Sydney creative Ashlee Capomolla has an eye for detail that’s helped her personalised artwork business stand out from the pack.

Flash back to 2020. While everyone else was baking banana bread and attempting TikTok dance crazes during lockdowns, Ashlee Capomolla immersed herself in a hobby she’s always loved: art.

“I’ve always had a passion for art and I just found it was a really great creative outlet for me,” says the artist and founder of Ashlee Studio. “It was good to have a hobby to do during lockdown.

“Then when I started to put it out there on my personal social media, I decided to start my own Ashlee Studio Instagram page to really get that following and take it from there.”

As she shared her eye-catching fashion illustrations on Instagram, Ashlee’s family, friends and followers started asking for personalised portraits of loved ones (like her parents, in the illustration below) as well as pets. Just like that, Ashlee, who works in the investment industry, had a side business.

 

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Personalisation as a product

Ashlee quickly found herself making more and more printed illustrations, watercolour designs and textured artworks not just for people’s living rooms – but for a host of other different purposes.

Her range, which can be ordered at her website and on Etsy, includes customisable stationery, greeting cards, wedding invites, menus, envelopes, proposal cards, wax and embossing stamps, bridal showers and hens’ parties and more. Just recently, she produced her sister’s wedding invites and stationery, tapping into a growing trend for couples looking to celebrate their big day with bespoke details.

“I think personalisation is a big thing at the moment,” Ashlee explains. “A lot of people have a lot of things already and personalisation just adds that little special touch. Something that’s unique to that individual that they can’t just go and buy at a shop.”

 

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Growing with a design partner

As Ashlee saw the possibilities of diversifying her product range, she sought a design and marketing partner who could bring her artworks to life in many forms. Another small business recommended Vista’s print, digital and design services, which include free online graphic design tools such as Logomaker and VistaCreate.

It proved to be a savvy business move. Ashlee now uses Vista to print her range of illustrations across everything from notebooks to tote bags to mugs, while also personalising details like packaging stickers and mini postcards that double as business cards.

“I really like to think outside of the box when it comes to my branding,” Ashlee explains. “So I’ve printed Christmas swing tags [see pictured below]. For me, it’s all about printing my artwork on these additional items. It’s an extension of the Ashlee Studio brand so people can really see what else I can create for them.”

 

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Making the unboxing experience memorable

With the goal of crafting gifts that bring people joy, Ashlee has put thought into every aspect of how people encounter her brand – including the unboxing experience.

“For me, a really good unboxing experience is getting the customer excited when they see the product arrive – unwrapping it and really anticipating that final reveal of the artwork,” she says.

“It’s also about getting your brand out there, using products such as stickers and thank you cards. I like to throw in a little bit of a freebie! I’m fortunate enough to work with great businesses out there like Vista to customise those branding items to make sure it’s consistent across the whole unboxing experience.”

Watch: Ashlee Studio’s branding and unboxing tips

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For more, visit www.ashleestudio.com.au.

Want to make your design and marketing pop? Visit vista.com/au to bring your small business visions to life.

This article is brought to you by Kochie’s Business Builders in partnership with Vista.