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the Startup plan
Welcome dear reader! To the right you will find my startup plan.
Below you will find all the details about my illustration journey over the next period.
My main intention was to only do a startup project for the next period but because Anne Roos Kleiss offered a really lovely opportunity, I decided to do an internship earlier but still use the entire internship period as my startup. I’m very nervous about all the plans I have, but also SO very excited!
STAGE 1
Internship/ Mentorship with Anne Roos Kleiss in Rotterdam for one day a week. (+/-80 hours)
Dates: Internship: 04/11/25 - 19/12/25
Mentorship: 01/01/26 - 28/02/26
Internship main goal & tasks:
-Help Anne Roos with a large childrens diorama for an exhibition in Utrecht.
-Help with miscellaneous things around the studio i.e prepping shop items, scanning original paintings, organising the studio. -Learn about finding work and diverse creative income paths.
Mentorship main goal & tasks:
-Seek feedback on my short story illustration project
-Seek feedback as I begin to prepare for my startup
Mentorship with Puck Koper and Nicholas Stevenson
Dates: 01/02/26 - 30/06/26
Main Goal:
-Create a picturebook dummy
-Attend markets as a maker
-Network with Galleries
-Enter open calls
-Promote my work on social media
INDEX:
WEEK1
WEEK2
WEEK3
WEEK 1
This week started with delayed trains and false departure times. I arrived to the studio in such a huff. NS, why are you this way?
Luckily, Anne Roos allowed me some time to get set up at the little desk that she prepared for me. I drank some tea and worked a bit in my sketchbook on a series of illustrations for my short story.
After I settled a bit, I began to put together the Christmas cards for Anne Roos’ shop.
The design is meant to double as a christmas tree decoration and so reqiured folding, stapling and sewing thread hangers on. This took up most of the day since it was a priority for Anne Roos to have these available this week.
Here they are, looking adorable together:
After lunch I packed the cards in a pack of 5 each with envelopes and chatted to Anne Roos about products and having a shop.
I learned:
-Its not a huge part of her income but mostly because she enjoys doing it.
-Other parts of her business cover the expenses for this or any losses.
-This is mostly for when people ask if they can buy something, she directs them to her Etsy shop.
Then it was scketchbooking time again. I worked further with the explorations for my short horror story and Anne Roos took some time to give me the following feedback:
Feedback:
-Explore my characters with different poses.
-Explore what the house looks like, maybe this can influence my story.
-Keeping it black and white and inspired by the photographs is a good call.
-Take a look at Lena Dunham’s Too Much.
-Take a look at Pam Smy.
Some of my sketchbook pages:
I had a chance to look through Anne Roos’ picturebook collection and loved this one by Beatrice Alemagna. Its so special with the hot pink details and the spontaneous feeling. I wish to have that feeling in my work.
The Marvelous Fluffy Squishy Itty Bitty:
After that I helped organise all the marker pens by type. There was alot but by the end I was pleased with how neat it all looked.
WEEK 1 THOUGHTS: I really enjoyed this week. I have so much that I want to learn from Anne Roos and afraid that there isnt enough time for me to just soak everything in. I think it would be good to also prep some topics that I’m really curious about and maybe I can sit down with her and just chat about them. I’ll ask her about that next week.
Things I want to ask about: On approaching publishers, getting new jobs, first jobs after graduation and writing picture books.
WEEK 2
A wonderful start to the morning: MILA the studio assistant!
After some pets with Mila, I began the day with talking to Anne Roos about my progress with my short story and we discussed my next steps. She was positive about what I have so far.
Here are some examples:
I’ll experiment further, I do feel a bit rusty with making at the moment. The Portfolio and the mentor search has taken up alot of my headspace.
After our chat, I worked a bit further in my sketchbook and then turned my focus to getting back to the christmas cards, I managed to put together what was remaining.
We then discussed what would be a good size for the Childrens Diaorama. I think we will probably start on that next week since she is still waiting for the green light with the design.
After lunch I began scanning sketchbook pages that Anne Roos would like to turn into postcards. I then colour corrected them in Lightroom.
Anne Roos then showed me the current picture book that she is working on. It’s a non fiction about carnivals. A lot of it was already complete and looked wonderful!! Its so special to be to see the process of making a book like this.
Then we sat down and I got to ask her all the questions that I’ve been dying to ask. Here is some of the interview:
Amal: Have you ever approached a publisher yourself?
