Sleepyheads

‘Sleepyheads’ is a poetic fable about a couple of dreamers who dream another dream within their dream and then enter into that dream, only to dream another dream, and so on. As the title suggests, this book has a very meditative, dreamlike quality. It reads like a long journey through the infinite world of the imagination. At the beginning of the book, the story seems to consist of short, individual anecdotes. As you read on, it becomes clear that, in spite of the unexpected twists and turns, everything forms a coherent whole in which the ideas flow together seamlessly.

The stylistic influences of Christophe Blain and Blutch are clearly present in Randall Casaer’s work, but the exuberant scribble technique of the ‘nouvelle bande dessinée à la flamande’ (new Flemish-style graphic novel) and the feather-light scenes scattered almost casually throughout the book also demonstrate his very individual touch. Colour is another important element of this illustrator’s unique style: lots of soft shades with usually just one dominant hue.