Rik Oostenbroek

Rik Oostenbroek is a Dutch self-taught, free-lance artist whose work has been used by some of the world's biggest brands like Apple, AT&T, Mercedes-Benz, Adobe, Volkswagen, Swatch, ESPN and Taylor Swift. He was born and raised in Hilversum, Netherlands, where he still lives and works.

Oostenbroek had access to a computer (but not always access to the internet) while in high school. Like other kids, he played video games. Around 2006, he stumbled on Computer Generated Images (CGI), which led him to Photoshop. There were no video tutorials or social networks back then. A friend showed him the works of an Austrian designer, that inspired him to create his own images.

He posted some abstract images on the DeviantArt website. "I would post my work there and meet like-minded people who were also into that style. I was very happy to discover an online community where I could really let my creativity run wild." he said in an interview. "Then, one day, I received a call from Volkswagen. They asked me to do a job for them and said they'd pay me 1,200 euros. That's a lot of money for an 18-year-old! That's when things began to really take off and I started getting more work."

After graduation from high school, Oostenbroek decided not to continue his education, but to teach himself more about art and design. He set up a studio in the industrial district of Stookplaats in Hilversum, where he continues to work.

His success had allowed him to travel around the world. He has been hired as a global ambassador for HP and named one of the 200 best digital artists 2017-2018 by Lürzer's Archive.