This is Sian Ellis

The portfolio of Illustrator Sian Ellis

Goals for 2020: Part 1

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I am splitting this blog post up into 3 posts in order to allow me to discuss each goal in a little bit more detail, and hopefully shed some light on why it is a focus of mine for next year.

-Shakeup My Stockists

-Secure more painting commissions in 2020

-Be spookier

-Make more, increase handmade offerings

-Work Less, Live More

-Collaborate

-Improve branding

-Learn more digital skills

My goals are a lot different to last year’s. Last years goals felt like milestones I wanted to reach, full of facts and figures in an attempt to quantify success. For 2020 my approach is as reflective as it is about trying something new. This last year has been so brilliant, and I want to keep learning, improving and building on what I have achieved so far.

Shakeup my Stockists

This was a tough one as last year a goal of mine was to be stocked in 2 shops, and after getting a brilliant 7 stockists I am now looking to reduce them. This is because I have been able to try a range of different models, working with a range of hops in a range of cities. I am learning what does and doesn’t work for me and the capabilities and priorities that I have for my illustration work. I am planning to remove my work from some of my existing stockists and focus more on working with shops on a Sale or Return or wholesale basis. Excitingly I have already begun this transformation of my business and aim to find new partners to work with throughout 2020.

Secure More Painting Commissions in 2020

It might not be clear in the title of this one, but I’m not necessarily looking to do more painting commissions than I did in 2019, I just want to keep doing them! Over this last year I have learnt so much and had such incredible opportunities to work on murals and sculpture paintings across the UK. My goal for 2020 is to find more and grow my experience and portfolio in this area even further. I am happily already in talks about some sculptures and murals for this next year, so I just need to keep everything crossed that they come good.

2019, A Year in Review

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2019 has been a pretty awesome year for my business. It all really ramped up for me and revisiting some of my highlights in the last few blogs is really just a handful of the year’s achievements. I really got to step up my experience too, from huge murals to book covers. It is safe to say I surpassed my expectations for the year as i outlined in February 2019.

I even went as far as to set some new goals midway through the year. 

My First Set of Goals

-Get 1200 followers on instagram

-Have products stocked in 2 stockists

-Increase to 100 sales on Etsy

-Have a stall at a niche market

-Get 20 reviews on etsy

-Increase etsy product number to 50

-Invest in a new type of product

-Secure a large paid commission

I reviewed those goals before writing more, but happily and surprisingly I absolutely smashed them. Well, with the exception that I listed 49 products on Etsy, but I think that’s ok. I have doubled my etsy review goal, tripled my stockists target and had six times the number of large commissions that I had hoped for. The success of 2019is going to be a tough one to replicate in 2020. 

My Revised Goals

-Secure a mural commission using my characters and style

-be approached for a large scale commission without applying

-trial a pop up shop

-run an arts event (market, workshop, drawing class)

-get agency representation

This new revision of goals wasn’t quite as successful. However, a lot for his was down to willing. I chose not to go in the direction of running my own events. After all, I do more than enough of that in my alternate employment. It’s always going to be something I am able to do if I turn my mind to it. I have no doubt about that. Similarly I did not put very much time into researching and preaching agency representation. I also didn’t trial any pop up shops as I didn’t find any with terms I liked. 

Unfortunately for me I wasn’t approached for a larger scale commission without applying. That’s ok. I successfully got many and have started to be approached about smaller commissions. This was always a big goal and will come with time. I was invited to apply for a large commission too, so it is all going in the right direction as far as I am concerned.

What I did achieve was securing a mural commission in my style. I was voted for by residents of Armley to create a 14 foot mural of my ‘Nice to Be Nice’ characters as part of a local regeneration project. It was a brilliant opportunity and a huge portfolio boost, as well as genuinely fun to take part in.

That’s a Wrap

I am really pleased with what I achieved in 2019. What is exciting about it is that I have so many ideas and such a big drive for taking it forward into 2020, but in a way that allows me to have time to relax, spend time socially and enjoy walks with the pupper on my days working at home. It is going to be hard to grow more than I have done in this last year, because it has been so incredible, but for me 2020 is more about refining my work and focusing on the quality and streamlined approach to how I run my illustration business. It’s about keeping hold of the things I have loved doing in 2019, doing more of them and doing them better.

Thankyou to everyone who has supported me through my journey so far and I hope that you can enjoy sticking it me in the year to come. 

I’ve Just Gone A Day Less A Week With My Employer….eek!

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I briefly alluded in a post at the end of 2019 that I would be receiving more support in my artistic endeavours and my fundraising job too. Well, as of January 2020 I have officially changed my working hours at the day job down to 3 days a week. 

