In Conversation With Hatem Aly The Bright Agency

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 3, 2025, 9:30 AM

in conversation with hatem aly the bright agency

We caught up with Hatem Aly, represented by James Burns, and spoke all about his creative process, inspirations and advice. Read our conversation below. When I’m preparing to illustrate a book, I read it several times to get a feel for the story and the characters, and to identify the book’s central themes and what makes it stand... I try to take notes or write down keywords to help me focus, I have a natural tendency to come up with new ideas after I finish some spreads. I’m not the most methodical or organized artist. There is a strange mix of excitement and frustration.

I still feel like I’m looking for this uniqueness, or rather rejecting it and becoming annoyed by it when it comes to me, in the same way you cringe when you hear your voice... Never mind the source, sometimes getting an idea is like catching a fly: you’d be better off letting it land on you rather than trying to catch it. The persistent thought that I really ought to try to get it right this time around is a driving force, but I can’t afford to take my time. So, I’ve found that the best way for me to get started is to make a rough draft (or two) on a small scale and without any details, allowing ideas to come to me... At this stage, or even before, I make very rough sketches of a few characters as I try to figure out how they should look. It’s more like putting together a piece of furniture: you leave some of the screws undone until you’re sure everything fits together correctly, and then you go back and tighten them.

Although I now enjoy being a bookmaker, I didn’t initially pursue making picture books because I grew up reading mostly comics in magazines and some old-fashioned children’s books with few pictures or poor printing... I owe a lot to my childhood reading of comics and books in general. I’d like to do more comics but, for the time being, I’m content to experiment with various aspects of being a visual storyteller while also honing my writing skills. But that’s not all: I find my family, friends, pets, and everyday life to be very inspiring, and they have a significant impact on my work. I studied Fine Arts but wasn’t sure what I’d do with it, but I hoped to be a cartoonist or graphic novelist one day. I worked for magazines, animation studios, and advertising agencies with a few opportunities to illustrate books but, once I did, I fell in love with picture books and illustrating books for all ages.

It took years to get anywhere with my work but I was able to keep myself busy by taking on projects of varying sizes until I was ready to specialize. Moving to Canada in 2007 slowed down the pace of my journey, and while maintaining relationships with previous clients, it was difficult to feel confident about the future. Thankfully, things have gone well so far, and I am thankful for everything that has happened and excited for what the future holds. It’s strange to say, but I believe that when life becomes difficult you want your loved ones to feel like they supported you for something worthwhile, so you activate some kind of turbo mode... This gradually gives you more freedom to work better, much like a paved road full of stores after a muddy rural one. Hatem Aly is an Egyptian-born illustrator whose work has been featured on television and in publications worldwide.

His illustrations span a wide range of formats, including editorial work, children’s books, storyboards, and comics. He is the illustrator of the New York Times bestselling picture book The Proudest Blue. Hatem currently lives in New Brunswick, Canada, with his wife, son, and more pets than people. Hatem Aly is represented by James Burns — to work with Hatem please email James Luctus ornare integer vel, aliquam tempus, orci venenatis. Pellentesque sed interdum at faucibus sed laoreet duis.

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As 2019 comes to an end, we reflect on all of the wonderful projects that have published over the last twelve months. It has been an especially busy year for Bright artist Hatem Aly! We were thrilled to chat with Hatem about his creative process behind his latest picture book, The Proudest Blue, which published with Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in September 2019. Written by Olympic medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad and Morris Award finalist S.K. Ali, The Proudest Blue is an uplifting, universal story of new experiences, the unbreakable bond between siblings, and of being proud of who you are. Since its publication, it has received abundant praise from reviewers including starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and School Library Journal, and quickly earned a spot on the New York Times Best Sellers...

We caught up with Hatem about how he connected with the book on a personal level and the illustrations that brought this powerful book to life. I remember reading the manuscript for the first time and going silent in awe; I was taken by the beautiful writing. I grew up in a home with colorful scarves around with all sorts of beautiful materials, textures, and sizes. I played with them plenty as a child, and sometimes I’d help my mother put them on. At times, they seemed like waves when I ran with them or wore them as capes. Trying to keep them straight as a result of my super speed or time travelling was always difficult, and they were always wavy!

