Mareike Ammersken

Illustrator

For the child's perspective

Mareike worked as an educator before and while she studied illustration
She illustrates emotionally charged subject matters
She discovered illustrating with an iPad to pass the time on her commute to university

Mareike Ammersken spent most of her childhood surrounded by paper and pens. As a child, she attended a panting school run by an artist, which she enthusiastically looked forward to every week. For a long time, she did not consider making a career out of her talent. Mareike studied teaching and social studies and worked as an educator before enrolling in HAW's renowned illustrator course. Upon arriving at the school, she knew she was in the right place and in the second semester, she decided to illustrate children's books. For her thesis, Mareike wrote her own children's book about grieving for a beloved pet, When Angels Bark. In her Illustrations she conveys a lot of emotion in a clear and easy to understand manner without overwhelming children.

Interview

Does your experience as an educator help you create children's books?: I gained a good understanding of teaching from it. Due to my experience working with children, I am able to put myself in their shoes even better. As I work on a book, I consider what my readers' interests are and how I might provide useful learning impulses.
What is your creative process?: A storyboard containing quick sketches is created once I have received the story text from the publisher along with information about the size and number of pages of the book. The most challenging part of the process is to conceptualise the project and choose the right style. Once all the details about the mood and aesthetics have been clarified, I can begin drawing freely.
How do you use digital media?: During my illustrator studies in Hamburg, I commuted three hours a day. To be able to draw at this time, I worked intensively on how to illustrate on the iPad. Throughout the process, I focused on making the drawings look as close to the original coloured pencil as possible. If I had not spent so much time on the train, I probably would not have acquired this expertise.
How do you find working with an agent?: The children and young adult book market is an extremely competitive business. I was lucky enough to learn about Carolin Steffens and her agency Bilderkammer after the publication of my first book. Having someone who constantly approaches new projects and prepares business and contractual negotiations is and was extremely helpful to me.

Mareike Ammersken is a rising star: she began her career in 2016