NyhaGraphics

For the month of March, I bring you Naomi.  Her work is creative, whimsy, and will bring out the child in all of us.  Her shop, NyhaGraphics, displays her amazing work.

Card

Etsy Paper:  Tell us a little about yourself.
Naomi:  Hello, I’m Naomi the creative for all the illustrated products in my store Nyha Graphics. I create all my products in a little studio in south London. I have a background in Visual Communication Design, specializing in illustration. I work part-time as Book Cover Designer for a publisher and the other half of the time I’m designing and creating products or promoting my Etsy store and selling wholesale to local stores.

Etsy Paper:  When did you open your shop on Etsy?
Naomi:  I opened my Etsy store in the summer 2010.

Notebook

Etsy Paper:  Tell us about your shop.
Naomi:  In my store I sell greeting cards, stationery - notebooks, coloring page packs, mirrors, badges and a few limited edition prints. I have a basic necessity (or possible obsession) to draw, paint and make things, it got to a point I had created so much artwork decided to sell some.

I love to draw - cute stuff: birds; whimsical characters; cupcakes and typographic positive/motivation pieces and a few illustrated poems.

I have two styles: little pen & ink drawings with a light watercolor finish; and a children’s picture book style also pen and ink artwork, that is scanned and has a digital mixed media finished. All my products are printed professionally on watercolor quality recycled paper by my local / UK printers on FSC accredited paper.

Etsy Paper:  Do you have a favorite quote to share?
Naomi:  "Creativity takes courage." - Henri Matisse

Etsy Paper:  When your creativity gets blocked/clogged, what do you do or where do you go to get inspired and create again?
Naomi:  I go to a art exhibition / gallery or I’ll go shopping to a art/craft shop, gift and card shop. I love little independent or design led shops like Diverse in Brixton, Paperchase or Tate Modern Gift Shop or ETC in Angel bursting will inspiration for me.

Coloring Set

Etsy Paper:  What is it about paper that you love?
Naomi:  I love the feel of the grain, the pureness of paper, the variations of options in weight and color. I love the way my ink sits on the paper or the paint absorbs into the paper.

Etsy Paper:  Where do you feel at peace, free from all the pressure of family and work?
Naomi:  At the seaside or a beach, I love looking out to the horizon, such pure beauty and the sound of waves splashing in and rushing out is extremely relaxing.

Etsy Paper:  How do you fix your "mistakes"? Do you have tricks to salvage your work, or do you just start over and "turn over a new page"?
Naomi:  Although I use Adobe Photoshop and InDesign and my final artwork is a digital mix. I try not to tamper with the original artwork very much. So as much as I hate to start again, as a illustrator it is great practice to start over and not to be too precious about a piece. I like my work to look loose and painty with space to let the paper breathe. If I overwork a piece or spill my Indian ink, I will start again. After all the second could be that much better…Fingers crossed.

Art Print

Etsy Paper:  Why do you do what you do?
Naomi:  I create because it is my passion, I’ve found pleasure with drawing since I found my first crayons and truly can’t imagine not being creative. Creating art is a great slice of bliss, I loose track of time, feel like I achieved something, made someone happy and it relaxes me.

Etsy Paper:  What has been your favorite comment from purchasers about your product?
Naomi:  My favorite comment was a review for one of my 2014 calendars from a lady in Canada.
“A delightful calendar that will cheer anyone up every day! It was sent quickly and had some treats tucked in to make me smile as wide as can be...Naomi spreads kindness around the world with her work!”

And I think that's the perfect quote to end with.  That is one of the joys of buying from Etsy, handmade items, packed with care and kindness.  Way to go NyhaGraphics!

Until next time,
Jenni
Etsy Paper
Team Captain