father sent him to a photogravure company, where Meersman held a day job. When his father's drawing workshop became too big to be run by a single person, he became permanently involved there. In 1991, together with two of his siblings, Meersman took over his father's drawing studio, Meersman I.D., to manage the ever-growing work load.

Initially, Meersman was mainly occupied with work in the publicity sector. He was hired as a caricaturist by Trends, a business and finance magazine, in 1987 after he was noticed drawing visitors in a furniture shop; he has been drawing political cartoons for the magazine weekly ever since. Trends calls the cartoonist its "jester of the socio-economic society". In 2002, he became the permanent illustrator for Focus Knack (a supplement to Knack news magazine), for which he draws caricatures of show-business people most of the time.

The artwork for magazines is done using traditional techniques: watercolor and pencil on paper. His interest in contemporary politics and news led him to political caricature as a living, and as he says: "I like to stand with both feet in the present, my work is a mirror of today." • Illustration — caricature of Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni (2008) • Illustration — caricature of Matt Damon (2007) • Illustration — caricature of Keith Richards (2006) • Illustration — illustration De Kust (Dutch for The Coast and a word play on the word kust which can mean both coast and kiss) (2006) As his biggest influences, he names Egon Schiele and the satirical prints in the tradition of Félicien Rops, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Honoré Daumier. His style is described as realism with a strong eye for detail. Besides caricatures and editorial cartoons, Meersman also produces posters, stamps, paintings, and interior designs. In the past, he also produced book illustrations and children's books.

• Meersman; Karl (2010). VIPS TOO: very important paintings too. Roularta Books. • Meersman, Karl (2007). VIPS: very important paintings. Roularta. • Vandamme, Hugo and Cambien, Karel (2007). Illustrated by Meersman, Karl. Wat baten kaars en bril: management in spreekwoorden: wat je op school niet leert. Roularta. • Trends (2000). Illustrated by Meersman, Karl. België: tekenend en getekend 1990–2000: Karl Meersman tekent tien jaar België / La Belgique traits pour traits 1990–2000: Karl Meersman croque dix belges années. Roularta. • Seghers, Hendrik (1997). Illustrated by Meersman, Karl. De nieuwe collaboratie: een ondernemer in het verzet. Davidsfonds. • Trends (1993). Illustrated by Meersman, Karl. België in 30 hoofdstukken: over economie en politiek in de jaren '90. Roularta. • Uytterhoeven, Mark (1988). Illustrated by Meersman, Karl. Wat een jaar, beste spotliefhebber!: de hoogtepunten van het sportjaar 1988. Roularta.

Karl Meersman is recorded with the occupation caricaturist. Recorded as a citizen of Belgium.