INDEX
INTERNSHIP:WEEK1
WEEK2
WEEK3
WEEK4
WEEK5
WEEK6
WEEK7
START-UP:
WEEK1
WEEK2
WEEK3
WEEK4
Welcome dear reader!
I’m Amal, an illustrator with a fondness for all things cozy and just a little bit creepy. My worlds are filled with cats, ghosts, crooked old cottages, and stories of the mysterious sort. My biggest focus for my internship period is to delve into the world of picture book making.
At the top right, you will find my startup plan.
Below you will find my internship and start-up plan, and a brief overview about my illustration journey over the next period.
the Startup plan
PHASE 1
Internship/ Mentorship with Anne Roos Kleiss in Rotterdam for one day a week. (+/-80 hours)
Dates: Internship: 04/11/25 - 19/12/25
Mentorship: 01/01/26 - 28/02/26
Internship main goal & tasks:
I’m Amal, an illustrator with a fondness for all things cozy and just a little bit creepy. My worlds are filled with cats, ghosts, crooked old cottages, and stories of the mysterious sort. My biggest focus for my internship period is to delve into the world of picture book making.
At the top right, you will find my startup plan.
Below you will find my internship and start-up plan, and a brief overview about my illustration journey over the next period.
the Startup plan
PHASE 1
Internship/ Mentorship with Anne Roos Kleiss in Rotterdam for one day a week. (+/-80 hours)
Dates: Internship: 04/11/25 - 19/12/25
Mentorship: 01/01/26 - 28/02/26
Internship main goal & tasks:
-Help Anne Roos with a large childrens diorama for an exhibition in Utrecht.
-Help with miscellaneous things around the studio i.e prepping shop items, scanning original paintings, organising the studio. -Learn about finding work and diverse creative income paths.
-Help with miscellaneous things around the studio i.e prepping shop items, scanning original paintings, organising the studio. -Learn about finding work and diverse creative income paths.
Mentorship main goal & tasks:
-Seek feedback on my short story illustration project
-Seek feedback as I begin to prepare for my startup project
-Seek feedback as I begin to prepare for my startup project
-Create a picturebook dummy
-Practice picture making
Other Goals:-Attend markets as a maker
-Enter open calls/competitions
-Promote my work on instagram
-Practice picture making
Other Goals:-Attend markets as a maker
-Enter open calls/competitions
-Promote my work on instagram
Why I think this is a good and relevant step for me to tak eat this point of my career:
...................................................................................WEEK 1
After lunch I packed the cards in a pack of 5 each with envelopes and chatted to Anne Roos about products and having a shop.
I learned:
-Its not a huge part of her income but mostly because she enjoys doing it.
-Other parts of her business cover the expenses for this or any losses.
-This is mostly for when people ask if they can buy something, she directs them to her Etsy shop.
Then it was scketchbooking time again. I worked further with the explorations for my short horror story and Anne Roos took some time to give me the following feedback:
Feedback:
-Explore my characters with different poses.
-Explore what the house looks like, maybe this can influence my story.
-Keeping it black and white and inspired by the photographs is a good call.
-Take a look at Lena Dunham’s Too Much.
-Take a look at Pam Smy.
Some of my sketchbook pages:
I had a chance to look through Anne Roos’ picturebook collection and loved this one by Beatrice Alemagna. Its so special with the hot pink details and the spontaneous feeling. I wish to have that feeling in my work.
The Marvelous Fluffy Squishy Itty Bitty:
After that I helped organise all the marker pens by type. There was alot but by the end I was pleased with how neat it all looked.
Things I want to ask about: On approaching publishers, getting new jobs, first jobs after graduation and writing picture books.
WEEK 2
A wonderful start to the morning: MILA the studio assistant!
After some pets with Mila, I began the day with talking to
Anne Roos about my progress with my short story and we discussed my next steps. She was positive about what I have so far.Here are some examples:
After our chat, I worked a bit further in my sketchbook and then turned my focus to getting back to the christmas cards, I managed to put together what was remaining.
We then discussed what would be a good size for the Childrens Diaorama. I think we will probably start on that next week since she is still waiting for the green light with the design.
After lunch I began scanning sketchbook pages that Anne Roos would like to turn into postcards. I then colour corrected them in Lightroom.
Anne Roos then showed me the current picture book that she is working on. It’s a non fiction about carnivals. A lot of it was already complete and looked wonderful. Its so special to see the process of making a picturebook.
Then we sat down and I got to ask her all the questions that I’ve been dying to ask. Here is some of the interview:
Amal: Have you ever approached a publisher yourself?
Anne Roos: Yes, after graduating from my Masters, I had an idea for a book. I researched all the publishers that I wanted to work for and sent them a book dummy. I heard back from two publishers. One of them was more enthusiastic than the other and so I decided to go with them. We had a chance to meet at Balogna book fair after I reached out to them and we talked more.
A: How was Bologna Book Fair?
AR: It was nice but a bit overwhelming. The whole fair is more for publishers and selling the rights to other publishers to create the book in other languages etc.
A: Ah I see, so then what would a way a good way to find opportunities?
AR: Mostly by chance. With the diaroma for example, it was shared in the group chat of the keile studios and so I just applied for the open call and got it.
