Studio Life: August 2018

August was a big month for Sighh & I. I moved into the new Newcastle city centre flat with my boyfriend and excitedly put together my own designated studio (aka second bedroom, once the bed and chest of draws were negotiated away). Jack took a week off work to sort the place out, which helped as everything I ordered seemed to arrive on a different day. This all happening at the same time as the largest sale I've had in years was something to navigate, as was dragging sacks of envelopes through the cardboard strewn corridors of our flat... but it was all finished in just over a week. And then graduate life really began! Well, partly. August has felt like a battle between me being so excited to start my new life and genuinely incredibly happy, while also definitely procrastinating and doing things very slowly, in summer mode. Anyway, here's what I did, according to my overflowing camera roll...

Big Ass Sighh Sale

Out with the old, in with the new. That's my mantra for this sale - even though there isn't a great deal of new and ready on the horizon just yet... JUST yet.

I went to university to develop my style, which I knew was stagnating. Back in 2014/15 I was making things that sold very well (by the standards of a 18 year old) however I knew I wasn't quite ready and had so much more to develop and learn before I could confidently fly the nest. And now, thank god, I have actually seen a progression in my design style and general industry know how. I've been ITCHING, YEARNING, to graduate and get on with it!

Throughout my 3 years at uni I brought out several new product lines, but eventually had to focus on my degree and let Sighh shred water until the FMP came and went. This means although the well loved items have stuck around, they don't really represent my style any more, and it's time to say goodbye.

WELCOME TO THE BIG ASS SIGHH (GRAD) SALE

Venturing Into Pattern and Colour

It's tine to reopen my shop, but I want there to be something new. Over the past year at university, I've been truly inspired to test the boundaries of my personal style, because after 2-3 years of doing virtually the same thing, I am bored.

Making the decision to switch courses from Graphic Design to Illustration triggered a (slow and tentative) change in the way I view myself and my work. I feel more comfortable identifying as an art student, somehow. Graphics always seemed like visuals were used as tools, the skill was decision making, whereas on my illustration course the visuals matter a lot more, they're valued and developed lovingly.

I want to make beautiful things. I want them to have a purpose, but definitely be beautiful and a pleasure to own. Scrolling Instagram is becoming a dangerous game as so often I get the restless itch of wanting to jump up and make a ceramic bowl (glazed to perfection), create vibrant patterns on canvas, weave an intricate wall hanging with big fluffy bits and paint fancy ladies with pastel gouache.

Before, I'd stare in awe, but now I'm thinking... why can't I do that? Nothing is holding me back. I finally want to learn all of the things. If I'd been this open in 2014, maybe I would have continued on my foundation course for more than 3 days and never applied to do Graphic Design. Oh well, it's better late than never. Better in third year when I get to write my own projects and still have access to the university's equipment, than after uni when there would be a lot more in my way.

So last week I decided to give some pattern making a go. Colour is something I adore but have very little skill in, so working with abstract marks and shapes has helped take the focus off my usual form & lettering, and onto how to create an appealing colour piece. 

Probably the BEST THING I HAVE EVER LEARNED at uni, and that arguably is completely worth the estimated £21k I've already spent in fees, is how to change colours with adjustment layers in Photoshop. All these marks were made with black ink, and edited digitally. It blew my fucking mind. I used to select the areas and fill them with colour. You would not believe the pixelation. I'm living in a new world. I bet you all knew how to do it too.

This was a really quick post, I just wanted to shout from the rooftops that I'm excited to learn and try new things. I hope you guys like what I make next!

CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY - #SighhStocking

- SHOP: www.sighh.co -

Oh hello! Well, the past year has been quite a struggle for me shop wise, what with balancing uni and a male and all, but you guys have kept it going. Your continued encouragement at any new product ideas I've had and support when they're released has meant the world. The support wasn't just buying them, but sharing them too, so I have even more friendly faces than ever before. For this, thankusomuch.

I used to do lots of Instagram giveaways, it was always so fun and I freaking love giving gifts, coming up with exciting hauls to send out and imagining the winner being so chuffed when it comes through their letterbox! I really want to get back into it, and what better time to try than the season of goodies - Christmas!!

