Hartjes continued and told us that as she got older, her dream came true: “I’ve worked as a cartoonist and comic artist for magazines and newspapers and published several comic books. When the pandemic hit, I became very active on Instagram, making relatable and informative comics.”
As for the topic that became a major inspiration for the illustrator, Maaike mentioned: “Black Lives Matter inspired me to learn more about racism and from there I started drawing more about social issues besides relatable personal stuff.”
We were wondering how the Dutch artist comes up with ideas for her new comics. We found out: “I get inspiration from my daily life and the news + internet. It often starts with something that makes me happy or upset. Then I start thinking of how I can pour those ideas and feelings into a comic or cartoon.”
Next, asked about some of her influences in the world of comedy and humor, Hartjes told us she doesn’t follow lots of funny content, but mostly accounts with beautiful art work or activist content. She said: “My latest inspiration is Joris Lechêne who has a lot of historical knowledge and makes really funny and interesting videos. He also deals wonderfully with backlash from trolls and racists.
"I also like the more activist comics of Sophie Labelle, she taught me a lot about transgender people, and Koreangry is unapologetically (but funny) angry about racism. @yesimhotinthis makes a lot of funny comics about her experiences as a Muslim woman. I admire how they mix activism with humor.”
