Siem Praamsma is a Dutch comic strip artist well-known during the years 1945-49 as the creator of Jochem Jofel, Humpo Hotsflots, Ootje Teur, and De Tweede Pimpernel. Siem Praamsma wrote all the stories himself and regarded himself more a writer than an illustrator.

Born in 1921 in Amsterdam, Praamsma first had the idea to be a jazz trumpetist, but after attending the advertising department of the Kunstnijverheidschool (art college) he became interested in animated cartoons en begun his art career in 1942 at the Marten Toonder Studios in Amsterdam.  

Starting in 1945, his first comic strip, Jochem Jofel, Wereldreiziger, a reluctant hero, was published daily in De Waarheid; then came Humpo Hotsflots, the adventures of a goofy artist, published in Holland and Belgium; followed by his beeldromans (minature comic books), De Tweede Pimpernel, a Superman-type action character; and in 1949 Ootje Teur (auteurtje = little author), a would-be writer out of ideas who gives up writing to live his own adventures.

Unfortunatly the original drawings have all been lost, but copies of these comic strips can be read nad downloaded on Siem Praamsma's official website.

In 1950, Siem Praamsma with his wife Loeki and three small children emigrated to Australia where they lived for nine years. First Siem worked as special staff artist for The Courier Mail in Brisbane and later in Sydney as illustrator in the advertising industry. In 1957, when television arrived in Australia, Siem Praamsma was hired as an animator at Eric Porter Productions, producer of TV commercials. After moving to Los Angeles in the United States in1959, Siem Praamsma was hired by Hanna-Barbera Studios, first as title artist and later as assistant animator on such shows as The Flintstones, Tom and Jerry, Johnny Quest, The Jetsons, Superman, Batman, The Smurfs and many other cartoons.

In 1983 Siem Praamsma retired to spend time travel, paint watercolors, and write. His stories, Geschrijf - Korte Verhaaltjes Naar Het Leven (Scribblings - Short Stories of Life) can also be read online at www.SiemPraamsma.com. Now almost 89, Siem Praamsma still lives with his wife Loeki (now 91), in Temecula, California. For more details see www.SiemPraamsma.com.
Ìmore photos coming soon.