My story:
 

Hello! Sooo… I’m Amanda Piniecka, born in 1992 in Duszniki-Zdrój, Poland — a small town that many people have never even heard of. Maybe that’s exactly what makes it a little special. And yes, I’m definitely proud of my roots.

My childhood was, overall, really beautiful, even though there are of course a few strange stories that I’d rather not bring up anymore. But honestly — who doesn’t have those? Everyone has those childhood moments that later on you can only laugh about or shake your head at.

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As a child, I unfortunately didn’t get to experience the “kindergarten adventure land.” Instead, my sister and I spent our days in our grandma’s kitchen while our mom went to work. Saying goodbye to her was always hard for me, but looking back, being at grandma’s wasn’t so bad — she lovingly spoiled us with delicious treats to cheer us up.

I watched a lot of TV and spent hours playing with my sister and our toy dogs. Together, we created a fantasy world where dogs had big families and could even transform into humans. Each of us had our own dog family — with a main character leading all the adventures.

That time was simply wonderful!

 

Later on, my sister and I started drawing our crazy fantasy world of dog families. We would spend hours diving into our own little drawing universe — even though, at just five years old, I had absolutely no idea how to properly draw comics.

Still, we created at least ten drawings every single day — it was honestly insane! I wanted to use every free minute, preferably outside in the fresh air, to put my imaginative stories onto paper. My enthusiasm for these little comics was limitless — I was completely obsessed! I just couldn’t get enough of turning my wild thoughts into drawings.

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I always wanted to draw more and more — until I finally came up with the brilliant idea of sketching different dog breeds from a dog breed book. Of course, each breed got its own place in a separate sketchbook. I think that was actually my very first sketchbook — even though it didn’t feel like it at the time :).

For me, it was simply the perfect way to finally organize my drawings — instead of keeping them on loose sheets that often disappeared without a trace.

Unfortunately, my grandmother eventually hid my artworks in a “safe place” and now can’t remember where that was. What a pity! But don’t worry — I fully plan to search through my grandma’s attic… maybe I’ll find the drawings again one day. And of course, if I do, I’ll show you some of them!

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I remember my very first encounter with a handmade book so clearly — and how crazy exciting it was! Funnily enough, it happened in Polish class: our teacher gave us the assignment to create our own fairy tale book with text and illustrations within a week.

You can’t imagine how much my eyes lit up! In my mind, my creative monster was doing somersaults out of pure excitement. I still remember practically running out of school after class, just to start working on my “homework” right away.

The creativity that poured out of me felt like a rocket — it was just bursting out. This project was so incredibly beautiful and meaningful to me that, even today, I remember it with a big smile on my face.

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Back then, we were asked to create a small exhibition corner at school to present our handmade books. Our teacher didn’t want to assign the grades herself — instead, all the students were supposed to look at the books and vote for their favorite. The one with the most votes would receive the best grade.

Sounds fair? Well… not really. Because, as you can imagine, the kids didn’t truly know what makes a good book. Instead, one thing mattered most: popularity. It felt more like a “school of fame” than a competition of creativity. My book wasn’t the most popular — but I still loved it with all my heart.

I wasn’t one of the “cool kids,” and I received only a single vote — which normally would have meant an average grade. But my teacher was shocked. She couldn’t believe it and gave a passionate speech in front of the entire class about my book. She said it was actually the best one of all and couldn’t understand why no one had recognized it.

In fact, some children later admitted that they had simply overlooked my book. But my teacher’s enthusiasm was unmistakable: she said she had never seen such a well-made book by a child before. I was overjoyed — and that moment has stayed with me ever since.

In the end, I actually received an A — my very first experience as a book creator. I was nine years old at the time (at least, I think so). :)

 

At the age of ten, I moved to Germany because my mother decided to get married again. For me, it felt like an exciting adventure: new faces, new friends, new surroundings. Everything was incredibly thrilling!

Only the language turned out to be a real stumbling block. German seemed insanely difficult to me. I had no understanding of grammar and often didn’t know which words to use or how to form a proper sentence.

(Thankfully, grammar-checking software exists today — otherwise, writing books would probably still be quite a challenge for me!)

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So, it really was a wild journey when I moved to Germany at the age of ten! The language was a big challenge, but I still made new friends — and everything felt so incredibly exciting and new to me.

However, with all the schoolwork and learning German every day, I barely had any time left for my creative side. Luckily, my teachers recognized my talent in art class — especially when it came to posters and design tasks, I was able to truly shine!

