Interview with Elizabeth Silver: Building a Bright Brand with EttaVee
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with my friend and fellow artist, Elizabeth Silver, to chat about all things art licensing.
I first met Elizabeth back in 2018 when I was debuting at Surtex for the very first time. We're both represented by Jewel Branding and I was so excited to meet a fellow Jewel artist. For years, Elizabeth has been an amazing source of knowledge for surface pattern designers and I was honored when she asked me to join her for a chat on how my brand came to be.
Here are some of the highlights from our conversation!
How to balance a day job while growing your brand
When I was first starting out I was working full time as an Art Director and hustling to build EttaVee on the side. And boy oh boy was I hustling! I did design work in the evenings when I came home from work and would ship orders over my lunch breaks. The truth is, it’s always going to be a little overwhelming to work a full time job while you’re building your art business. Hustle is not the answer long term though, so the key is to know when it’s time to transition out of your day job and go full time with your business. For me, this meant making sure that I was financially comfortable and confident enough to take the leap and leave my 9-5 job.
How I incorporate trends into my artwork and style
Trends are an important thing to keep an eye on as a professional artist, so I’m absolutely aware of trends! Since most of my work is more abstract, I look at the new trends that are coming up and see what I’m drawn to. You don’t want to force a trend if it doesn't fit your style or if it doesn’t vibe with you as an artist. I take the trends I’m drawn to and find playful ways to bring brushstrokes to those trends. This really makes them mine and ensures that the EttaVee brand shines through no matter what the trend is!
The necessary skills needed to be a surface pattern designer
Elizabeth gets asked all the time, “Do you have to know how to draw to be a surface pattern designer?” So I weighed in with my thoughts! I think that you don’t necessarily need to know how to draw to succeed in surface design, but you do need to know a few key things:
You should have a solid understanding of design principles
Know the ins and outs of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
Learn hand lettering. This gives you more flexibility and will open up new opportunities with licensing partners.
My best advice for pricing fine art
Ahhh pricing... This is one of the top questions that new artists have, and I totally understand why! It feels like a complete gray area and there’s not a lot of clear information out there about how to price your work. Some of the best advice I’ve ever received around this is that you should be paid well for what you do. Period. It’s important to be your own best advocate and set your prices accordingly.
For fine art, I came up with a simple math equation to determine prices:
[Width of the canvas] x [Height of the canvas] x [your chosen rate per square inch]
So if your rate per square inch is $1, and the size of your canvas is 18x24 you’ll charge $432 for that painting. This is just a starting point, and I recommend increasing your prices every year so that your artwork appreciates in value.
Tips for creating work/life balance and setting boundaries
When you’re starting an art business, especially if you’re still working a full-time job at the same time, it can be really easy to fall into the trap of overworking. But remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup. Even though it’s important to work hard as you’re building your business, it’s even more important to set boundaries and rest. Setting boundaries was a game changer for me. I stopped working crazy hours, and actually got good sleep! Another thing that has been hugely helpful is hiring help. I’ve hired an agency, gallery, and marketing help, and it has freed up so much space in my business and my life. Plus, hiring out helps you grow even farther in the long-run since you don’t have to do everything yourself!
I hope you enjoyed this conversation! We dive even deeper into all of these topics in the full interview, plus I share some of the upcoming exciting new projects that are happening for EttaVee this year, so check it out if you want to learn more!
Thank you again to Elizabeth Silver for having me!
xo, Jessi
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