A: Besides that, what other ways do you think are a good way to be seen by potential clients?
AR: Entering competitions is a good idea, there’s the AOI, The Klause Flugge Prize, Bologna Contests, dPictus, iJungle Award, Shanghai Childrens Book Fair competition.
Anne Roos: Yes, after graduating from my Masters, I had an idea for a book. I researched all the publishers that I wanted to work for and sent them a book dummy. I heard back from two publishers. One of them was more enthusiastic than the other and so I decided to go with them. We had a chance to meet at Balogna book fair after I reached out to them and we talked more.
A: How was Bologna Book Fair?
AR: It was nice but a bit overwhelming. The whole fair is more for publishers and selling the rights to other publishers to create the book in other languages etc.
A: Ah I see, so then what would a way a good way to find opportunities?
AR: Mostly by chance. With the diaroma for example, it was shared in the group chat of the keile studios and so I just applied for the open call and got it.
A: Besides that, what other ways do you think are a good way to be seen by potential clients?
AR: Entering competitions is a good idea, there’s the AOI, The Klause Flugge Prize, Bologna Contests, dPictus, iJungle Award, Shanghai Childrens Book Fair competition.
A: Wow! thank you, I will keep these in mind. Do you know of any types of grants that would be good to apply for when I’m just starting out?
AR: Yes, grants would be good to think about. There’s the Stimuleringsfond, Letterenfonds and CBK Rotterdam grant.
A: Thanks, speaking of first starting out. What was the first thing you did after graduating?
AR: When I graduated from WDKA, I had my graduation project which was a drawing machine, I called The Time Machine. I would draw peoples memories. I started doing it at festivals. I also made a bakery bus design for a friends father. On the side I also had a part time job while I saved for my Masters programme.
After graduating from my Masters in the UK, I made Choices (Book). I also then got an agent. She had followed me on Instagram and so i decided to email her and see if she would be interested in working together. Its really nice to have an agent, especially when its a territory you don’t know.
AR: Yes, grants would be good to think about. There’s the Stimuleringsfond, Letterenfonds and CBK Rotterdam grant.
A: Thanks, speaking of first starting out. What was the first thing you did after graduating?
AR: When I graduated from WDKA, I had my graduation project which was a drawing machine, I called The Time Machine. I would draw peoples memories. I started doing it at festivals. I also made a bakery bus design for a friends father. On the side I also had a part time job while I saved for my Masters programme.
After graduating from my Masters in the UK, I made Choices (Book). I also then got an agent. She had followed me on Instagram and so i decided to email her and see if she would be interested in working together. Its really nice to have an agent, especially when its a territory you don’t know.
WEEK 2 THOUGHTS: I’m having alot of fun so far. Having the opportunity to ask an illustrator these type of questions is a dream come true!! The only thing, thats in my way is trying to make anything new. I feel rusty. I’ve been so focued on the Portfolio and trying to get a mentor etc that I didnt make a lot of time for me and my sketchbook.
WEEK 3
The diorama work begins! I began the day with sanding down the edges of the boxes which Anne Roos prepared. Got a nasty splinter in my finger but managed to get it out.
After cleaning the wooden boxes, we put them back into the studio and I got to priming. This took up most of the day.
After, we sat down and looked through my new explorations in my sketchbook. We also had a chat about finding the joy in my work and some other tips to keep me in the flow:
-Set a timer. It keeps things loose and fast enough that you dont have time to overthink.
-Get prompts from a friend or fellow creative and draw them. Drawing things out of your comfort zone is great practice.
-But also don’t forget to draw things that you love to draw. This is where your spark is recharged.
-Remember that this happens to everyone.
-Use a different type of crayon or medium for unexpected outcomes.
Anne Roos also assured me that my work still looks consistant, and I’m still making a lot, so thats good.
We also spoke about tufting and how I would really like to learn it. She suggested I come to the studio February, for 1 day a week and she can teach me. yay!
In other news: I recieved this gift for my birthday. Puck Koper mentioned that this is the picturebook bible. Excited to get into it!
In other other news: Nicholas sent through the signed agreement for the startup :)
In other other other news: I’m going to Grafixx Festival this weekend!
WEEK 3 THOUGHTS: I’m excited that we are now working on the diorama. I’ve never worked with wood before but I think its a great medium for illustration. I think by next week the diorama shapes will be cut by Anne Roos but I still want to get in on that. It looks like alot of fun to cut with the saw machine.
Also, hoping to be expired after this weekend in Antwerp:)
WEEK 4
On todays to do list:
I also got to meet Laura Carlin and got a signed copy of her London: A History book.
................................................................................WEEK 5
On todays to-do list:
I begun with the box frames:
Mila appreciation pic:
I then moved onto the inside of the box
I begun with the box frames:
Mila appreciation pic:
I then moved onto the inside of the box
The to-do list:
I painted inside the box and then moved onto the frames
After that I moved onto putting together shop orders.
I painted inside the box and then moved onto the frames
After that I moved onto putting together shop orders.
heres the round thingy painted up. It will be a sun that can be rotated:
When it was time to go, Anne Roos suprised me with a gift of postcards, her picturebook Choices and some candles. Such a kind gesture. I’m very looking forward to the opening of the diorama in February next year.