The Card Designer Highlight is a sequence that includes impartial makers whose greeting playing cards yow will discover in Paper Supply shops. Meet and be impressed by a brand new designer each month on our weblog!
This month we wish to introduce our featured card designer, LA Based mostly Sophia Elias of Fineasslines. Uncover how Sofia rediscovered her love for doodling and reworked her ardour mission right into a thriving enterprise—regardless of having no prior expertise.
How did you start your card-making profession?
I used to be in my mid-20s, late to graduate school and simply needed to do one thing that made me blissful. I knew I wasn’t lower out for a company job, however I wasn’t fairly certain what to do. At this level, I used to be a failed actress except for reserving a number of nationwide commercials. I had additionally tried freelancing as a author. All of it felt disingenuous to me. I reverted again to what I had at all times executed as a baby, which was doodle. I’d go on the Missed Connections part of Craigslist and create doodles out of the interactions I had learn. I began a blogspot (extra on that within the subsequent query) and would put them there too. In the future I had the concept of monetizing my doodles by placing them on paper and making them extra occasion-specific. It was low overhead and low danger (and I used to be dwelling with my dad and mom), so I figured why not. I made a decision to open up an Etsy store. By the point I graduated from school, I used to be in a position to help myself with this pastime.
How did you provide you with what you are promoting title?
This is the place blogspot is available in. Blogspot was nearly akin to Instagram at that time and it was a enjoyable approach to share concepts. I needed my blogspot title to be referred to as Advantageous Strains however that was taken. So I believed okay…that is only for enjoyable. Nobody goes to take this significantly. I will simply put ASS within the center. No person had that username.
The place do you draw inspiration from?
All the pieces! Something which will join with somebody that they will relate again to themselves and the folks they love. Most just lately it has been animals. I actually love geese. They’re lovable however their potential for violence retains you in your toes and makes them inherently humorous. I used to do extra popular culture playing cards however I simply felt like I may very well be extra artistic and authentic with different subjects!
What’s your most popular medium?
Pen and paper! My course of is just about sketching an concept in pen and paper, erasing it, scanning it into the pc, and including colour in Photoshop. I realized Photoshop via YouTube and it is all I do know. It is all I wish to know, frankly. I’m too intimidated to face Illustrator.
What does your artistic course of appear to be?
It may be brutal. I’ll spend hours on a design just for it to finish up within the trash. Whereas irritating, it finally leads you to higher concepts. Some concepts are slam dunks from the get-go. Others take quite a lot of time and tweaking. Or they simply do not work out! I’ve needed to be taught to not get too upset by this. It is enjoyable to revisit the trashed concepts as soon as you’ve got created sufficient distance from them.
What are you most happy with as a creator and card maker?
That I used to be in a position to make this my full-time job with no company expertise. I’ve by no means actually had a job due to this area of interest little world. Constructing a enterprise from completely nothing has been each rewarding and taxing. I’ve realized a lot about commerce, branding…simply in what speaks to folks and what does not. There have additionally been quite a lot of enterprise classes. Quite a lot of losses. Quite a lot of getting screwed over. These losses actually harm however I’ve in some way been in a position to preserve going.
Do you could have every other artistic initiatives in the intervening time?
I really like design generally and have begun engaged on house interiors. A number of years in the past I made a decision to teach myself on the subject and have put it into follow with renovating my own residence together with the houses of family and friends. I actually like it.
Discover Fineasslines playing cards resembling Litter Field Greeting Card and Banana Years Birthday Card at your native retailer or on-line at papersource.com. For extra inspiration and behind-the-scenes motion, observe @fineasslines on IG.