This means that I officially spend more time not at the job than I do at the job! That’s a big move but the right one. Those 3 days a week will be busy and intense I am sure, but it means that some of my responsibilities have reduced.

Plans for the Extra Day

It might surprise you, but my plan isn’t to take on more projects. This last year was the second year of my business. To say it has been busy is an understatement. Through 2019 I have worked across seven cities in the UK with painting projects. This is on top of working a four day a week job, and not counting the additional four cities hat I have worked in at pop up opportunities, markets and stockists. Then there has been all my digital commission work and online shop, my Kickstarter campaign, and designing and producing new products. Importantly it also doesn’t include the time that is spent on everything else. The admin, the commission chats that don’t pan out, the applications that don’t come good. The extra day’s work is already there.

So, what’s the goal?

The goal is still to improve my business but not through taking on more. It is about streamlining the work I already do. I’ts about regaining a better work/ life balance. The pace in which I have been working last year is not sustainable. So it’s about more than just having an extra day to spread my workload over, I want to make sure I am using my time sensibly too.

This does mean that some of the things I have been doing in 2019 I will not continue into 2020. But this will be discussed a bit more in my next weeks post where I look at my goals for the year ahead. 

Under Pressure

It does mean that there is now a financial expectation of my work that I didn’t hav before. I have always been working for pocket money, but now I need to account for the drop in income I have entailed due to dropping my hours with my employer. It’s not that I have put myself in a position of risk,but it is about having a more tangiable reason to set myself financial targets. I am looking forward to his opportunity to run my business more efficiently, more strategically and ensure that it has a strong and viable economic model. Ooooh do I sound fancy right now or what?

Highlights of 2019: The Record Breaking Go Wild Gorillas Auction

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Plus my Wild In Art adventures.

How could this not be a highlight? To be commissioned to create two out if 40 sculptures that raised over a million quid? The highest Wild in Art raise ever! Featuring artists including Stuart Semple and DC’s Kenneth Rockafort, and cheerleader by Henry Cavill himself. It was the top rockstar moment of my career so far.

I even went as far as to say that I’ve peaked! As both a fundraiser and an artist. Even before the spectacular auction, the project was a highlight throughout. It marked my first visit to the island. With a distinctive continental flavour it was like a mini holiday with my art. I met some brilliant artists along the way too. My sculptures both got beautiful seaside locations, including just opposed the aging hire, I had stayed in tinlaint, beneath the castle. It meant that picturing the statue in place, despite being unable to visit, was much easier.

The Auction 

The night of the auction blew my mind, Our Island raised £27,000 at auction. Jersey Big raised £25,000. It was incredible, and all the sculptures went for one phenomenal amounts.Of course I have my tongue in my cheek when I talk about having peaked, but it feels like a tough act to follow. I felt like a proper artist though! My career is still new, and I have been drawing in the closet my whole life. These moments in the real world, where my work is being elevated so much, are still huge ‘pinch myself’ moments.

Other Wild In Art Adventures

These two sculptures joined my Wallabies Gone Wild Wallaby and my Great North Elmer as my Wild in Art 2019 contributions. Plus my Cows About Cambridge sculpture debuts in March 2020. My charity sculpture raise for the year is nearly at an incredible £60,000. A huge highlight for me indeed! 

This piece is part of a three part blog series on my highlights from 2019.  

Highlights of 2019: Armley Murals Project

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This incredible project allowed me to paint my biggest mural ever in September 2019. With support from Leeds City Council and Seagulls paint, Mike Winnard of Armley House studios led the project to regenerate walls in the district of Armley.

Four artists were given four areas in Armley to paint. We were also offered mentoring time with the talented artist Mike. Getting pro tips on the painting and preparation process was a great opportunity for me. Mike was as friendly and helpful as he was knowledgeable. 

The Selection Process 

As part of the project we were given free reign over our proposed piece of art, of which mine was voted in a local forum to be commissioned. Painted over 3 days the 14 foot long mural I painted adorned the side of a local home. I was given chance to meet the locals and get their frank & honest but overwhelmingly positive response to my work.

The Inspiration Behind It 

I chose to create a piece that celebrated community and positivity. From growing up in a town facing a high level of deprivation, not unlike Armley, I know how important optimism and a strong sense of community can be. I wanted something bright and positive that would appeal to young and old. From the comments I heard from local to kids and older residents I think I managed it. 

Why It’s a Highlight 

It felt good to be trusted to paint something so huge on someone’s home and so prominently in a residential place. The positive response it got and the experience I got in painting and scaling up such a large piece were the cherries on top. Id love the chance to get back to visit the piece, so would like to resolve that for 2020.

If you have a photo of the mural, please remember to share it with me! 

This piece is part of a three part blog series on my highlights from 2019. 