These memories as a child helped with how the fabric feels and moves, and how it could blend with surroundings. I thought about how proud my mother looked when she put on a pattern she liked. Unfortunately, the hijab provokes some people to find reasons to say hurtful things about those who wear it and their faith. I’ve seen the struggle of those who try to block these hurtful words and cease any given power to them, and that was one of the reasons I gave the mockers in the book... Their words are like a cloud of dust. “This sensitive representation of family relationships that provide a loving coat of armor against the world’s difficulties is memorable and inspiring.

Bullies are depicted as faceless shadows, emphasizing the importance of discounting what they say…Triumphant and true” — Kirkus (Starred Review) I sort of allowed the characters and their personalities to tell me how they looked. Faizah’s feelings, thoughts, and observations allow her to access her imagination and contemplate the situation while still watching over her older sister; she is proud, smart and creative. Asiyaa and her friends stand their ground and don’t allow the bullying to escalate. They are a good group of friends, so I showed them as such. I also experimented with some different ways to wear the hijab but ended up going with a simple one.

What better way to start the year than by taking a look at the fantastic new releases out this month? --- Take a look ➡️ http://ow.ly/XrNa50Mh3EM September 2025 | Volume XLIII, Issue 3 » September 2, 2025 Becca Boland, Illinois Library Association From the bustling streets of Cairo to the quiet corners of New Brunswick, Canada, illustrator Hatem Aly has navigated a path as dynamic and expressive as the artwork he creates. Born and raised in Egypt’s capital, Aly moved to Canada in 2007 and brought with him a passion for visual storytelling that has since flourished in the world of children’s literature.

“I’ve been drawing and making up stories–mostly comics–since I can remember,” Aly says. Despite a lifelong interest in art, he didn’t always see illustration as his destined career. “It didn’t feel like a calling. I was still figuring out what I could do in life.” He studied fine arts but remained unsure of where it would lead. Although he didn’t grow up with picture books, comic books deeply influenced his understanding of visual storytelling.

Over time, small illustration projects and personal experimentation sparked a deeper love for the craft. “That’s when I fell in love with it and wanted to do more. Yes, please.” We caught up with #BrightArtist Hatem Aly, represented by #BrightAgent James Burns, and spoke all about his creative process, inspirations and advice. Take a look > http://ow.ly/XuPB50MV6V8 We caught up with Hatem Aly, represented by James Burns, and spoke all about his creative process, inspirations and advice.

Read our conversation below. When I’m preparing to illustrate a book, I read it several times to get a feel for the story and the characters, and to identify the book’s central themes and what makes it stand... I try to take notes or write down keywords to help me focus, I have a natural tendency to come up with new ideas after I finish some spreads. I’m not the most methodical or organized artist. There is a strange mix of excitement and frustration. I still feel like I’m looking for this uniqueness, or rather rejecting it and becoming annoyed by it when it comes to me, in the same way you cringe when you hear your voice...

Never mind the source, sometimes getting an idea is like catching a fly: you’d be better off letting it land on you rather than trying to catch it. The persistent thought that I really ought to try to get it right this time around is a driving force, but I can’t afford to take my time. So, I’ve found that the best way for me to get started is to make a rough draft (or two) on a small scale and without any details, allowing ideas to come to me... At this stage, or even before, I make very rough sketches of a few characters as I try to figure out how they should look. It’s more like putting together a piece of furniture: you leave some of the screws undone until you’re sure everything fits together correctly, and then you go back and tighten them. Although I now enjoy being a bookmaker, I didn’t initially pursue making picture books because I grew up reading mostly comics in magazines and some old-fashioned children’s books with few pictures or poor printing...

I owe a lot to my childhood reading of comics and books in general. I’d like to do more comics but, for the time being, I’m content to experiment with various aspects of being a visual storyteller while also honing my writing skills. But that’s not all: I find my family, friends, pets, and everyday life to be very inspiring, and they have a significant impact on my work. I studied Fine Arts but wasn’t sure what I’d do with it, but I hoped to be a cartoonist or graphic novelist one day. I worked for magazines, animation studios, and advertising agencies with a few opportunities to illustrate books but, once I did, I fell in love with picture books and illustrating books for all ages. It took years to get anywhere with my work but I was able to keep myself busy by taking on projects of varying sizes until I was ready to specialize.

In Conversation With Hatem Aly The Bright Agency

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