Phiny Dick facts for kids

Afine Kornélie Dik, known to many as Phiny Dick (born September 14, 1912 – died August 7, 1990), was a talented Dutch artist. She was a writer and illustrator who created many popular children's books and comic strips. Phiny Dick was married to the famous comic artist Marten Toonder from 1935 until she passed away.

Her Life Story

Afine Dik was born in 1912 in Rotterdam, a city in the Netherlands. She was the only child of Kornelis Dik, who was a ship's captain, and Afina Hazewinkel.

Phiny first studied to become an assistant in a pharmacy. She also worked as a nurse-in-training at a hospital. However, she became very ill and had to stop her studies.

In 1935, Phiny married her neighbor, Marten Toonder. They both loved drawing. Phiny had taken a drawing course by mail from a British artist named Percy Bradshaw. After that, she started helping Marten by inking his comic strips. Marten Toonder worked for a company in Leiden, so they moved there.

To earn more money for their family (their first child, Eiso, was born in 1936), Phiny started creating her own illustrations and paintings. Her publisher, Van Goor, suggested she use the pen name Phiny Dick. Between 1934 and 1938, Phiny and Marten, along with Marten's brother Jan Gerhard Toonder, created a newspaper comic strip called Thijs Ijs. In 1939, Phiny wrote and illustrated her own children's book, Miezelientje en Prinses Roozemarijn. It was about a white cat that acted like a person. This book was even published in English in 1941.

Working During Wartime

When World War II began, Phiny and Marten started working for a newspaper called De Telegraaf. They moved to Amsterdam. For this newspaper, Marten and Phiny created a new comic strip called Tom Puss. It was about a small white cat. Phiny came up with the name and wrote the first two stories. This comic series became one of the most famous Dutch comics ever!

In 1944, their second son, Onno, was born. Phiny had a very difficult time during his birth. After she recovered, Phiny created a new book called Schuimpje en Zigzag. However, the publisher did not want to print it because of some illustrations she refused to change. So, the book was not published until much later.

Later Works and Life

Phiny created two more Miezelientje books in 1941 and 1948. After the war, her main work was a newspaper comic strip called Olle Kapoen. She wrote and illustrated it herself. This comic was popular not only in the Netherlands but also in Germany and Sweden. It ran from 1945 until 1954. After Olle Kapoen, she created Birre Beer from 1954 to 1959. She also drew pictures for a book by her brother-in-law, Jan Gerhard Toonder. Phiny also started painting portraits and making beautiful tapestries.

In 1956 and 1957, Marten and Phiny adopted two girls from Indonesia. In 1962, they moved to Greystones, a town in Ireland. Phiny Dick spent her time there focusing on her painting. She passed away in Greystace in 1990.

Her Comic Creations

• 1934-1935: De stoute streken van Stip en Stap
• 1934-1938: Thijs Ijs
• 1935: Doris en Daantje
• 1939: Miezelientje
• 1941: Tom Puss (Tom Poes in Dutch): Phiny wrote the first stories, and Marten Toonder drew the pictures.
• 1945-1954: Olle Kapoen: Phiny drew the first comics and wrote all the later stories. Other artists drew the pictures later. This comic was also published in Belgium, France, Norway, and Sweden.
• 1954-1959: Birre Beer: Phiny wrote the first stories, and Ton Beek drew the pictures. Her oldest son, Eiso, continued the series later.
• 1970s: Phiny drew covers for new editions of Tom Puss comics.

Books She Wrote and Illustrated

• 1939: Miezelientje en Prinses Roosmarijn: This book was very popular and was reprinted many times. It was translated into English in 1941.
• 1940: Olli Fant uit Poppelo
• 1940: Pijper, het Bosmannetje
• 1940: Pinkje's bezoek bij de Eekhoorntjes and Pinkje gaat uit op avontuur: text by Lieske Havelaar.
• 1940: Vader Dirk en Moeder Dina: text by M. C. Van Oven.
• 1941: Miezelientje en Kakeline de Kip
• 1941: Suizebol en Bijdepink
• 1941: Pom, Verk en Fop: This book was the start of the Olle Kapoen comic strips.
• 1941: De dag na Bethlehem: written by Jan Gerhard Toonder.
• 1941: Versjes uit de oude doos: This book of rhymes was also published in 5 smaller parts:
  • 1941: Aftel- en balspelletjes
  • 1941: Allerlei van vroeger
  • 1941: Kringspelletjes
  • 1941: Rijmpjes voor allen
  • 1941: Touwtje springen
  • 1941: Sinterklaas, Kerstmis en Nieuwjaar
• 1942: Oude rijmpjes: text by Loek Van de Blankevoort.
• 1943: Pom van de Pomheuvel
• 1945: Schuimpje en Zigzag: This book was not published until 2012.
• 1945: Van Klaas Vaak en zijn brave zandkaboutertjes: text by Dola de Jong.
• 1946: Tierelantijn en Tureluur and Tierelantijn en Tureluur gaan uit op avontuur: text by Thea Mol.
• 1948: Miezelientje en Wol de Beer

Images for kids

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  An exhibition room in the basement of Museum Meermanno (Special exhibition from May to September 2012).