Jean-Luc Béghin

Jean-Luc Béghin is a draftsman and Belgian illustrator born with Brussels in 1939. Collaborator of the Newspaper of Tintin (the Sixties) and especially of Spirou (years 60,70 and 80), specialist in the headings aviations, it emigrated in the United States towards 1976.

Biography

In 1944, five years old, the Jean-Luc young person lived several experiments which marked it with life, during the release of Brussels by the American, British and Canadian troops. Its universe fills suddenly of spangled and coloured flags, white stars, again words and of the single perfume of the " Lucky Strikes". At his place, it is a constant procession of G.I and Tommies for which that his/her mother played piano of the airs of Boogie-woogie and of swing. Very impressed, Jean-Luc chews his first shelf of chewing-gum and tastes with other imported pleasures of America that are the bars " Milky-Way" and bars of chocolate " Hershey' s". Sometimes, one deposits it at the school in the Jeep or G.M.C. He discovers its first film in 1945: Pinocchio. It can even approach closely a flying fortress as well as a P-51 Mustang during a public exposure in the park of Brussels. For Béghin, all that is equivalent to a voyage in Disneyland before even as this one was not created! For this time, a lucky star has entered the life of Béghin… In fact lucky star, they would be even rather fifty lucky stars as well as the red and white bands which accompany them. Indeed, nearly thirty years later, its rève of child was carried out: He became American citizen!

The love and the passion of Béghin for aviation are not the fruit of the chance. They find their sources in the fascination which the young boy for the flying machines tested which crossed in the skies during the second world war. It is at that time, as of the nursery school, which it draws its first sketches of planes. It will continue throughout its schooling. During the Fifties, it makes the meeting of Jidéhem via his brother with whom it was in class. Jidéhem corrects its first drawings to him and opens even a day to him the door of the mythical workshop of the street of Peru occupied then by Franquin, Roba, Jidéhem and the colourist Vermeulen (Phumiphon). Consequently, two passions will cohabit, amalgamate and will not leave it any more: aviation and the drawing.

Little time after, thanks to the success of a contest, Béghin enters to the studio of the editions Dupuis. It learns the bits there from the trade of illustrator. " cutting of crayon" with inking. It crosses amongst other things there Yvan Delporte and Charles Jadoul. On a scenario of this last, it makes its first " minis-récit": Bertrand the crusher. It also signs some advertizing illustrations there (Citroen) we are with the beginning of the year sixty.

It then carries out its military service with Malines, during which it illustrates a " history of Jeep" for the magazine of the army " Our troops/Eleven macht". This magazine being printed at the same place as the Newspaper of Tintin, that allows him " to put a pied" in the large house. It will integrate the studio of the Tintin newspaper at the end of its time under the flags.

At Tintin, under the direction of Evany (Edouard Van Nijverseel) it crosses many high-speed motorboats of the newspaper: Greg, Tibet, Macherot, Weinberg, Attanasio or Jean Graton, for which he will collaborate in the album " Indianapolis" of Valiant Michel (not credited).

Hergé him to even proposed him to join its studio but Béghin does not have cure of it. Environment " Tintin" is not appropriate to him. What it wishes, it is to join " the crazy peoples" of at Dupuis! (sic)

It thus joined the team Spirou for the second time in 1963 (while continuing an episodical collaboration with Tintin until 1968: some editorial " technologiques" , illustrations of plays, etc…) The first years will be primarily devoted to the illustrations of the " corner of the dégourdis" (plays) and of the " fureteur" , vacant places left by Eddy Paape left at… Tintin! It also signs several " Uncle Paul " (in 65,67,68,69 and 70) as well as " chart blanche". Also at that time (beginning of the year 70), it finds Jidéhem with which it collaborates on many headings " Starter".

But where it truly will be dissociated, it in the editorial one is devoted to aviation. In particular by its articles - true reports in the middle of the air missions its many illustrations and photographs but especially by its famous posters and reproductions " you are in the cockpit". Thanks to a single prospect and a concern of the details pushed to the extreme, there will be really the impression to be with the orders of the machines represented (Beautiful-XS1, Douglas C-47, F-16 or B-747 to quote only some of them). Always for the newspaper, Béghin will carry out several reports in the United States, amongst other things to assist with the takeoff of the lunar mission Apollo 16. Following the success of the articles, its notoriety unceasingly growing in the mediums of aviation enables him to fly on many types of planes: Fouga Magister, T33, F-104 starfighter. He becomes member of honor of the 350 Fighter Squadron of the Belgian air force as well as 439 fighter Squadron of the Canadian air force. Many meetings come to enamel its traverses: Jacques Tiziou, Pierre Clostermann or his friend Pierre Scraping-knife, a commander of 747 who one day made him share 20 minutes unforgettable operations of combat on board a P-51D Mustang.

Side drawing, after its removal with State-Plain (1976), the meetings also follow one another: Milton Penknife, Charles Shultz, Robert " Bob" Mc Cal, etc…

From now on installed in the new world, Béghin continues its collaboration with the newspaper of spirou but the headings adopt a tone more " U.S.". Its " good kisses of California " make discover the " Golden delicious state" to thousands of small European readers. Always abundantly illustrated (photographs and drawings), its chronicles describe with wonder the " californian way off life" under all its aspects: culinary, sportsman, cultural, automobile, etc

In 1982/83, It starts " If America were to me contée" : a weekly description of the 51 states of America. Then in 1984, they are the adventures of " Hubert H Rainbow" , a series of gags in a board which will continue during two years (end in 1986) pretext to be always made discover California with the readers. With the end of Hubert, collaboration with Spirou is completed.

Without giving up the drawing, Béghin then joined the American office of the company " Air France " , for which it becomes during nearly twenty years " chief of the operations to the sol" in Los Angeles airport.

Reprocessed since 2005, Béghin is devoted now fully to its two passions by taking again the illustration of cockpits and the development of its impressive collection of " objects; aviations" accumulated during many years. Béghin is devoted also fully to its family. In addition, it has just started a collaboration with the French magazine Aviasport which publishes a new series of chronicles centered on aviation in California.

Publications

Charles Lindbergh , Jean-Luc Beghin - Pierre Sparaco, ED. Dupuis 1977
F16 high-speed motorboat of the United States Air Force , Jean-Luc Beghin - Pierre Sparaco, ED. Dupuis 1978

Random links: