Not too long ago, I experienced a moment where words fell short.
In difficult or beautiful moments, a simple touch can say more than words.
And sometimes… there are no words at all.
Category: Home
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When there are no words
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Presentation | Illustrations
For Professor Dr. G.J. van der Wilt, I had the opportunity to create illustrations for his presentation “Evaluating Medical Technology: How Do You Actually Do That?”
In the presentation, he advocates for bringing more empathy into healthcare and it was my task to translate that feeling into visuals.
Client: professor dr. G.J. van der Wilt
Year: 2025
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Soelaas | The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is an international movement and part of the universal Christian church. They believe in opportunities — in second chances, third chances, and every chance after that.
Their work includes professional care, community outreach, secondhand clothing services, and emergency aid for those who need it most.Soelaas Magazine No. 12 – ‘Times of need’
The Salvation Army wants to highlight how important mutual resilience is in times of need. Throughout the Netherlands, there are Salvation Army “living rooms” that offer support, warmth, food, and drinks to anyone who needs it.
Client: The Salvation Army
Year: 2025
Soelaas Magazine No. 11 – ‘Human Trafficking’
Human trafficking is a serious issue that often takes place under the radar. Victims are frequently unable or too afraid to speak out, while perpetrators operate in well-organized networks. The Salvation Army is committed to making a difference — supporting survivors and confronting this injustice.
The illustration for this issue was meant to reflect the gravity of the problem and visually convey the real emotions behind the experiences of victims.
Client: The Salvation Army
Year: 2025
Client’s feedback on the collaboration
Daniël – The Salvation Army
Malu is a versatile illustrator with a distinct and appealing style.
The illustrations we need vary greatly from project to project in terms of mood and the emotion we want to convey. Malu always manages to strike the right chord. The collaboration is smooth, and we can rely on her to deliver as agreed. -
Merch | Meervaart Jong Festival
Illustrations can serve many purposes — from posters and product lines to clothing designs, coloring pages, and more.
Meervaart Jong Festival
Each year, Meervaart Jong provides a stage for young artists, dancers, DJs, and actors through the Meervaart Jong Festival. Throughout the year, these young talents receive professional guidance in their craft. At the end of the season, their performances and creations are showcased during the festival.In 2024, I was asked to design the poster and merchandise for the event. I also had the opportunity to guide one of the atelier groups in creating their own exhibition. A meaningful experience in supporting young creatives on their journey of growth and expression.
Client: De Meervaart
Year: 2024
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Poster symbols | Personal work
Symbols can be a powerful addition to websites, social media, print materials, and more. In my work, I add flair and expression to symbols, taking them beyond the often clean and minimalistic designs you usually see.
Encouraging Poster
As part of my graduation project, alongside a documentary animation (shown under Animations), I designed an uplifting poster. This poster invites you to create your own bucket list, to dream big, and to chase those dreams. It’s a two-sided design: one half focuses on planning and setting goals, the other on celebrating what you’ve already achieved. Because sometimes we forget to pause and recognize how far we’ve already come.
Symbols Featured on the Interactive Website
You can view the full project and download your own A3 posters via the link below:
https://www.bymalu.nl/dedoodofdegladiolen
Interactive website created in collaboration with StudioParkers.Year: 2021
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Short animation | Luxor Global Cinema
Animation offers a powerful way to capture and share (abstract) stories in a creative manner. Do you have a (short) story that needs to be told? I’d love to help bring it to life visually.
Luxor Global Cinema
The Luxor Theater in Zutphen, one of the oldest cinemas in the Netherlands, wanted to go beyond mainstream programming and highlight non-Western films. Did you know that nearly 80% of all films come from Hollywood? Luxor aimed to offer a platform for broader perspectives and cinematic experiences.I was invited to support the launch of ‘Luxor Global Cinema’, an initiative that encourages a more engaged outlook and a borderless mindset. The animation I created features 8 diverse voices, coming together to deliver a powerful message about cultural diversity and film variety.
This animation is shown before screenings at the Luxor Theater as an introduction to their international film program.
Client: Luxor Theater
Year: 2022
Client on the collaboration
Hans – Luxor Theater Zutphen
Malu created a wonderful animated film for us, which we screened as a trailer before every movie for an entire year. Under the name Luxor Global Cinema, we wanted to show that our arthouse cinema is the place to watch films from all over the world — a contrast to commercial cinemas, where Hollywood dominates.
It’s a shame we only needed one film, because I would’ve happily made a new one with Malu every month!
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Glory or Grave | Graduation project
‘The Glory or the Grave’
An animation and personal poster about the search for a lifestyle of your own.Why should you work immediately after graduation and why can’t you give your life a big twist as an adult? Why live in a terraced house, enclosed by bricks when there are many more options? And, what if you don’t want to devote all your time to a full-time job?
In a conversation between father and daughter, the questions, doubts and most beautiful moments in a life are being shared. Centered around six major life themes, the maker leads you in an imaginative way through a lived life full of symbolism, emotion and color.
This animation goes beyond telling a story, and encourages you to define your own grandest goals and dreams.
Find the whole project here and compose your own poster:
https://bymalu.nl/dedoodofdegladiolen
The poster you can Download
Explore my work and that of my former classmates here:
https://2021.nowshow.nl/class-of-2021/de-dood-of-de-gladiolen
Year: 2021
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Musicvideo ‘Circle’ | Life’s Electric
I create narrative music videos using frame-by-frame animation, especially for musicians who want to visually enhance their story. Through my visuals, I aim to move, surprise, and add an extra layer to the music. My animations often include symbolism and surreal elements — because with animation, anything is possible. This way, a unique world is created that perfectly aligns with the mood and message of the song.
Circle – Life’s Electric
For the rock band Life’s Electric, I was commissioned to create an animation for their track ‘Circle’. The song is about the search for light in times of darkness.
Client: Life’s Electric
Year: 2020
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Booktrailer | Shortage is a big word
Animations are a perfect medium for creating book trailers. They immerse the viewer in a world and instantly set the tone—without giving too much away. A book trailer is an ideal way to spark curiosity and leave your audience wanting more.
Animation: Gebrek is een groot woord
As part of my studies, I was given the assignment to summarize the book Gebrek is een groot woord by Nina Polak in an animation and to design a new book cover.
In the animation, I focused on the symbolism and atmosphere of the story. By working with minimal elements, I aimed to capture the book’s essence and intrigue the viewer.
Boek in Beeld
Nina Polak selected three animations to be shown during Boek in Beeld, including mine.
HijsLight Rotterdam
In 2021, the animation Gebrek is een groot woord was selected to be projected during Hijs Lights in Rotterdam.
Design of the book cover
Year: 2019
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Lokkertje | The Police Academy
Animation is a powerful tool to make societal stories visible. Whether it’s sharing personal stories, highlighting social issues, or conveying important messages, animations have the ability to evoke emotions and create awareness in ways that words alone often cannot.
Animation: Lokkertje
I was approached by the Police Academy to visually bring to life a story from the everyday life of a police officer. The animation is used as learning material for police officers in training.The animation ‘Lokkertje’ tells the story of a pickpocket and undercover agents attempting to catch him. How will this situation unfold? The animation provides an educational and realistic look at police work and the techniques used to prevent crime.
The animations below are part of a larger animation exclusively created for the Police Academy.
Client: The Police Academy
Year: 2020
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Travel portraits | Personal work
In 2024–2025, I went on a seven-month solo journey through Europe. From helping out on a renovation project in France, to staying at a hostel in Gran Canaria, to spending a month freelancing on Madeira.
Along the way, I met many remarkable people. To capture these special encounters, I created portraits—each one linked to a life lesson they consciously or unconsciously shared with me.
This journey has encouraged me to travel more often and continue capturing those who and what fascinate me.
Year: 2025
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Various illustrations zine | Postmodem
As part of my education, I was challenged, together with a self-assembled team, to create and sell our own zine within six months. The result is a zine where we delve into an intriguing question: What if the internet shuts down?
My contribution consists of a series of six interactive illustration spreads. In these spreads, I questioned ten diverse people, you, and myself, about the role of the internet in our daily lives. The conversations that followed were translated into symbolic illustrations. Each spread contains multiple layers, which the reader can discover via a QR code that leads to additional content and reflections.
This project offers a unique experience where art and technology merge, and the question of the internet’s influence on our lives is explored visually and interactively.
All Zines are Sold Out
To read more about the project:Year: 2021
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Concept Illustrations | App about grief
My illustrations are more than just visual art – they are a way to make complex emotions and abstract processes visible. Whether it’s personal, emotional themes like grief or concepts still in development, I help bring ideas to life in a way that speaks to and touches people.
Grief Process Illustrations
For an app designed to provide support during the grief process, I developed two conceptual illustrations. My aim was to visually represent both the vulnerability and emptiness often felt in grief, as well as the growth and healing that is eventually possible.The images are meant to touch on the complexity of grief with a universal character. Grief knows no boundaries of age, background, or gender, and I wanted to create a representation that everyone could relate to. The grief process is personal, but it is also something we all go through.
Year: 2021
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OverHoop | The Salvation Army
For several editions of the Strijdkreet magazine – a publication by The Salvation Army about faith and purpose – I had the opportunity to create an illustrative spread.
Hope means being able to look towards the future with confidence and faith. It gives you the courage to keep going even when things get tough.
Magazine Overhoop Winter 2025
A Bible story in a modern twist — about a wealthy man and his celebration that takes an unexpected turn.
Opdrachtgever: Het Leger des Heils
Jaar: 2025
Strijdkreet Magazine – OverHoop
I was commissioned to translate a Bible story into a modern-day context. A story about letting go, adventure, setbacks, and the joy of reunion. The result is a colorful and uplifting illustration.
Client: The Salvation Army
Year: 2025
Magazine Hope – Christmas Edition of Strijdkreet
For this edition, the Christmas story was the central theme. I portrayed the journey of Joseph and Mary in a playful and contemporary way, using colors that align with The Salvation Army’s branding. A modern retelling of a timeless story.
You can view the full magazine above.
Client: The Salvation Army
Year: 2024
Client on the collaboration:
Coen – Salvation Army
We’ve now worked with Malu on several projects at the Salvation Army. In addition to a pleasant and professional collaboration, she delivers beautiful and high-quality work. Her illustrations are excellent, she contributes ideas, and is actively involved in the creative process. We’re always very happy and satisfied with the final result. -
Atmospheric Ilustrations | De Meervaart
Sometimes, a concept exists only as an idea or in words – and that’s where illustration comes in. Atmospheric visuals are ideal for bringing developing plans to life or reinforcing existing ideas. Think of them as a visual summary of your company, vision, or concept. Illustrations make the abstract visible and tangible.
The New Meervaart
For De Meervaart, I created an atmospheric illustration of their future location – a vibrant place that flows with the seasons. Since the building is still in development, an illustration is a powerful way to convey the project’s ambiance and intent. A great example of how imagery can stay one step ahead of reality.
Client: De Meervaart
Year: 2021
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Various Illustrations | The Red Cross
Commissioned by the Red Cross, I created illustrations for their social media channels.
The Red Cross supports people in need – including here in the Netherlands. Their work includes emergency shelter, food assistance, and first aid support. They also raise awareness around social issues, such as food insecurity.
Article: “Food Insecurity in the Netherlands”
Full article:
https://www.rodekruis.nl/nieuwsbericht/voedselnood-in-nederland-cherrel-eet-soms-twee-dagen-niet
Client: The Red Cross
Year: 2023
Article: “No Money for Groceries”
Full article:
Client: The Red Cross
Year: 2023
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Travel illustrations Azores | Personal work
In 2021, I spent five weeks traveling through the Azores – a place that completely stole my heart. The overwhelming nature, the calm, the ocean always nearby, and the mild climate… it truly felt like coming home.
During this trip, I didn’t just observe as a visitor. I also carried with me a quiet question: Could I live here someday?
As the last illustration shows, the island also felt limiting at times. Being surrounded by water is beautiful, but it also brings a certain sense of isolation. For now, moving to the Azores is off the table — but who knows, that might change again someday…
Year: 2022