Today we are excited to bring you an interview with ABSPD graduate Stephanie Davies who also won The Ultimate Portfolio Builder Printsource Competition and will be exhibiting this August in New York!
- Do you remember the first piece of work you ever sold? What was it and who did you sell it to? How did you feel?
My first pieces of work sold were a series of surface patterns to be used on the packaging for natural skin care brand ‘Sweet Cecily’s’.
It was an amazing feeling because I’d been doing so many competitions and live briefs at university and in my spare time. Although I don’t regret doing these, there was never any guarantee that your work would be picked, and even if it was there was usually no payment. I’d find that I was comparing myself to others and thinking that I would never be good enough. The thought that somebody had seen my work and liked it enough to want it to represent their brand was a confidence boost that I really needed!
- Can you describe the evolution of your business?
I started my own business in June 2015, after leaving a full time job designing craft products to make your own greetings cards. Through the encouragement and support of The Art of Business and Surface Pattern course, I’d been saving money from the two years I worked there and I gradually designed 4 ranges of greetings cards on a night when I’d come home, as well as starting to design my own website.
I launched my shop in mid-June through word of mouth and the power of social media, and began to get my first orders. I even had some potential stockists get in touch which was very exciting for me! In July I decided I needed a bigger platform to increase my sales, and so I joined Not on the High Street where I have been selling personalised greetings cards and prints.
In August I started to design my first range of Christmas cards and created a list of potential stockists to sell them in. I created trade packs and sent them off in the post, and by October I had my first stockists.
In October, I was contacted by a London based agency who wanted me to become one of their studio artists. This was a big step for me as it gave me the opportunity for my work to be seen by bigger companies for licensing. In November I was proud to graduate from the Art of Business and Surface Pattern course after taking all 3 Modules and the Ultimate Portfolio builder.
- What has been the most important lesson you have learnt along the way?
It might sound cliché but to actually believe in what you’re designing is really important. I can sometimes design something and think it’s my best piece I’ve done to date, and then wake up the next day and think it’s terrible! Even if what you’ve done isn’t your favourite, get it out there anyway because you never know what other peoples opinions of it might be. I often design a range of cards and have my favourites, but its usually the ones I design really quickly and don’t have much confidence in that sell the best.
- We’d love to hear a bit about your process. Where do your designs begin, and how to you develop them through to the finished product? (i.e. how much is done by hand, how much on the computer etc?)
Before I’m about to start range of cards or surface patterns, I collect images that inspire me in some way, it could be the smallest feature like the position of a butterfly, or a painting technique that I think could work well, and I put them all in a mood board. For greetings cards, I often think of a theme and stick with that, but the colours can change hundreds of times. I paint and draw certain imagery over and over until I think I’ve got it right, scan in the best ones and make a sort of collage in photoshop with them. Where as with my surface patterns, I love to spend hours drawing in a lot of detail, and so I use the computer a lot less with them.
- At each major growth point of your business how do you make yourself take the big leap? (Please share a little about your decision making process, how you deal with fear etc)
Leaving my full time job was a big leap for me, my designs were selling well on shopping channels each week, but I found myself thinking ‘what’s stopping me from doing this under my own brand?’ I visited trade shows and got talking to many designers who had been in the same place as me and were glad they had taken the leap. It was so inspiring to talk to them and hear how well they were doing, and reassuring to know that there is a market for what I want to sell.
It was tough to begin with as I wasn’t making any money, I had to really plan what I needed to spend and save, and each major growth point I’ve had hasn’t come easy. When I applied for Not on the High Street, my application was originally denied. I was told I needed to develop my range more and reapply when I’d done that. I worked like crazy for two weeks, readjusted my plans, and thought about getting smaller runs printed to keep costings down. Fortunately, Not on the High Street got back in touch me and said they had reconsidered my application and would like me to become a partner.
I always felt quite intimidated by designers who have won competitions, as I’d never won any in the past. I was entering competitions all the time and not getting any response, after a while I began to stop entering so many, as it took up so much time. I spent two whole weeks on one competition from a London based agency and didn’t win or get runner up. However, about 3 months later they contacted me and said they would love me to join their agency anyway. This was a big confidence boost that I desperately needed! It taught me that even if you don’t win, you’re still one step closer to where you want to be. Even if it’s just a piece to add to your portfolio, nothing that you do will go to waste.