About two years ago I realised "Sighh Stocking" sounded cool, so I've been trying to put a campaign to the name since then, hah! I think next year it will be a selection box you can order for Christmas - including goodies from some amazing independent stores I team up with - but lets give that another year to plan... yeah?

SO, what is this year's #SighhStocking?

Rather than restricting the giveaway to something I've chosen, I thought why not let you decide what you'd like instead? Plus, this isn't just a one product giveaway, you can potentially win multiple things you've wished for!

Rules:

1. Share the photo on Instagram AND/OR Twitter, tagging #SighhStocking and @sighh.co - This is how you're entered to the draw! 
2. You may enter as many times as you like, but no giveaway accounts!
3. This giveaway is international.
4. The photo can either be this graphic, or any of my product images - if you think they would fit your feed better, haha! These can be taken from my website or you can take your own if you already own a Sighh product! :)
5. In the description or tweet, let us know what's on your Christmas list this year. This must include at least one Sighh product, but I thought it would be fun to share other things we're hoping for too! It could give your followers ideas for their Christmas list, plus...

Winnings:

1. The first draw will win a selection of the Sighh products they wished for, PLUS I'll buy them something else off their wish list too! Makeup, food, pyjamas, anything that isn't crazy, like, a car..! :')
2. The two runners up will win a selection of the Sighh products they wished for. If you happened to purchase these items for Christmas/end up getting them from your friends, I'll organise exchanges :)
3. Plus, loads of chocolate. Duh.

End date:

This competition is two weeks long, and finishes on the 14th of December 2016. The First draw will happen on the 7th of December (so get those entries in early!) and then the runners up will be chosen on the 14th. 

The winners will be picked using a random number generator, on both dates. Instagram posts will be added to the Twitter hashtag list, so it's an even field! 

I'm always nervous to launch campaigns like this! I really hope you guys think it's a goodn' and want to get involved! I'd appreciate it so much. I feel so FESTIVE doing this and I can't wait to pick winners and buy them goodies!!!! GOOD LUCK TO ALL AND A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Rebrand: Packaging Update!

YAY I HAVE FINALLY REBRANDED EVERYTHING!! My shop and I had a little makeover this summer and I am super happy about it. Relieved too. I managed to go 3 years of thinking I was a graphic designer without taking my own branding seriously enough. I had the same compliment slips and a logo for aaages and really didn't feel they represented my style any more. Finally, during my extended uni summer break, I had the time and the motivation.

There's a lot to go into on this topic, but for the past year or so I've felt very odd about my shop. I really did want it to become a collaborative place, but after experimentation I've found that I'm just not comfortable with that. I wanted to bring it all back to how it started, little ol me in my bedroom, drawing things that make people smile, for a jobby. I wanted to reconnect with everyone who has supported Sighh for years now, as during my first year at uni I definitely let things slide. So the rebrand aims to connect me with the customer, in a fun, pretty way.

Step 1) Packaging! I want people to get excited the moment they see the parcel at their door. I want them to know instantly where it came from. This is also important for Christmas time, if your family/housemates have a habit of opening your post and you don't want surprises ruined!

Stickers are great because you can have more detail in them, but stamps can have just as much of an impact, and really add the personal touch. Especially the ones which don't work. That is also a risk. I designed these with an idea of where each would go, so worked out the measurements according to my packaging. For example, the "Open me, I'm fabulous" and "thank you!" stamps go on the seal of envelopes, so they had to be short. I wanted the "Hello, I am your new stuff" to be larger as it would decorate the front of the parcel. 

I made these simply by inking them with a paint brush, scanning them into photoshop and tidying up the edges a bit/moving elements to improve their composition and sizing them according to the measurements on the manufacturer's website. Links at the bottom of this post! The artwork you supply stamp companies with needs to be solid black and white. The black will be what's stamped, and the white will be cut out. If the detail is too fine, it may not print well, especially on uneven surfaces like jiffy bags. I think ink work was ideal! 

The logo stickers come in 3 different colours, which make up my shop's new colour palette! I they'll be alternated on packaging/branding products. I kept teal, the colour of my previous branding, for consistency (plus I love it), but added coral and pops of mustard which I feel are more me. 

Different packaging require different stamps. It's all about what fits, and the composition. I wanted the packaging to be personal, but not messy. 

Stickers will go inside cases like this, so you never forget where you bought them! Apparently people do. Humph. 

