For my project, I created a sticker set in Adobe Illustrator, then put those stickers into a mockup in Photoshop, and designed how an Etsy page would look with these stickers on them- all for a small bookstore in Victor, Wyoming- Violet Volumes. I posted the updates through Instagram on my creative page to reach the audience that would be interested in this product. Please the video below for a short description:
Project Purpose/Objectives
This bookstore is in a small town on the main highway leading into Jackson, Wyoming, which is a popular tourist destination. It is located just off a main street where people walk and shop. However, with it being slightly hidden, they do not get as much foot traffic. As a solution to this problem, I designed an Etsy page for them to have some way of getting online revenue in addition to their storefront. Since the bookstore markets to women who like to read and all things cozy- I chose to make stickers they can sell both online and in store, that are Christmas themed because, well, cozy… and book-themed because there is a large audience online of women who like to read romance books and collect clever stickers relating to those books, so that was my audience.
The Project
I started by designing the stickers. Most of the time spent on this project was about the actual sticker creation and edits. I did research on the current trends in Redbubble and Etsy for Christmas stickers. They were cute, but none were branded for a specific store, so I knew I had found a niche. I made a mood board, then drew out my ideas on paper, then made a first draft.
My first draft was not consistent in stroke weight or colors, so although they all were clearly for Christmas and about books, it was not branded yet.
After getting feedback from a mentor, I simplified each sticker significantly and stuck to a color pallet with only 4 colors. This really brought them all together. One final round of finishing touches and they were done.
After all that time spent on making the sticker’s branding cohesive, I felt confident making the Etsy page mockup because I knew exactly what the branding should feel like. I put the stickers into a mockup template and designed the Etsy page including the page’s large horizontal picture.
Challenges
The sticker design took a lot longer than I anticipated- I assumed that having made stickers before I would be able to fly through this part. However, life got busy, creativity was not flowing, and I could not see why they didn’t look right. It took my wonderful mentor giving me advice about how to make the branding consistent and reminding me of the design principles that I have already mastered to achieve the final look that I am now proud of.
I had also never used Etsy before. This was a challenge because in the beginning I assumed I could create a page and never have it public- but that is not exactly how it works, and since these are not actually available yet from Violet Volumes, I had to figure out another solution. Again, my mentor saved me by helping me think outside the box and create my own template in Illustrator.
Project Processes
I used the good ol’ pen and paper for my drafting and brainstorming. I used Adobe Illustrator for all the virtual designing of the stickers and the Etsy page. I used Adobe Photoshop to put my design into a mockup template.
Overview of Experience
Overall, this was a great experience. I chose this project specifically because I wanted to strengthen my skills with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop since it has been a while since I was in those programs every day. I now feel confident that I could use these programs daily and have the skills up to industry standard. I also polished the skill of time management since I had to readjust my timeline while still completing the project within a given timeframe. The most valuable skill though was learning more about what makes a brand. It is the entire experience a customer has with the company- not just colors, stroke lines, typeface, but all of them coming together to create one experience and feeling about the company.
Insights and Takeaways
I will take the knowledge and skills gained in this project to my future career. I know time management and branding are valuable skills in the current job market and mastery of those will help me stand out as a candidate. I would love to show my stickers to the bookstore and see if they want to purchase the rights to them- that would make this entire experience much more rewarding.