Hi! My name is Petra, I'm a creative person, next to being a teacher, coach and a mom.
Originally I come from the countryside of the North of The Netherlands, where I loved being surrounded by nature, animals and the endless sky.
Nowadays I live with my husband, kid and dog in Utrecht, where I also have a job as a teacher at HKU Games. Sometimes I am also a coach: "Vuur en Vleugel".
I studied illustration/design at Academie Minerva, Groningen. After that I started working freelance. I like working on fantasy- or emotional themes, environments/nature and characters/animals in particular. In the past I've worked on all kinds of things, such as boardgames, children books, bookcovers, concept/game art, character/mascots, greeting cards and fabric design. You can see a list of past clients below.
My style is ever-evolving but can be called painterly, emotive, dreamy, mysterious and atmospheric. It is often focused on conveying a certain feeling.
Almost everything is digitally created, but by hand with a (drawing)tablet. My work is fully made by me, not by AI. I use programs such as Clip Studio Paint and Procreate. Except for some of the personal projects, which are often done just on paper with pencils. Often I still start off my digital work by sketching on paper.
I sell prints and patterns via online print-on-demand shops, such as Redbubble, Spoonflower and Werkaandemuur. In the past I was also active on markets/conventions and I ran a small fashion brand, Risu Rose, and sold clothes and accessories with my designs too.
Clients & Published work
❤ Books and magazines:
- Illustrations for children's books ‘Boom en Kraai’ & ‘De Dolfijnenheks’ by Susanne van der Wouden
- Illustrations for children's books ‘Pigy and Porcy go to London’ by Anna Golden Miller
- Illustration for the well-known Alice in Wonderland, for the 150-Alice project
- Cover for science-fiction book Kolonie by Simon van Eik
- Illustrations for Resource Magazine (for Wageningen University & Research)
- Illustrations for booklet by IVN (institute for nature education in The Netherlands)
❤ Games:
- Boardgame art for Expeditie Robinson by Just2play
- Boardgame art for Cave Pilot by Kwatta Games
- Boardgame art for Frogs! by Woodbine Street Games
- 2D & concept art for game development by Gamefoqus
- 2D isometric buildings for a game by Binary Polar Studios
❤ Other illustration and design:
- Kawaii illustrations and sticker designs for The Sushi Times
- Illustrations for children’s memorial cards , for lichtmetbericht.nl
- Illustrations for research (with children) by Jacolien van Rij, University of Groningen
- Greeting card designs for Kaartje2go (until 2018)
- Birth announcement card designs for personal commissions
- Manga drawing workshop for BAGGER (anime club Groningen)
- Manga portraits (live) for SONY launchparty for Gravity Rush 2
- Portraits for Infoqus informationspecialists (corporate)
❤ Graphic Design & Poster/promotional:
- Logo design for De Lichtdichter, Sanne Hoeve, Starsprinkles and several other small businesses
- Poster for AniWay magazine
- Poster for APIH Bridge club
- Poster, flyer and other illustrations for GSp (Student group for spiritual/philisophical development)
- Poster for symposium for the Artificial Intelligence studies of University of Groningen
- Poster in manga/anime style for BAGGER (anime club Groningen)
Commissions
Since 2009 I have worked as a freelance illustrator and 2D artist, but after I became a lecturer, coach and later a mom, I didn't have as much time for it anymore. So for a long time between 2020 and 2025 I did not take on illustration jobs/commissions.
However, I do have a bit more time on my hands now again, so I am opening up for commissions and illustration/art jobs again from May 2025 on. If you are interested, then go to this page.
Have any questions already? Go to my contact page.
Other info
Education & experience:
- Bachelor of Design (in Illustration) from Academie Minerva
(Hanze Applied University) - Painting Drama - online course by former
Disney artist Chris Oatley - Lecturer/teacher and coach at CMGT Hanze (until 2024)
- Coordinating teacher at HKU Games (from 2024 on)
- Life Coach at Vuur en Vleugel
Other highlights:
- Featured with a spread in Advanced Photoshop magazine
- Featured in gallery of the book ‘iPad for artists’ by Dani Jones
- Founder and former admin of the biggest Dutch Illustration group on Facebook (2000+ members).
- Over 300 orders of my fabric on Spoonflower
- Sold work on several markets/conventions/fairs. I was selected for a free booth once at Elfia and at an event of Attitude Holland.