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Featured Interview – Little Birdy Designs

December 28, 2010 Charlotte No comments

Meet: Lindsay Atkinson – Little Birdy Designs

How long have you been making your work and how did it all begin?

I set up my shop on Folksy just over a year ago in Aug 2009, I had six card designs which I had sent to various publishers with positive comments but no actual takers, this was a pattern that had been repeating since I graduated from my surface pattern design msc in 2005. I was happy with these designs and having stumbled across folksy – I can’t for the life of me remember how, decided it was time to bite the bullet and start producing the cards myself in the hope that I would be ‘spotted’ and gain some commissions out of it if nothing else.

What processes & techniques do you use in your work?

All my designs are created digitally, I started off during my art A level using traditional techniques of watercolours and acrylic paints and had a particular fondness for chalk pastels which I used to create landscapes of my then local Northumberland to sell in the gift shop I worked at. I then came to York to study fine art and then digressed to textiles as I thought there were more career opportunities in this area. In our final year we were introduced to designing digitally by scanning in our artwork and manipulating on the screen.

I have always found it difficult to know where to start creatively as I have so many ideas swimming around in my head that I found the constraints of technology and the discipline of sitting at a screen actually helped me find more creative solutions and I fell in love with the idea of putting my designs into repeat so they could be applied to all sorts of objects around the home. I continued this method of working studying for an msc at Huddersfield uni where I was able to print my designs onto various fabrics and experiment with all kinds of things like the possibility of double sided printing and it’s possible uses.

Now, most of my artwork is created digitally either from photographs or drawn straight onto the screen with my graphics pen. Unfortunately not having a huge fabric printer at home I have had to find ways of getting my designs onto a wider range which again has been part of the fun or the creative process.

What are you inspired by?

My main inspiration comes from my allotment which I started renting with my partner in 2007, when we took it on it was given to us free as it was so overgrown with brambles and weeds, it’s now completely unrecognisable, we have built a shed, patio, extensive pond, all done ourselves and with recycled materials. It’s our little haven to escape to after a busy week at work. I also love watching garden birds and love how they add quirkiness and movement to a design. I particularly admire the work of Charley Harper whose illustrations while cartoonish are still recognisable as a particular species and that is what I aim for in my drawings.

Do you have a work space or studio? What is it like?

I recently invested in a new pc rather than a laptop which means all my designing is done at the same place, in my favourite room of the house, the dining room. It’s light and spacious and has a view of my bird table in the garden outside. All my making is done at the table in the same room. I work full time so am mainly here on an evening with Radcliffe and Maconie keeping me company on the radio.

Where can people buy your work?

You can buy my work from my folksy shop www.littlebirdydesigns.folksy.com and also now from the gift gallery York which has just opened on the shambles.

How do you promote your work?

I don’t have as much time as I would like for promotion but I participate in the folksy forums whenever I can, I have a facebook page and group and you can follow my tweets @littlebirdyhere. I also have a blog www.littlebirdydesigns.blogspot.com but am terrible at updating it.

What goals do you have for the future?

My main goal at the moment is to expand my product range by printing on fabric again and creating cushions and tea towels so I have enough products to try a craft fair before Christmas. My ultimate goal is to pack in the day job and make a go of things full time which I aim to do in Spring of next year, my thinking is that I may as well give it go now when I have few commitments and plenty of drive for it.

What advice would you offer to someone thinking about turning their craft/art into a business?

I probably need some advice myself, but I would say, start small and give yourself realistic goals, and do plenty of research, there is loads of information out there on crafting forums and it’s all free advice! I have achieved more than I thought possible in my first year and it’s given me the confidence to go even further.