Interview with Thea Long

(@_thealong_) (etsy.com/_thealong_)

What is you process like when deciding what illustrations go onto what products?

I really struggled to find someone who creates illustrated products to interview. While Thea is just starting out she did have some really useful insights into the world of product illustration.

I started experimenting with illustration products this August. I particularly likes the little purple person in one of my recent works because she had the strangest pose. I wanted to take her out with me, so I thought I would print her on a tote bag. Some of my friends knew about my idea and really wanted one too, so I printed a few more and decided to sell the rest of them online. One day my friend and brought me milk tea. When holding cold drinks, she always liked to wra[ a mapkin around the outside of the cup to keep her hands from getting wet. I thought it would be nice if there was something similar. Starbucks had a paper cup holder, so I thought I could make something similar and reusable.

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How do you price your products?

I googled the same type of products, then add my production, printing costs and shipping costs to decide my selling price.

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What do you plan on doing moving forward?

Stay weird and creative, more products would be created if there were suitable illustrations for them.

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How are you finding the competition of using an online platform like etsy?

I don't have any experience in this area, as I have just started my small business and I am only selling locally in New Zealand at the moment.

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While it was nice to get some personal insight into a small and starting illustrator, I'll need to interview someone with a bit more experience to help build the picture of what it's like to sell and make illustrated products.