On the podcast today, I have a Minnesota based artist and designer specializing in illustration and calligraphy. Her work is delicate and detailed, organic and elegant…inspired by the simple natural beauty of nature. Many of her pieces feature mixed materials like paper, vellum and fabric. She has worked with brands such as Daniel Wellington, Squarespace, and Gaston Luga as she continues to follow her passion for stationery, logo design and branding. So welcome to the podcast, Esther Clark!
WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE:
- Mistakes made as a Stationary Designer
- Mistake other artists in the industry are making
- Advice for those trying to figure out who they are as an artist
- How to make ends meet with only so much time
- Tips for photographers when documenting stationary
Mistakes made as a Stationary Designer
Overall, Esther has worked with quite a few amazing brides, but there have been a few instances where mistakes have been made. A few months ago, Esther was designing a wedding invitation suite for a particular bride. During the printing process, the print shop made mistakes regarding the overall design of the suite and there were quite a few spelling errors that the bride, Esther and the print shop did not catch. Luckily, the bride was very understanding and things worked out in the end. Early on in her designing, Esther would send a PDF as a proof to her brides. For one bride, the PDF showed the colors of her invitation suite a little darker than they showed up on the actual invitation. From that mistake, Esther now sends a visual proof so the client can see what the ink looks like on the exact paper they are using, in order to have the best idea of what their invitation suite will look like.
Mistake other artists in the industry making
In stationary design, it can be difficult to maintain originality. It can be very tricky to make your work look like yours, especially when your clients show you work of other designers and want you to create something very similar. Overall, you have to do what your client asks, without copying what other designers are doing. This is part of the learning process, especially for new designers. New designers can look at other designer’s work and try to re-create it, but only for their personal use and to learn the techniques that are used. This will then help them to use similar techniques to create something that is their own.
Advice for those trying to figure out who they are as an artist
Time and Experimentation are extremely important to figuring out who you are as an artist. Everything takes time. Esther graduated in 2012 and does not feel as if she gained her artistic voice until many years later, even after years of classes and learning. Also, experiment as much as possible. Esther thought she would love oil painting the most, but after experimenting with other styles, it turned out that print making was where she found her artistic voice. Try as many things as you can, and see what you like best and see what sticks for your particular style!
How to make ends with only so much time
Many people think that since wedding stationary can be so expensive, that the the designers make a great profit from each order. But, around 50% of all the profits go back into the product for paper, printing, etc. Esther’s husband just recently opened his own business and while both are doing what they love, their budget is tight and both work A LOT! Over time, Esther’s goal is to raise her prices in order to avoid working so much to make ends meet.
Tips for photographers when documenting stationery
As the artist, there are two big tips Esther would give to photographers who are documenting the stationary suites. First, do not over-style the image by putting too many extra items in the photo with the suite. The invitation suite should speak for itself, so maybe add only a few small florals or ribbons, and always remember the suite is the most important part of the image. Secondly, it is easy to overexpose the images to where the text and calligraphy are not visible. Photographers should take a mental note of what colors are shown in the suite, and be sure that the colors match while editing the images.
“Art Speaks Where Words are Unable to Explain.” -Mathiole
CONNECTING:
Esther Clark Website
Esther Clark Instagram
SPONSORS:
Showit – User-Friendly Web Design Platform: Use code MAGIC for 10% off your subscription!
Black River Imaging – High Quality Online Print Site: Use code MAGIC for 20% off your order!
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