How it all started
Creating colorful things started at a young age. When Maaike was a little girl she began each day with a little drawing just before going to school. Every day things would be the subject of the image. Her parents supported her creative skills with a new pack of pencils each week and at 8 she was attending a Montessori school where she could express her creativity in art and music classes. After graduating from Graphic Lyceum she got into the prestigious Royal Art Academy in The Hague. Now almost a decade later and years of experience in the design industry she now runs here own Little Smilemakers Studio. Working on commissions for clients all over the globe, she also has a huge royalty free collection of her artwork available at Shutterstock where she was also a Grant Price Winner for her Shutterstock Story.
Designs by Maaike Boot can be found all over the world. Her fun and colorful designs are sold in small boutiques and large retail stores like Urban Outfitters and Target but also published in Magazines and News Papers.
As an artist, I can find inspiration in everyday things — but traveling, that's a whole different creative source. Maybe it's the need to feel connected to the bigger picture, or a different culture; or to get more insight into who I am and explore things from another perspective. Maybe it's simply stepping away from my routine and overlooking things from a distance. But one thing is for sure: traveling provides an endless flow of inspiration, and there's an entire world to explore - interview Shutterstock Blog - July 2014
Inspiration
According to Maaike inspiration can be be just around the corner, from hotdog stands, a stormy sky, traveling and experiencing new cultures, but all so the little things she might have enjoyed as a little girl growing up, all these small things are translated into colorful designs. If you look at her work you might see the joy and simplicity only but all these designs carry another story as well.
