D E S I G N . C R E A T E . P R O M O T E . S E L L
The construction, application and launch of the independent design and craft brand Darwin and Gray.
As an illustrator there is an ever-growing need to diversify within our industry, we have the ability to push our personal boundaries through essentially embracing an entrepreneurial role to thrive amongst an established competitive retail market. By developing an independent brand, we create the opportunity to flourish as designers but also small business owners, ultimately initiating profitable work for ourselves. According to Angharad (2014) through a recent recession as well as the fragility of big businesses, no longer are consumers fully absorbed by highly commercialised or mass produced products but rather desire those of a hand rendered or crafted nature. In a bid to progress my personal illustrative work further I aim to deconstruct the existing framework of my own paper and textile based brand Darwin & Gray to pinpoint and understand the essential applications of design, production and promotion required to successfully launch independently.
Taking charge of my own creative journey and kickstarting an independent small business was never my initial plan.. Darwin & Gray started out over three years ago as a genuine escapism from day-to-day life on Etsy, a website that launches online shops that specialise in handmade products. Through Etsy my brand has evolved into much more than I could have ever imagined and in a relatively short space of time. Through simplistic homeware products and hand painted fabrics, Darwin & Gray has become a name that stands on its own two feet with an established following that continues to grow. Whilst ultimately it has allowed me the freedom to create for myself, it has also pushed my personal boundaries and I am faced with new challenges daily as I tackle finances, web development and unfamiliar software.
Studying a creative business structure as a part of my degree did not cross my mind when I first started the course but naturally, it has become my sole focus as well as the foundations for my future ambitions and goals. Despite having genuine concerns over the feasibility of nurturing a small business as a concept and whether I would be able to find enough theoretical content to critique last semester for my dissertation, I feel strongly that I have developed an in-depth and visually engaging project that relates and showcases the ways in which designers can diversify and progress within such a competitive industry.
Throughout my entire art education, I have always created content to fulfil what I believed to be what was required or expected of me and not always what would benefit me creatively. With this in mind, when it came to concluding my project and assembling a refined process book in which I would whittle down all of the support work from the past two semesters, I decided to create what would essentially be a physical form of self promotion to be distributed across to UK following my deadline. I wanted to create a wholesale publication that encompasses the ethos of Darwin & Gray and the products that the brand provides in a bid to attract potential future suppliers. A stylised and consistent output naturally manifested itself from within my work without intention when designing the book, there appears to be an unwavering colour palette, a fixed approach to typography and a sequence of valuable photography that intends to be specifically recognisable as Darwin & Gray in the future. The publication itself and the accompanying mini booklets are an honest visual representation of the company in a clean, simplistic manner providing relevant information where necessary.
I have faced multiple challenges throughout this semester that have particularly tested my problem solving abilities. Despite benefiting financially from studying a real-life active business for my masters degree, the requirements of being a small business owner has been incredibly difficult at times, although helping hands are available I particularly struggle to delegate jobs that I feel I would much rather take care of myself. In order for Darwin & Gray to survive, I am the creator, photographer, stock and quality controller, dispatcher, customer care consultant and every other job possible that is necessary to keep the business ticking. This constant amount of pressure mounting up unfortunately meant that in order to really grasp what I wanted to work on and construct the foundations to move forward through developing the appropriate work for my project I did have to close the online shop temporarily whilst I concentrated on my work load. Having said that, prior to the end of this semester I reopened the shop, complete with a brand new website (www.darwinandgray.com) and overall look. The response so far has been overwhelming and despite feeling pushed to my limits at times, the moment following launch brought a sudden wave of satisfaction and relief.
Independently running a business in itself is a challenging prospect, no longer can I rely on anybody else for assistance or support and I have quickly learnt to take opportunities when they are offered and try my absolute hardest to make the most out of them. Also with regards to networking, I am the singular point of call for anything involving Darwin & Gray and I strongly feel that communicating and gaining a widespread collection of contacts is invaluable, I have fortunately been able to accumulate a large quantity of useful contacts through mutual friends and my part time job at a successful independent clothing company but most of all because I reach out. Last semester, I contacted Etsy HQ and after exchanging multiple emails arranged to meet a handful of their coordinators at their main offices in Brooklyn, New York. The experience was incredibly helpful in assisting how I should approach running a small business but above anything else, I have now secured contacts within Etsy for the long term,
In concluding this semester, I have been considering the steps that I will take following on from University and found myself no longer consumed with apprehension or fear. Instead, I am filled with excitement and a somewhat prepared feeling, a position that I very much strived to be in when thinking about life after University. Four years at Derby University have enabled me to really understand what I truly want to create as not only an Illustrator but a designer. My approach to illustration as a whole has completely altered over the years and I have become selective within my work rather than striving for a perfectly drawn or rendered piece of art. I have pushed my personal boundaries through learning new artistic methods whilst developing my technological understanding and ultimately honing my skill set to a point that I feel confident in not only myself but also my brand, Darwin & Gray. My final project intended to provide an understanding and projection of the necessary components of an independent craft brand and provide evidence that illustrators can thrive through embracing diversification and entrepreneurial traits to gain recognition and secure profitable work for themselves. This semester has provided me with the opportunity to secure the foundations of Darwin & Gray and gain confidence to the point that I am able to successfully launch independently alongside my established Etsy shop and focus on the future of not only Darwin & Gray but also myself as a designer.