about catladyuniverse

About the artist

My name is Bianca van Beek and I’m a 23-year-old illustrator. I graduated the Bachelor Design: Illustrated and Animated Storytelling in june 2022. I love telling stories, spreading a message and capturing memories in illustration.

As a mixed media illustrator I always go for a custom approach in my pieces. Experimenting with techniques and stories helps me grow. I work with gouache paints and markers often combined with colored pencil. When working digitally, I often combine Photoshop’s features with analogue handmade textures.

I have a passion for books in all forms and variations. I own a variety of picture books, graphic novels and art books that inspire and motivate me to create and dream of my own published works. I love to spread love on books in all forms and do so proudly, I learned a lot about books whilst I worked in a bookstore for more than 4,5 years.

My first self published picture book and graduation project ‘Spookie durft alles!’ or ‘Spookie be brave!’ gave me a chance to put all my love and knowledge of books into a real physical book. 

education

2018 – 2022
Higher professional education (HBO):
Design, Illustrated and Animated Storytelling
St. Joost School of Art & Design – Breda, the Netherlands.

september 2021 – december 2021
internships in illustration:
september – october: Supernoud Den Bosch
november – december: Lobke van Aar, Ploegsma publishers    december: Roozeboos

august 2020 – january 2021
Minor Creative Start-up LabHKU
Utrecht, the Netherlands

august 2017 – january 2018
Mediadesign (Visual) – Grafisch Lyceum
Rotterdam, the Netherlands

courses

september 2023 – now
Kleihalte Pottery course
Rotterdam, Overschie, the Netherlands

2022
Avans+ How to run a freelance business
Breda, the Netherlands
5 days

2017 – 2018
Pre-course St. Joost School of Art & Design
Breda and Den Bosch, the Netherlands
20 days

2016 – 2017  
Pre-course physcial Portfolio Course L Willem de Kooning
Rotterdam, the Netherlands
7 days

At various ages during elementary school and highschool I took drawing courses at Kunstbreak, a local atelier with art classes.