Mehdi Schneyders

I was born in Etterbeek ( Brussels, Belgium ), on May 17th, 1979, from a Belgian father and a South African – Indian mother. Since 1982, he lives in Wavre ( Belgium ). Being a great dreamer, I have always let my passions setting the pace for my life. Among these, there is drawing. As a pure self – taught person ( presumably at the age of 4 ), I began to draw every day… and did not stop since then ! The comic strip ? Like Obélix, I fell into it at an early age. Through this one welled up in me two consuming passions : the American Civil War ( The Blue Coats, No. 16 : Bronco Benny ) at the age of 7 ( thank you, the Tooth Fairy ) and the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. This significant second event has occurred when I was 12 years old. I have discovered, by opening the Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir, the first comic board of Spitfire Parade, one of Biggles’ adventures ( a novel series created the British writer William Earl Johns ) adapted by the French cartoonist Francis Bergèse. Never missing a single issue of the newspaper, I have received the comic book at my request a year later. The virus was definitively in me ! At the age of 13, mostly with the support of relatives and teachers as well, I took the following decision : « I will make my passion my profession ». A year later, I went to pursue my art education ( equivalent to Modern Apprenticeships in the United Kingdom ) at the I.A.T.A. ( Namur, Belgium ), option « Applied Arts » ( 1993 – 1998 ). Exhausted, I nonetheless finished in a state of grace. In September 1998, I attended the École des Beaux – Arts de Saint – Luc ( present – day École Supérieure des Arts, Liège, Belgium ), in the « Illustration » section. My goal was to work in comics. I saw the end of the tunnel in 2002………. ingloriously. My studies completed, then began the working life Monopoly going through the square « job seeker ». One must work, both his passions and projects must be funded. Therefore, I moved my piece on the square « temporary employment ». I was not enthusiastic about that, but a work is a work, isn't it ? That lasted two years. Besides, I continued to draw, to develop a comic strip project. This one came about during my last year at Saint – Luc, but remained unmaterialized though. Nevertheless, because I was passionate about the subject ( the R.A.F., of course ), I was determined not to drop it. The key word was and remained drawing, I have had some opportunities to work on some projects, indeed. Alternately caricaturist, then computer graphics designer, I wished to get back to my comic strip project, starting with an adequate documentation. Perfectionist and detail oriented about historical accuracy of the subject matter, I went, from February 2009, to meet some former R.A.F. airmen. To thank them, portraits of these persons came about. By a combination of circumstances, said portraits aroused the interest of a free researcher from the Air & Space Section ( Royal Museum of Army and Military History in Brussels, Belgium ). Our collaboration lasted three years. Since then, according to meetings, I began to be requested for my work. Showing patience, self – denial and unwavering optimism, I propose a fine, fiddly and precise work, with the aim to reach perfection. Following a wonderful experience as an English « teacher » ( I hate this term, though ) within the Kids&Us Language School of Wavre ( from March 9th to June 22nd, 2018 ), working two jobs seems to me quite obvious, even needful. On February 27th, 2019, following the reception of an E – mail with the latest news about the dream of Icarus ( thanks to Yves Duwelz, another true aviation enthusiast ), I have noticed an advertisement from which I could not take my eyes of. Having not hesitated for a second, I have phoned the contact person ( Patricia Henrion, éditions pat.H : www.aviation.brussels ) and, on Tuesday, March 5th, the meeting ( the first working day, in truth ) took place. For the next three years, three months and twenty - five days, as a Content Officer, I had got the joy to be able to devote myself to two of my great passions ( books and aviation ). Towards the end, I was in a state of complete exhaustion, along with a profound feeling of exasperation... and still underpaid as well. Furthermore, I could not find both time and energy to draw anyway. So, I quit. Since then, I am back to my full time occupation as a cartoonist - illustrator, as well as a researcher and historian in my free times.