And now onto the part I love the most - the thank you slips!! Oh man. I found my A6 compliment slips weren't doing the job after launching enamel pins, which use small jiffy bags. I had to fold them, and it looked crap. Branding material should fit in seamlessly. So, these babies are A7 which only makes them 10x sweeter! I got them from Printed - if you decide to order, do a girl a favour and use my link (https://t.co/JlubOALKpq) which will save me money on future orders! :')

After seeing photos of people pinning up my old thank you slips on their walls, I wanted to make the reverse side a piece of lettering, or illustration, to fit that purpose. I think when these run out, I'll order a range of designs for people to collect! :) The "yay/pretty" have a stamp effect, linking with the packaging. I was going to hand stamp them but I didn't think I could cope with the ordeal it would be. These have been printed on 270gsm gesso paper, which links with the textured background of my website. Them details tho. 

I also ordered a smaller amount of thank you slips with a blank reverse side, so that I can write little notes to customers. This is SUCH an important thing to have considered if you're developing your own packaging. You don't want customers to be confused when they receive the parcel, before checking their inbox, and a note is a lot more personal than an email. It's also nice to write little messages to friends who order, without using scrap paper - which looks messy!

-

And there you have it. My new branding! I'm going to actually talk about the reasons behind it in detail in another post for the graphics-y folk who might be interested. This was more a visual overview :)

The branding will be rolling out from now on. Phone cases might take a bit longer, but I'm sending off the materials to my supplier tomorrow.

So what are your thoughts? Do you prefer it to my old stuff? Do you feel it links up with my new website? Do let me know your thoughts below, or on twitter. Isn't it ironic how I spent my summer doing graphics stuff, just after I decided to change my degree to Illustration! Lol, life.

IN THIS POST:
Stickers and thank you cards: printed.com
Wooden stamp: https://www.englishstamp.com
Stamps with plastic handles: https://therubberstampcompany.com/traditional-rubber-stamps
Packaging: http://www.ukpackaging.com/

NO TIME FOR PRICKS

"No Time For Pricks" Phone Case - £18 / "No Time For Pricks" A4 print - £10

SIGHH IS HEADING TO NEW PLACES. Yes. I'm not quite sure where, but Art Print mountain and Watercolour valley seem likely destinations. With a new year at university fast approaching, I'm working on diversifying and developing my art style lots, which will no doubt have an impact on the products coming out in my shoppy shop. I really don't know why I've held off on making proper art prints for so long. It was obviously very stupid as who doesn't love decorating their walls?? But DO NOT FEAR for I have many ideas and great equipment at uni.

At Sighh I'm all about creating products to make you feel positive, inspired and motivated. "No time for pricks" is a snappy way of getting yourself in the zone each morning to go out, be yourself and remove negativity from your life. All in a bit of a funny way because cacti...pricks....we all know it's funny okay.

It's a bit dramatic to say I had the time of my life designing this, but I kind of did. If you've followed me for a while or had a look through my work, you'll see its almost exclusively smooth, digitised work (hand drawn then edited with Adobe Illustrator). Although this has boded well so far, for years I've been itching to develop and try something new so I'm going to be making a real effort from now on to do just that. I'm thinking traditional print, paint, gold foil, hand finishing as much as possible and just experimenting. So it was a breath of fresh air to spend a day or two filling up pages in my sketchbook, feeling that repetitive movement from paint, to paint water, to paper. 

Product details:

The phone case files have been designed and are ready to go, but the A4 prints still need to be printed, which I aim to do at uni next week. However, as I can't absolutely guarantee the dispatch date, they're going up for pre order. This way I know how many to print in the first batch! :)

As always, there are a wide range of phone models available! Check out the drop down menu on any of the phone cases to see for yourself.

The frame is not included, so I can't wait to see how you mount them/where/or what kind of washi tape you use!

LAUNCH: 6PM 07/08/2016 www.sighh.co

Also, I just wanted to say a big thanks to everyone on Twitter this morning who got involved with the idea of me designing new products like pyjamas/bedding/colouring books! The discussion has lead to loads of new plans for the future!! Thank you for showing excitement because it really is the fuel to my art train.