I may not have been the best in other subjects, but I worked hard — and in the end, my effort paid off.

After finishing school, I was unsure which path to take. Eventually, I decided to attend a higher vocational school with a focus on media design. Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite as creative as I had hoped.

But hey — life goes on! And there’s always a new chance to make your dreams come true.

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Well, sometimes you just don’t get everything you hoped for. The curriculum at the vocational school was more of a mix of project management and marketing — topics that didn’t exactly excite me. Luckily, there were at least two areas that sparked a bit of interest: print media planning and media data organization.

But honestly — when you’re young, you don’t just want to function like a responsible career-driven person. You want to experience adventures, have fun, try things out — not sit at a desk every single day. I think a lot of young people between the ages of 16 and 19 feel the same way.

Of course, I know that you’re supposed to make something of your life. But is school really the right path for everyone? Is it tailored to the needs and talents of young people? For me, the answer is very clear: no. That might sound harsh, but many schools are still quite outdated — and they hardly prepare you for real life.

I firmly believe that no one can excel in every subject. But everyone has at least one or two areas where their true strengths lie — and those are exactly the ones that should be encouraged. Unfortunately, that rarely happens in the traditional school system.

But enough criticism of the education system — because I know I can’t change much about it on my own.

 

For some reason — I honestly don’t even know why — I still managed to graduate as a media designer, even though my grades in some subjects were really not that great. Working on the computer so much was quite exhausting for me back then, and constantly learning to use all the different Adobe programs was sometimes really overwhelming.

But looking back, it was worth the effort. Even though I don’t master everything perfectly, these basics now allow me to create beautiful books for you — and I’m proud of that. :)

So the key ingredients for my success at that school were: first, my interest in creative work — it wasn’t huge, but it was just enough to keep me going. And second, my willingness to pursue something creative in the future — as a foundation for my later career.

 

My first goal was very clear: art! I finally wanted to create real art — not just sit in front of a computer for hours, staring at a screen in boredom. But I couldn’t immediately decide where to go or which academy would be the right fit for me.

So, after finishing my technical diploma, I decided to work for a while. And surprisingly, I didn’t mind it at all — in fact, I even enjoyed it. My first job after graduation was at a supermarket, where I had to check products and stock new items.

The working hours were terrible, and the pay wasn’t great either — but I was earning my own money, and that was more than enough for me.

I did that for about a year before finally deciding to attend the art academy in Mannheim. My sister went to the same art school, so at least I had someone to take the train with — even though my sister wasn’t exactly known for being punctual… LOL.

 

Yeah, yeah — that art school was really something special. In both a positive and a negative way. They taught real art there — not the kind of art you usually learn in regular schools.

Some experiences were quite shocking, like life drawing. Yes, I actually had to look at naked people and capture them in quick poses on paper. At first, it felt really strange, but after a few months, it became completely normal to me. Some of the models even seemed to genuinely enjoy standing there naked and posing — and honestly, I sometimes found it a bit amusing.

Overall, the classes were relaxed and fun. Still, I had a lot to learn when it came to art — my mindset was still stuck in school-level art classes. At the beginning, it was difficult for me to truly find my place there. But after the first two semesters of intense creative transformation, I gradually got closer to thinking like a real artist. My painting style also changed significantly during that time: I approached my work in a more mature way and wanted to develop something unique and recognizable. That’s when I started experimenting with abstract art. Oh yes — looking back, it was an incredibly crazy time! :D

I consciously chose abstract art because I wanted to better understand how colors interact. I wanted to know which colors harmonize with each other, and that’s why I became so experimental. I was fascinated by how a certain color combination on canvas could create that “wow” effect — so powerful that you simply couldn’t look away.

With each passing month, it became easier for me to trust the process. I grew bolder, drew more intensely — and eventually lost the fear of ruining a piece with the “wrong” colors. Before, I always wanted everything to match perfectly. But art school taught me to be more relaxed about it — and to develop that “I don’t care what others think” mindset and truly internalize it.

Oh man, in a way, that made me more rebellious — and yes, I had to pay for that a little later on. But you know what? I’ve stayed true to that mindset to this day. ;)

 

From the outside, I often come across as the sweet girl next door — but appearances can be deceiving. Even though I really was very well-behaved as a child, life experiences have made me a bit more cynical over time. Still, I have a good heart — and that will never change. But in this society, you have to adapt and build a certain kind of protective armor to avoid getting hurt or humiliated.

“Because if you’re not true to yourself, you’ve already lost.”

I stay true to myself in every situation. Even when it’s anything but easy. But staying true to yourself can lead to real independence, self-confidence, happiness, and the ability to shape your life more consciously. And that’s exactly what gives you the feeling of showing the world the best version of yourself.

(Alright, enough wise words — hahaha! :D :D)

I know I sometimes joke a little too much — but I love life. And I want every day to feel good, not just for me but also for the people around me. That’s why I try to spread as much humor as possible.

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But back to my art studies. Because of my rebellious nature, some professors weren’t exactly thrilled with me — neither with my way of thinking nor my approach to art. I even received a formal warning letter, and the faculty committee advised me to adapt and “keep myself in check.” Of course, I didn’t follow that advice.

On the outside, I appeared to be the well-behaved art student again, but on the inside, I was already making my own plans. I simply couldn’t accept everything that was imposed on me — I came when I wanted and left when I wanted. After all, it was my decision to study there, not my parents’. So why should I behave obediently?

Looking back today, there were definitely situations where I would react differently. But hey — I’m 30 now, and compared to when I was 23, I’ve gained a lot of experience.

That’s life — not everyone appreciates my personality, hahaha. But despite all the obstacles, I successfully completed my diploma as a freelance artist — and even with a very good grade (which I honestly didn’t expect).

After that, I decided to add another degree in art education. The program lasted four semesters. That wasn’t easy either, but I wanted to do it because I suddenly had the idea of becoming a primary school teacher.

Oh man… I would never do that again. Working with the children was lovely — but my problem was more with the teachers. We just didn’t become best friends. I don’t think I even wanted to get along with them. :D

 

Oh man — I just hope no teacher, and especially not my business partner, ever finds this story! Otherwise, I’m doomed!

Just imagine: your business partner calls you in the middle of the night and says:
“Amanda, I’ve found so many spelling mistakes here that I can barely stop laughing! We need to fix this urgently.”

And there you are — sitting in your pajamas, eyes all red, letting out a yawn that reaches the moon — in front of your computer, half asleep, typing in your corrections.

But hey, at least you have a business partner who’s as dedicated as a squirrel busily gathering its nuts for the summer. Just be careful — otherwise, you might soon turn into a night owl yourself… with no breaks!

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Alright, let’s continue my story…

Sooo… what do you even do after getting a degree in art education??? Hmm. Back then, it really wasn’t easy for me, and I first worked for about six months as a substitute teacher. It wasn’t what I had hoped for, but at least it was a job related to my studies.

Unfortunately, the position didn’t last long, and I had to start looking for something new pretty quickly. Honestly, I really didn’t know what to do — I was already close to despair.

One day, a friend of my mom came up with an idea: why not do gel nails? I was creative and patient, so the job somehow suited me. So I took a course to become a nail technician and opened a small nail studio right next to my apartment.

At the beginning, it was really hard to attract clients. But after my first successes, more and more requests started coming in. Finally, my creativity was truly paying off — women loved what I painted on their nails!

I had actually planned to do this job only temporarily. Well… “temporary” turned into three years.

And then, of course, came the infamous COVID pandemic — which completely ruined my studio. Many of my clients stopped coming, and with all the lockdowns, nothing was the same anymore.

I had to look for new alternatives — or rather, I was practically forced to.

 

Ha! My first thought for making money was, of course: starting an online business! I already had a small online shop for my art prints — but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to keep me financially afloat.

So I went on a search and typed “make money online” into YouTube. I watched one video after another and eventually felt like I had seen it all.

But then I came across a video by a man who was talking about books. He was something like a publisher — and I was instantly hooked!

I had no idea how to present myself to him as an author, but at that point, I didn’t really care. First, I watched all of his videos (and yes, there were a lot — don’t worry :D).

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After absorbing all that knowledge about the world of books and marketing, I was full of excitement — and decided to just start and write my first book.

Until one day, a message on Instagram changed my life: the publisher I admired so much had written to me!

We talked on the phone — and he offered me a job as a designer. But I had bigger plans. So I gathered all my courage and one day asked him if he could imagine publishing an art book together with me.

And you won’t believe it… but the answer was a clear YES!

Since 2021, I’ve achieved things I once could only dream of. I’ve learned an incredible amount from my business partner — and since 2021, I can proudly call myself an author.

So — keep your eyes and ears open, because this is only the beginning of my adventurous journey in the world of art and books.

“That’s why I thank God for the signs he has sent me.”

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– As of December 2024:

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Here’s a little update from my life — I mean, we’re almost in 2025! Hahaha, it’s unbelievable how fast the years go by. Seriously, sometimes a whole week feels like a single day! But anyway, I’ll keep it short and tell you what’s been going on with me — because one thing I’ve learned over the past few years is this: time is more valuable than money.

So, after my first art book, which actually sold quite well at the beginning, the big breakthrough unfortunately didn’t happen. It did okay, but in my head I already thought I was financially set with just one book. Hahaha, what naive dreams! But experiences like that really show you how things work in sales — whether it’s books or any other product. There were moments when I just wanted to give up because I had lost motivation. But instead, I revised my book, improved it — and suddenly, it started selling again!

A few months later, I had a crazy idea: I wanted to create a drawing book that works like a lexicon and contains over 1,000 drawings. Most people thought I was completely crazy — this project was truly massive, especially when it came to execution. But I was determined to create something unique that people would truly love. And so, I started working on it.

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Each image in the book has a step-by-step guide, and producing all of this in the middle of summer was a real challenge. At the time, I was also renovating my house, working in my nail studio on the side, and drawing for the book — basically juggling three jobs at once, seven days a week. I created at least 14 drawings every single day, in 35°C heat! I even wore special gloves so my sweaty hands wouldn’t mess up the iPad screen. Honestly, it was a really tough time, but I was determined to keep going.

At some point, I was so exhausted that I kept wanting to postpone the release. But in the end, I told myself: whatever — it just has to come out now, perfect or not.

Designing the cover was a whole chapter in itself. I really wanted something eye-catching — something I had learned from abstract art: the perfect combination of colors. My favorite? Blue and yellow — a color combo I’ve always loved. After going back and forth for a while, I finally got the cover I wanted, and I was more satisfied than ever.

The release day was exciting, but I tried to stay calm and not constantly check the dashboard. The first few days were rather slow, but then — after three days — my book suddenly jumped from rank 2000 to rank 100! My business partner called me in the middle of the night to tell me the news. I was completely blown away! Shortly after, my book reached the top 50 and even made it onto the Spiegel bestseller list in the creativity category. It became one of the top art books in Germany — just incredible.

To this day, this book remains my passion project. Of course, I’ve also published children’s books along the way, but nothing compares to the dedication and hard work I put into this one. It was a huge adventure, full of experiences I will never forget.

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So, what’s next? I have a similar project in mind — this time in a cuter direction. I really hope that my new book, which I’ve been working on for months now, will be a success. Especially in a time when so many books are generated by AI, I want to create something real and authentic. People out there deserve quality, not empty promises.

I’m proud to be a real artist. My work is genuine — and people can feel that. Of course, I get some help with texts (like here, hahaha), but that’s just support — the core always remains my own. I work with real people who review and improve everything.

Thank you so much for your support! I’m really excited to show you more cool projects soon. See you soon! ❤️

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– As of December 2025:

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The year is slowly coming to an end, and sometimes I feel like I’m keeping a little yearly diary here on my website. Honestly, I really like that. It allows me to gather my thoughts — and later look back at everything that has happened over the past few months. 

 

So, what has happened in my life and with my art in 2025?​​

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My new book got off to a good start, even though the economic situation is clearly noticeable: fewer sales, higher paper prices, rising costs everywhere. We had to significantly reduce advertising because it simply wasn’t worth it anymore. And I can’t sustain those extremely high ad costs in the long run, especially when so many other expenses are increasing at the same time.

Still, your support has truly made a difference, and I’m really grateful for that. Without you, the book wouldn’t have done so well. 

 

One piece of news I’m especially happy to share: Frechverlag/TOPP has decided to work with me. I now have the opportunity to publish as an author with them, and I’ve already completed my first book for the publisher: 307 Drawing Tricks.​

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I originally wanted to include 500 tricks — but neither the space in the book nor my time would have made that possible. I preferred to give you carefully selected, truly helpful drawing tips that you can apply right away, instead of just pushing the number.

This book was a new challenge for me: I spent countless hours drawing and, this time, also wrote a lot of text. That was something completely new for me, but I’m really happy with the result. It will be released in March 2026 — and I’m already excited to see how you’ll like it.

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I’m also really happy to have found a publishing partner who supports my ideas. Handling everything on my own isn’t easy in the long run. The collaboration feels appreciative and creatively free — without rigid guidelines. That’s exactly how I wanted it to be.

Now I’m looking ahead to the next year with curiosity. Maybe some of you will see me at a book signing or at a book fair. I’m excited to take new steps and keep moving forward.

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See you soon,
Best regards,
Amanda Piniecka <3

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