Etsy Spotlight: Khristian A. Howell

THIS GIVEAWAY IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED. KEEP
SCROLLING TO SEE IF YOU’RE THE WINNER!!

***************************************************************************************

I am so excited to share the work and words of Khristian A. Howell with you all today. A self-proclaimed color + pattern expert and efficiency queen, this creative designer makes it impossible to question her raw talent. With a list of noteworthy collaborations (including BHG, Eddie Bauer and REI) this color loving entrepreneur is on a mission to bring a little extra vibrancy to the world. I don’t know about you, but I’m happy to stand behind her every step of the way! Read on for a behind the scenes look at her process and creative philosophy.

When did you start your Etsy shop? What lead you to start designing these types of graphic products?

My Etsy shop has been open since late 2010. The bread and butter of my business is licensing, so I thought this would be a fun way to express myself with no constraints!

How would you describe your style? And how does that influence your work as an artisan/artist?

I call my style modern eclectic with a touch of romance. I love clean lines and white spaces, and fashion pieces with architectural interest. However, in my world there must always be a push and a pull to create balance. On top of this rather modern foundation I layer the soft, cozy pieces, color, pattern, statement jewelry and organic accessories and artwork. Travel is my biggest inspiration for creating a layered modern look in both my personal space and my work.

Where do you find your inspiration?

I have a big three. TRAVEL allows my soul to grow by being connected to the other perspectives, and human experiences. It also reawakens and heightens all of my senses when I get to take in new sights, tastes, languages, etc. Fashion keeps me current and up on market trends. Yoga/meditation help me to get in touch with my intuition (so important in art and business) and helps me to remember that I am an endless well of creativity.

The photography on your site is gorgeous! What camera do you use? What are your top 3 tips for photographing sale items?

Thank you! I have a Nikon D60. Niki, (my FAB graphic designer/photog assistant) has a D40.

Natural light: I think this is probably the first and number one tip out there for shooting your products. Good thing is, it is easy to come by and free! If you are working near a window, be sure to shoot your product so the light falls on it evenly.

Stage it right: We shoot the straightforward shots of the product, of course. Then we also like to stage a few shots to create a feeling about the product or help to illustrate how it could be a part of the consumer’s life. I think these are very effective in making the product memorable and connecting to the viewer.

Depth of Field: This is a great technique to use to direct the viewer’s eye to the subject of your choice. It goes back to helping to create a feeling around the product by viewing it in a particular environment without the environment becoming a distraction.

Big thanks to Khristian for sharing her candid thoughts and perspective with us today, and even BIGGER thanks are in order for her generous offer to give away one of her gorgeous calendars! Use the Rafflecopter widget below (which ended up winning the majority vote last week!) to enter. Contest ends next Tuesday the 22nd at midnight, and the winner will be announced here on Wednesday the 23rd.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Connect with Khristian:
Site | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Shop

GIVEAWAY UPDATE: Congratulations to Bethany G.!!

Bethany, I will be emailing you shortly with details on your
new calendar. Thanks to everyone for participating!!