- Please share a little about how your brand look and feel has developed over time
I’ve always loved florals. I’ve painted and drawn flowers ever since I can remember and so I knew I wanted to evolve my brand around that. I graduated in Illustration at University and I studied historical patterns, particularly English Victorian and 18th Century french patterns. I found the course to be quite conceptual, and so when I left and freelanced for Hallmark, I found it a hard transition to become more commercial. I knew that this industry was the avenue I wanted to go down, but I’d never explored trends as in depth as I did at Hallmark. I would say that this had a big impact on my style of work evolving.
- What kind of team do you have around you to support you and your business?
I’m incredibly lucky to have family and friends as supportive as mine. Although I work mainly by myself, I wouldn’t be able to get through the busiest times without them. This month has been a great month for my Christmas cards but the busiest month yet! My dad has had to build me a shelving unit for my office to organise stock, and my mum and boyfriend have helped me pack orders. It’s overwhelming how many of my friends are prepared to come and help me and how supportive they are of everything I do!
- How has the industry changed since you started?
- As I only started my business in June I wouldn’t say it’s changed too much, but in terms of trends it constantly changes. It’s always interesting to see how the leaders of the industry who started so small, like Rifle Paper Co. completely change the trends of stationery and cards, and influence some of the biggest chains.
- What makes you excited about your business now?
The possibilities of growing and where it might take me next. I have so many goals I want to achieve that seem more achievable every day. When I started taking the Art of Business and Surface Pattern modules, I wrote a list of goals for 2015 and to my surprise I have achieved almost all of them. Looking back at that list makes me realise I am actually getting somewhere, no matter how long it takes!
- What is your creative space like?
Now I’ve started selling, a lot of admin and paperwork have come with it, and I wanted to keep my creative space separate from that to keep me inspired. I have a little office for packing and record keeping, and my bedroom doubles up as a creative space. I try surround myself with objects that tell a story about my style. On my desk you’ll find painted floral russian dolls, a Penguin classic cloth bound book collection, Paperchase stationery (a lot of this!) books on Marie Antoinette, and a Rifle Paper Co. print of Claude Monet’s quote ‘I must have flowers always and always’. I also keep my most prized possession on my desk, which is a William Morris wallpaper that was the first one of its kind printed, given to me from his house, but I make sure it gets put away when I’m painting!
- Which of your products is your favourite?
I think it would have to be my Pastel floral note card box set. They are simple but I like the freshness about them and I like the way they display in florists and garden centres.
- What advice would you give to an emerging designer looking to follow a similar path to you?
I’d say never say no to anything! I’ve learnt it’s best to accept every opportunity that comes my way, but obviously make sure you fully know what you’re getting into before jumping into it. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t got the experience you think you need or won a number of competitions. I’m a firm believer that you can always make money from what you love, and that if you feel like quitting, you’d just be making room for someone else to succeed at where you left off.
- What is the big dream for you as a designer and your business?
To have my own range of products in a large retail store. I’d like to one day walk in the footsteps of companies like Caroline Gardner and Orla Kiely. To be as successful as that would be my ultimate goal – I wouldn’t complain!
I have a huge passion for prints, patterns and intricate illustration. I gained a first-class degree in Graphic Art: Illustration from Liverpool John Moores University, and shortly after this I was offered a placement at Hallmark Cards which resulted in a freelancing contract. Since graduating, I have developed my own papergoods boutique selling bespoke stationery and luxury greetings cards. I hope to one day to also evolve into the home interiors and gift market. My work has appeared in various magazines, product packaging and I have also seen my work sold weekly on U.K shopping channels such as QVC, Ideal World and Create & Craft. I’ve spent two happy years of working as a head in-house designer in the craft sector, where I designed greetings cards and surface pattern for paper pad collections.
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The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design is the definitive guide to becoming a surface pattern design professional.If you have ever dreamed of seeing your designs on stationery, homewares, fabric or other products, this series of interactive online courses is for you! Thriving surface pattern designer Rachael Taylor will guide you along this exciting path from developing your signature style, to putting a collection together, and from protecting your work to monetising your designs. With a rich combination of design inspiration, practical advice, demonstrations, creative exercises, resources and interviews with leading industry practitioners, this is the go-to guide for anyone wanting to develop their design skills and break into the industry. Our next classes begin March 21, 2016 – we hope to be able to welcome you to class!
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