Anne Roos: Yes, after graduating from my Masters, I had an idea for a book. I researched all the publishers that I wanted to work for and sent them a book dummy. I heard back from two publishers. One of them was more enthusiastic than the other and so I decided to go with them. We had a chance to meet at Balogna book fair after I reached out to them and we talked more.
A: How was Bologna Book Fair?
AR: It was nice but a bit overwhelming. The whole fair is more for publishers and selling the rights to other publishers to create the book in other languages etc.
A: Ah I see, so then what would a way a good way to find opportunities?
AR: Mostly by chance. With the diaroma for example, it was shared in the group chat of the keile studios and so I just applied for the open call and got it.
A: Besides that, what other ways do you think are a good way to be seen by potential clients?
AR: Entering competitions is a good idea, there’s the AOI, The Klause Flugge Prize, Bologna Contests, dPictus, iJungle Award, Shanghai Childrens Book Fair competition.
A: Wow! thank you, I will keep these in mind. Do you know of any types of grants that would be good to apply for when I’m just starting out?
AR: Yes, grants would be good to think about. There’s the Stimuleringsfond, Letterenfonds and CBK Rotterdam grant.
A: Thanks, speaking of first starting out. What was the first thing you did after graduating?
AR: When I graduated from WDKA, I had my graduation project which was a drawing machine, I called The Time Machine. I would draw peoples memories. I started doing it at festivals. I also made a bakery bus design for a friends father. On the side I also had a part time job while I saved for my Masters programme.
After graduating from my Masters in the UK, I made Choices (Book). I also then got an agent. She had followed me on Instagram and so i decided to email her and see if she would be interested in working together. Its really nice to have an agent, especially when its a territory you don’t know.
WEEK 2 THOUGHTS: I’m having alot of fun so far. Having the opportunity to ask an illustrator these type of questions is a dream come true!! The only thing, thats in my way is trying to make anything new. I feel rusty. I’ve been so focued on the Portfolio and trying to get a mentor etc that I didnt make a lot of time for me and my sketchbook.
WEEK 3
The diorama work begins!
I began the day with sanding down the edges of the boxes which Anne Roos prepared. Got a nasty splinter in my finger but managed to get it out.
After cleaning the wooden boxes, we put them back into the studio and I got to priming. This took up most of the day.
After, we sat down and looked through my new explorations in my sketchbook. We also had a chat about finding the joy in my work and some other tips to keep me in the flow:
-Set a timer. It keeps things loose and fast enough that you dont have time to overthink.
-Get prompts from a friend or fellow creative and draw them. Drawing things out of your comfort zone is great practice.
-But also don’t forget to draw things that you love to draw. This is where your spark is recharged.
-Remember that this happens to everyone.
-Use a different type of crayon or medium for unexpected outcomes.
Anne Roos also assured me that my work still looks consistant, and I’m still making a lot, so thats good.
We also spoke about tufting and how I would really like to learn it. She suggested I come to the studio February, for 1 day a week and she can teach me. yay!
In other news: I recieved this gift for my birthday. Puck Koper mentioned that this is the picturebook bible haha. Excited to tuck into it!
In other other news: Nicholas sent through the signed agreement for the startup :)
In other other other news: I’m going to Grafixx Festival this weekend! Wheeeeee!
WEEK 3 THOUGHTS: I’m excited that we are now working on the diorama. I’ve never worked with wood before but I think its a great medium for illustration. I think by next week the diorama shapes will be cut by Anne Roos but I still want to get in on that. It looks like alot of fun to cut with the saw machine.
Also, hoping to be expired after this weekend in Antwerp:)
WEEK 4
On todays to do list:
I sanded all of the tiny pieces that were left over and then we moved on to priming everything. We managed to finish it before the end of the day. I think next week, the painting will begin.
After all of that was done, I went through Anne Roos’ book collection and found this beautiful graphic novel that she allowed me to borrow:
We then spoke about the Masters programme that she completed in the UK. I was curious about what they teach since I dont think I will be able to afford the £20 000 tuition fee, and thought maybe I could do some of these things by myself under Anne Roos’ guidance. For the first 3 months they had to keep a observational sketchbook and fill as much as they can each week. Then they would recieve feedback on whats working etc. I got super excited and we deicided that I should leave a bit earlier to run to Harolds and get a new sketchbook for this. I began drawing on the way home and I’m so excited to keep this up. Heres a sneak:
Also, I feel so inspired after last weekend at Graffix fest. Heres some pics I took while I was there:
I also got to meet Laura Carlin and got a signed copy of her London: A History book.
Things I’ve enjoyed this month
November edition: