UPB Graduate Suzy Dobson on making sellable designs

The Leaf Press is the studio name of Suzy Dobson, a surface pattern designer and papercut artist who loves to create fun and colourful designs. She has loved design and creativity as a child but did a history degree and didn’t re-discover her creative side until her 20s. She studied art and design, textiles, bookbinding and started The Leaf Press in 2010.

The Leaf Press was originally a bookbindery but has evolved over the years and she now makes a variety of stationery products for gifts and weddings. Suzy is proud that everything is still paper based and recyclable as protecting the environment is very important to her.

Suzy lives in the east of the UK and is lucky enough to be surrounded by both beautiful countryside and (sometimes!) sunny seaside locations. Her designs often feature motifs from where I live as well as colour palettes inspired by these locations.

When not busy with The Leaf Press she can be found watching F1 cars go round in circles, sewing (with the Wednesday Sewing Group) and going for walks.

Suzy’s experience taking UPB :

“I took UPB in 2019 and found it incredibly useful for developing both design and ‘running a design business’ skills. There is a large amount of content in the course and I still dip into the folder I created during the course which has design tutorials, creative exercises and information to help develop business opportunities.

The live briefs were so great in terms of giving us experience designing to a brief and thinking about the target audience. One of the briefs was to design for a card making magazine and I was lucky enough to have my patterns selected for publication in the magazine. It was an amazing feeling going into WHSmith and seeing my work!

I can’t recommend UPB highly enough – it will develop your design work as well as give you the skills to make your designs sellable, which I’ve discovered is just as important! You also have access to a community of like minded designers, many of whom I’ve stayed in touch with.”

Suzy’s accomplishments between taking UPB and now:

Since taking UPB Suzy has:

• had more patterns published in Card Making and Papercraft magazine.
• grown a product business (the vast majority of which feature repeat patterns or placement prints she created on Make it in Design courses)
• won a Theo Phaphitis Small Business Sunday award
• started exhibiting her design work at art galleries
• grown her business to the point where she’s been able to take on business premises
• started to run crafting workshops from her studio

Find out more about Suzy here:

Website I Instagram I Facebook