Highlights of 2019: My First Kickstarter Campaign

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In the Summer I ran my first ever Kickstarter campaign to produce my first ever enamel pin. I had never used Kickstarter before but had attended a free information evening ran by the website at Site Gallery in Sheffield earlier in the year. 


The Big Launch

 I think I started off with a grandiose idea of an intensive and detailed strategy. Spreadsheets and plans reviewed again and again before launch day. In reality, I found myself with an overflow of energy and enthusiasm on an afternoon I was free and feeling brave. Off the cuff, emotional and optimistic, my campaign was born.

I had used the tips I learnt at the Kickstarter advice evening. I set my campaign for 4 weeks and made sure to have pledge rewards at range of price points. Specifically I ensured there was a £20 tier, the most popular Kickstarter pledge amount.

The Stressful Bit

Trying not to constantly survey the campaign is a challenge in itself. Watching the amount rise and sink was surprisingly stressful. Luckily for me I had very few cancelled pledges, and I reached my target goal within a timeframe that meant the pressure wasn’t onme for longer than I could handle. It meant that I could review my goals. Hope for higher amounts and add additional rewards. When the campaign hit 100% funded after just one week of being live, I was grateful, surprised and humbled.

Lessons Learned

Some kickstarters add rewards that are only available to claim once they are unlocked when the campaign reaches a certain target. I was far too giddy and excited for that, all my rewards unlocks were free gifts for all physical backers. This could have been something in which to monetize and encourage higher pledges, but I was happy just to offer rewards and share the love with my amazing backers. 

I also didn’t realise that the shipping costs registered to your target. This is only a problem if your minimum is really the very minimum you need to produce and you only hit that. In future I would factor these costs in too.

The bestest most wonderful lesson was what fab folk are out there supporting my work, and what wonderful new people found me on Kickstarter and took a chance on my art. The success of my first ever Kickstarter campaign reaching £1000 pledged was the nicest compliment in the whole of 2019. Thankyou! 

This piece is part of a three part blog series on my highlights from 2019. 

Barker & Stonehouse Button Badge Commission

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I previously wrote about the five miniature wallabies I was commissioned to paint by Villa Gaeity.  This was part of the Wild in Art app incentives that sponsors are encouraged to provide. Happily it was not the only trail where I was commissioned to create some of these incentives.

The Brief

My Great North Elmer was sponsored by Barker and Stonehouse, and the prominent furniture store put in a special request for their sculpture to be placed outside their store. This gave them a unique stand point to easily hand out their Elmer’s unlock incentives from their store. They chose to commission a small token that they could distribute in high volume. Taking inspiration from my current range of button badges I was asked to create a range of designs for the Great North Elmer trail.

The Inspiration

 I took inspiration from the colourful characters on my Elmer. From experience I knew they would work well in a badge design. I just needed to keep it colourful, bold and simple in design. I designed 5 badges in total. Each took colour and character cues from the Elmer. 

I enjoy designing badges and they are popular items. They are small and my designs often appeal to my littlest fans. They come with a price tag to suit little budgets too. I have a surprisingly diverse customer base and am proud to have done fab mini fans.

The biggest challenge in badge design is creating something that will stand out as a tiny wearable design. Contrast needs to be good, lines need to be clean and simple. The badges I created for Barker and Stonehouse were just that. I hope that they found lots of happy homes during the trail and they get worn often.

If you have managed to pick up a badge please remember to share your photos with me! 

Why the election results make me proud to be weird artist

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There have been a lot of emotions this week following the horrific election results in the U.K. We are a nation under the right wing. I flit between sad, angry and optimistic. Hopeful that the good eggs amongst us can fix it. That we can see each other through and help our friends and neighbours in the meantime. That we can pull together to support the vulnerable people our government has forgotten.

What has this got to do with art?

Politics, outrage and passion are always going to inspire art. What I am focusing on more is how this result has affected my own approach to my own art. It has forced me to accept that I feel am at a moral bypass with the majority of my voting countryman. It has forced me to accept that no matter how crucial a government can be in the difference between life and death for vulnerable people, there will still be many folk who don’t even get up to vote. I am forced me to accept that I am in a minority, at a complete impass with many of those around me.

So what has it got to do with YOUR art Sian?

I have always felt a conflict within myself when it comes to my art. Between the ultimately alternative work that I especially enjoy to draw, and the mainstream stuff that tends to have a more mass appeal. I have felt the need to defend my art from people who find it strange that someone wants to draw ghosts all year long. I have often felt a societal pressure to ‘be more normal’. This election has redefined what normality is in the U.K.  It has taught me that I don’t really want to be it after all.

Weirdos 4 lyf!