NEW IN: PINS

Probably Late / Ugh Mug / Needs Coffee / Cat Lady {£6.50}

PINS! The new craze. Yep. Did you ever imagine the days of the customised denim jackets would be back? Well they are, and I'm surprisingly thrilled about it. It's making way for new, really fun and free pieces to design. Enamel pins, button pins and embroidered patches could feature ANYTHING. I guess you could say that about notebooks and art prints, but pins are essentially little doodles you get to carry around.

With that in mind, I've kept my first luxury enamel pin collection black and white, to reflect little doodles that represent the owner. Cat lady is an identity for all those who might need to address why they're covered in fur, Needs Coffee and Probably Late say something about the wearer to those who read it, and the Ugh mug (maybe my favourite) is a simple stamp of sarcastic apathy. I have plans for SO many more along these lines, so fingers crossed this first collection goes down well!!

The pins are made from a shiny black nickel, and filled with bright white enamel. I was so happy to see that they were shiny because I actually thought the metal would be matte black *phew!*. They attach with a metal pinch clip at the back, except the Ugh mug which has a rubber clasp instead. 

Can we just stop for a second and appreciate their packaging????? These were a WORLD OF FUN to design and I must say a big thank you to Megan for illustrating the scenes so well during our collabs. Don't they look all professional and stuff? 

Things you can put pins on:

Dungaree front pockets

The shirt/jumper you're wearing that day

Tote bags

Rucksacks 

Denim jackets

Pencil cases

I friggin' cannot wait to see photos of these pins being worn out in the wild! Tag #SighhDesigns and @sighh.co on Instagram or tweet me at @SighhDesigns! Much love. Which is your favourite?

Slimline VS Premium Wrap Around

Premium Wrap Around £18 (left) + Slimline £12.50 - £14 (right)

Hopefully you've seen my excited tweets/snapchats about the new cases coming out, because I'm VERY CHUFFED and want you guys to know all about them! When they first arrived I was adamant about replacing the current Slimlines completely, but soon realised this probably wasn't the best business decision. They are more expensive and not available for all the phone types that the Slimlines are. Excluding a significant part of my customer base just isn't justified when these cases have been well loved for two whole years! So although the Premium Wrap Arounds will be my case of choice from now on, I wanted to write out the pros and cons of both so you can make an informed decision on your next purchase.

Slimline

Pros:

• They cost less. I'm able to price these from £12.50 - £14 which is a competitive price, and affordable for younger teens/people on a budget.
• Slim and lightweight. These cases are ideal for people who don't like having a bulky case on their phone but want the security of protection from scratches/minor bumps and something to make their plain phone less boring!
• Case edges slightly rise over the screen of the case.
• Easy to take on and off.
• Although print is sprayed on, they are very smooth and more hardwearing than you'd think!
• Designs only cover the back of the case, leaving sides transparent, which looks very sleek.
• Easy to wipe off dirt, however can be stained over time.
• Available for a huge variety of phone types.
• 2 month guarantee.

Middle case is Slimline, two others are Premium.

Cons:

• Plastic has been known to crack. I have definitely noticed that my supplier is using an inferior plastic case type than last year, which has made me even more adamant to get the premium cases. I've never had a case crack before, and I put this down to being careful when I take the cases on and off. I know that a lot of people like to play with the corners of cases when they're bored by pinging them. This will definitely weaken the plastic, leading to cracking. Referring back to the last "pro", I am able to issue a replacement to most customers who experience any damage I deem a product fault.
• Print is sprayed on. The supplier does add a protective layer over the print to protect it from wearing, but it can be damaged over time by sweaty hands/rubbing. for about 6-7 months this was a very big issue, but I'm pleased to say the print has definitely improved over the past couple of months and seems MUCH sturdier. 
• Print is sprayed on (part 2). On phones with edges like right angles (iPhone 5, etc) this is no problem at all, the print is cut off in a straight line. However, on phones such as the iPhone 5c and Samsung Galaxies, the curved edges mean that when the print is sprayed on it spreads out. This distorts the design slightly along the edge, as it fades out to white. This is not an issue for most people, but I have had complaints.
• Print can be stained over time, but most people replace their cases every 3-4 months so this shouldn't be much of an issue (unless you're an avid fake tanner who chose a white design).
• Colours print darker. Any designer knows the PAIN of trying to get your work to print how it looks on screen. These cases do turn out darker than I'd like, which has limited my designs hugely. But this is no issue with black and white cases, which is why I've brought out a lot recently!

