Marit Jansen - illustrator and graphic designer

On this page: information about me, my poetry bundle Blauwe Muren, education and work experience and skills.

Notebooks, journals, the corners of high school textbooks – they were always filled with small illustrations throughout elementary and high school. I’ve always known that I wanted to study something with art and creating. Graphic design was appealing to me, because I wanted to learn how to digitalise the art I made in my sketchbooks.

 

Being able to digitalise my art, and to create designs using all sorts of programs, opened an entire new world for me. I’m always up to learning new skills and improving them. Aside from creating interesting designs, having fun is still an important part of my work to me. On study breaks, I like to draw quick 1-5 minute illustrations, and the corners of notebooks are still filled with illustrations. If I’m on the train home and I’ve finished my book, I’ll take out my iPad or sketchbook and illustrate whatever is on my mind at the time.

 

Aside from graphic design and art, I enjoy going to concerts and festivals, bringing my bright yellow camera with me to take photos of the artists and my friends. I also love acting, reading and poetry. I’ve released a poetry bundle and because I still write poetry, I expect to release another one in the future.

 

I’ve recently graduated as a graphic designer at Grafisch Lyceum Utrecht. As of September 2023, I’m an Illustration major at Willem de Kooning Academy Rotterdam. I’m very excited to learn more skills and to keep experimenting with art.

You can visit my LinkedIn here

Blauwe Muren - selected poems

The poems below are a few selected ones from my Dutch poetry bundle “Blauwe Muren”. The poems in the bundle are about a number of subjects and feelings such as grief and loss, but also about love and joy.

 

“Dat je nog jong bent dat je nog zo veel mag beleven, dat de tijd niet op raakt en dat niks gehaast hoeft. Dat je nog kunt ontdekken, plaatsen en mensen en jezelf. Dat je nog vrij mag zijn en jezelf mag zijn en jezelf vindt en dat je ervan houdt. Dat er nog zo veel deuren zijn die nog dicht zijn of die je nog niet eens hebt gezien. Dat er nog zo veel mensen in de toekomst zijn die zo veel van je gaan houden. Dat je nog een heel leven, een hele wereld voor je hebt.

Dat alles nog kan”

 

“Kunstliefhebber, levensgenieter, zonaanbidder. Schrijver, dichter, danser in de veiligheid van mijn eigen kamer.

Hartenbreker, piekeraar, eeuwige twijfelaar. Verlangende, vaste gast van verdriet, gedwongen optimist.

Ik ben het allemaal, en elke keer als ik opsta, vraag ik me af: welke rol speel ik vandaag?”

 

“ik wil huilen
en schreeuwen
tot mijn stem schor is
en ik wil dat
iemand van me houdt
en ik wil dat
mijn hart nooit meer breekt”

 

“Ik droomde weer over haar.
In mijn dromen zijn we alles wat ik wil zijn. Als ik wakker word durf ik haar niet aan te kijken.”

 

Interested to read the rest? You can find the bundle here.

Education and work experience

Henry Moodie posing for my camera during his Amsterdam show

Kandinsky college, HAVO
(September 2014 – June 2019)
Graduated.
With extra French and English lessons. Certificates achieved

 

 

Grafisch Lyceum Utrecht, graphic design
(September 2019 – June 2023)

Graduated.
With extra subjects Package Design and Illustration.

 

Het Bureau, graphic design
(2020-2021)

Initiative from Grafisch Lyceum Utrecht. Design agencies consisting of up to four students, who work with clients. Het Bureau was created as a way to introduce students to working on external projects. During this period of time, the design agency I was in, MADM Design, worked for Sam’s Choice (Corporate identity, website, cards, business card, snack book, cheque, flyer), Onderwijs OMT (Corporal identity, website, writing paper set), Balans Nieuwegein (Local newspaper).

 

Doorrood, graphic design intern
(January 31st – July 1st 2022)

My first internship was at Doorrood, an advertising agency in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands. During my time here as a graphic design intern, I worked on website design, posters, flyers, informative folders, branding, package design, logo design, product sheets, social media posts.

 

Doorrood, graphic designer (parttime)
(July 1st – August 3rd 2022)

After my internship, I started a short summer job as a graphic designer. Tasks include the same as during my internship.

 

Lindenholt Leeft, graphic designer
(July 1st – September 1st 2022)

Lindenholt Leeft is an informational magazine of my neighbourhood. It is used to spread news and information about activities in the neighbourhood.

 

Doorrood, graphic design intern
(August 22nd 2022 – January 27th 2023)

At the end of August, I started my next internship at Doorrood. Tasks include working on branding, posters, flyers, social media posts, app design, website design, package design, corporative identity design.

 

Willem de Kooning Academy, Illustration

(September 2023 – present)

At the end of the summer of 2023, I started at WDKA. I’m excited to learn new things and see what challenges it’ll bring!

Skills: programs and languages

The majority of the programs I work with are Adobe programs. The ones I use the most are Adobe Indesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe XD and ProCreate. 


Aside from those programs, I am learning to work with Adobe Animate, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects and Adobe Dimensions.


I speak Dutch and English fluently, and a little German. I’m an optimistic person and like to think in solutions instead of problems. I am quick to think “outside the box”, and I like to explore all kinds of possibilities so I can create a unique design.


If this website has made you curious, and you are in need of a graphic design, simply fill out a form on my contact page to get in touch with me, or contact me on my Instagram.