Now this isn’t all down to the election. Growing support for my spooky pieces over the last year has been hurtling me towards this point also. The election results just cement it. It doesn’t mean all my work will be spooky and weird, but it means I will have the confidence to promote more obscure work more proudly. I can’t maintain my business on only proving super niche creepy illustrations, but I can allow myself to explore that art freely. What I can do is I can allow myself to be proud of it. I can enjoy that I am different, because after brexit and the tories, who wants to be like the Great British public these days anyway? 

Powering Through Christmas, 🌟2019 Edition

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It’s that time of year again, but bigger, longer and uncut!

Today is the first day I have ever had to write a Sunday blog post on the day it’s due. I usually write these posts as often as possible and schedule them in advance. Everything is out of the window this time of year. 

‘Tis the Season of Powering Through. 

With a one year old puppy sized bundle of unrelenting energy, this year had been an extra juggling act. Balancing work, markets, commission work, puppy ownership and life admin, it’s been a big one. My second year of illustration has seen an increase in my commission work throughout the year too, so I have additional work alongside Christmas commissions.

How to Cope

I have reassigned conservatively  realistic about the work I am able to do in this time. I have found myself having to turn work down that I am not certain I can complete within required deadlines. Each project I am unable to complete, I hope to work with I the new year, but I don’t want to accept anything I am not confident I can do well and in time.

Same goes for markets. I signed up to as many as I was confident I could do without exhausting myself. Ones that would be good, ones that would be profitable and worth it. Ones that I would enjoy too!

I also scheduled in some down time. A couple of days in London visiting Secret Cinema and Danny Elfman & The Nightmare Before Christmas Live. A week in York for my dad’s 60th birthday. Excuses to recharge my mind and reacquaint myself with my sanity. 

Looking Forward

I have a list as long as my arm of things I would like to work on in the new year. New projects, new pieces and new collections. New techniques. Showing my face in the ceramics studio for the first time in months! I am looking forward to a month that should remain quiet in both my jobs to allow me to work on some of these. I am also looking forward to reviewing the year and ensuring that the things that occupy my time currently are only carried on into 2020 if they are the best fit for what I want to achieve. I am also looking forward to having more resource in both my jobs (but I will announce more about this in the new year itself).

Yes it’s busy, but yes of course I love what I do!

Press Release; Local artist painted sculpture sales raise £57,000 for good Causes

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Work by Sheffield based illustrator and mural artist Sian Ellis has raised £57,142 for charities for works painted since March this year. The works have all been on display as part of arts trails across the U.K. throughout the Summer and Autumn of 2019. 

Starting with a 6 foot wallaby in the Isle of Man in the Spring, Sian has travelled to the sites of 4 trails across the U.K. to create the painted pieces, including sometimes multiple works for individual trails. Four of the sculptures painted have been for projects in collaboration with Wild in Art. A partner behind the Herd of Sheffield in 2016.

Each trail raises money for local charities in its city. Causes include funding a new gorilla enclosure at Jersey Zoo and raising money for St Oswolds Hospice in Northumberland. 

Sian painted her designs into fibre glass and porcelain sculptures which were then auctioned for charity by the trail organisers. The highest earner of Sian’s work was her design entitled ‘Our Island’ for Go Wild Gorillas in Jersey. The design features local landmarks throughout history, stratified through layers of land, sea and archeological finds deep under ground, The sculpture fetched a whopping £27,000 when auctioned on the island in early November.

Quote from Sian

“I’ve loved taking part in every single trail that I’ve been lucky enough to be part of this summer. I’ve had the chance to visit some beautiful places for the first time, and work alongside some brilliant artists. Plus every trail has been raising money for inspiring causes. Even when my first porcelain sculpture for the Great York Ghost Hunt smashed in transit back to the trail, I just jumped on a train and started it again, so the piece could remain part of the trail and be auctioned off for local homelessness charities. 

I’m absolutely delighted and flabbergasted with the amounts the sculptures have raised. I still can’t quite believe it! I have already been commissioned to produce works for a further two trails in 2020 and am looking forward to growing the charity raise even further”

Auction Breakdown

£25,000 raised for gorilla design ‘Jersey Boy’ featuring hand knitted elements, part of the Go Wild Horillas trail in Jersey raising money for Durrell Zoo

£27,000 for gorilla design ‘Our Island’ as part of the same trail

£2,000 raised for Elmer elephant design ‘Nice to Be Nice’, a sculpture covered in fun characters and compliments as part of ‘Great North Elmer’ raising money for St Oswolds Hospice in Northumberland 

£3,000 raised for a wallaby design ‘Our Community’ covered in colourful characters raising money for Hospice Isle of Man 

£142 raised for a small porcelain ghost lamp painted for the Great York Ghost Search raising money for local homelessness charities 

More info 

Sianellisillustration.co.uk

Www.instagram/thisissianellis