About Thijs Postma

Thijs Postma

Thijs Postma (Sint Annaparochie, 22 September 1933) is a Dutch painter, illustrator, graphic designer, publicist and author of aviation books and aviation magazines. He grew up in Amsterdam and later moved to Hoofddorp. His year of birth 1933 was also the year that a new era in commercial aviation dawned with the first flight of the DC-1. Postma was an aircraft recognition instructor during his military service.

After his military service, Postma started as an advertising artist and then worked as a photo-lithographer at a printing company for some time. In November 1957, Postma established himself as an independent advertising designer. He worked as a freelancer for advertising agencies, Philips, various car manufacturers, Kreidler and other companies. For many years, Thijs Postma gave the trade fairs of the Koninklijke Jaarbeurs their own identity.

For Martin's Air Charter (later Martinair), Thijs Postma designed the house style and the paintwork of their aircraft in 1960.

In 1960, the first publicity about him as an illustrator appeared in the magazine 'Cockpit'. In 1962, Thijs Postma made the first of many illustrations for the youth magazines 'PEP', 'SJORS' and 'EPPO'.

After a publication in 'Het Vrije Volk.' in 1964, many more publications followed in national newspapers. The reason was his aviation archive, which would eventually become the largest accessible aviation archive in the Netherlands.

Thijs Postma became very well-known in the Seventies with his gouaches (paintings with watercolours) for the popular scientific monthly magazine 'KIJK'.

In 1966, John Block became director of the new airline Transavia. He commissioned Thijs Postma to design the paintwork for his fleet and to design his house style.

In 1972, KLM commissioned Postma to paint ten gouaches of historic KLM aircraft. They were sold all over the world as posters, postcards and jigsaw puzzles.

In 1973, Thijs exhibited his gouaches in the restaurant ‘De Zonneruiter’ at Schiphol. Many exhibitions in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and the USA would follow.

In 1974, Postma wrote and illustrated his first book ‘Vermetele Vliegende Hollanders’. The top of the entire Dutch aviation industry was present at the presentation of the first copy.

In 1978, Postma was commissioned to write and illustrate a 60th anniversary book for Fokker, Fokker, Bouwer aan de wereldluchtvaart. This was published in two languages: 20,000 copies in Dutch and 20,000 in English, generating enormous publicity worldwide. Postma was a regular at Fokker for artwork and research in their archives.

In the Eighties, Postma painted around 50 gouaches for the model kit manufacturers Revell, Matchbox and Monogram.

In 1983, Thijs painted gouaches of all the aircraft types Martinair had flown for a Martinair anniversary. They were exhibited during the party and one of the gouaches was presented to Prince Bernhard.

In 1988, the book ‘De Aviation Gouaches’ by Thijs Postma was published.

From 1993 to 2000, Postma was editor-in-chief of the monthly magazines ‘Luchtvaart’ and ‘Luchtvaartwereld’, which he founded, as well as ‘Gateway’, a trade magazine for pilots.

After 2000, Postma made a number of books and held exhibitions, such as an anniversary exhibition in 2019 with KLM gouaches and Fokker drawings in the ‘National Transport Museum’.

Since 2001, Thijs Postma has written and illustrated a monthly article about historical aviation in the monthly magazine ‘Piloot & Vliegtuig’. Occasionally, he writes for German aviation magazines.

In 2021, a voluminous book about Thijs Postma with 400 pages and 580 paintings plus a description of his career, ‘Luchtvaartkunst / Aviation Art’ was published by H&G Uitgeverij.

In the meantime, Thijs Postma still paints gouaches, also on order for personal mementos.

Publications, a selection

Thijs Postma, John N. Block. Vermetele vliegende Hollanders. Bussum : De Haan, 1975.
Thijs Postma, Fokker - Bouwer aan de wereldluchtvaart : Unieboek, 1978.
Thijs Postma en Theo Wesselink. De vliegende Hollanders. Dieren : De Bataafsche Leeuw, 1984
Gerard Casius, Thijs Postma. 40 jaar luchtvaart in Indië. Alkmaar : De Alk, 1986.
Thijs Postma. Luchtvaartkunst : werk en leven van Thijs Postma. Amsterdam : H&G Uitgeverij. 2021