For two years these cases have been my best selling product, thousands of happy, returning customers can't be wrong! I just think my new alternative could make them a LOT happier...

Premium Wrap Around

Pros:

• These cases have a smooth, glossy finish just like the ones you'd find on the highstreet!
• Case edges slightly rise over the screen of the case.
• As hard cases, they offer more protection.
• Colours print much brighter. This will open up SO many new possibilities for designs *squeal*. Previous case designs will also look much better, for example the "hidden gems" pastel colours will pop wonderfully. This means some designs will not be available in slimline, such as the Cocktails one, because the colours just DON'T look right dulled.
• (A pro for me) I will finally be able to send phone case samples to potential promoters for review, because I'm so confident in the quality.

(The colour difference is really hard to demonstrate with the camera I used, as it tries to contrast colours so much! The slimline version looks a lot better here than IRL, so you'll have to trust my opinion. Also the Premium case on the right doesn't look as sharp as it is IRL because of the focus on the left case.)

Cons:

• They cost more than the Slimline cases. When I first started Sighh, the cases I saw other artists providing were Premium Wrap Around for £22-£30. I knew, however, my target market would just not be willing to pay that much. I didn't believe my designs worthy, either (they weren't). I searched for MONTHS to find a supplier who could provide me with a way to affordably stock these without bulk ordering 100+ of each design, in each phone model... (Look how many designs I have. That would be impossible.). So, I settled with the Slimline which are really good cases, just not what I've always wanted. So after two years of asking (nagging), this same supplier has managed to get the equipment necessary to produce the Premium cases for an affordable price, and I couldn't be more happy.
• Pro within the con: These are only £4 more expensive than my current style. That's not even a McDonalds chicken legend meal, which would only last seconds!
• Limited phone type availability. Currently these cases are only made for iPhones (4/4S, 5/5S, 5C, 6, 6 PLUS) and Samsung galaxies (S3, S3 MINI, S4, S4 MINI, S5, S6, S6 EDGE).
• Tough to remove (they're territorial) but that comes with all hard cases.

So which would you prefer? Do you like your Sighh cases the way they are and feel no need to upgrade? Do you change your case regularly, so see no need to spend extra? Or do you prefer to invest in a case that'll last you as long as you want? Maybe you'll stick to Slimline for impulse buys and only opt for the Premium when you adore the design. Let me know!

-AVAILABLE FROM MONDAY 20TH ONWARDS-

Polly xo

"This Bag Contains" Tote

Release date: 13/06/2015 | £12.50

Cardigan & roll neck crop - Urban Outfitters | Skirt - Topshop | Watch - Daniel Wellington

Photos by Beth Norton

I've been harping on about these tote bags now for weeks on all my social media, but I do hope you're not too sick of them yet! I'm just SO. Bloomin. Excited.

Originally I was going to use a supplier for these, but when I realised their maximum print was about 18cm^2 I had to look for other options. This design needed to span the entire bag or the "crumbs" would look silly. Thank goodness they were willing to sell me plain bags, and I had other means of printing. 

Charlotte (the northern Graphic Design student angel) (soon to be Sighh employee/co designer), with help from Lo and the technicians at Leeds College of Art, managed to screen print a batch of these the day before she left to go home for summer. Unfortunately most ended up with patches where the screen had dried up with paint, so for the past two weeks I've been making my way through them, paint brushes and fabric ink in hand, so they're as standardised (perfect) as possible. However I still need to sew logo tags on half of them, and iron them all...

Although I do love sleek, professionally printed products, I've always wanted to stock hand made items. They're naturally more special for the buyer as real love and hard work goes into every single unit. So when I move to Leeds for uni (squirm) me and Charlotte will be blasting out the hand printed tote bags, art prints, note pads... MANY THINGS. The thought of LCA's extensive resources being at our finger tips (for cheap) is just... YAY. I can't wait to do blog posts on the production process!

So there it is, Sighh's first tote bag. Hopefully one of many in the set! I'm thinking a for-school version would be awesome.

The Beach Bag version will be released early July! And comes with an Instagram giveaway... stay tuned.

Polly xo