Welcome to LouLou Art! A Little Look Behind the Scenes

Hello! I'm Jody, the person behind LouLou Art, a little creative business I run from my home in Bedfordshire, UK.

I've always loved art and making things. I studied Fine Art, and over the years I've tried all sorts of creative hobbies, from drawing and painting to digital illustration and design. I've always been the sort of person who gets an idea in my head and wants to see if I can actually make it.

These days, a lot of that involves 3D printing, which has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me. I can spend hours designing something, figuring out how to make it work, printing it, deciding I don't like one tiny part of it, and then starting again. It's frustrating sometimes, but I genuinely love it.

My studio is at home, where I share my space with my guinea pigs and chinchilla, while my three cats, Kumo, Yuki and Moo Moo, are generally somewhere nearby causing trouble or being nosy.

It's not a huge business with a team of people behind it. It's just me, my ideas, a collection of machines and music playing in the background.

Books, cats and some questionable ideas

If you've had a look around my shop, you've probably noticed there isn't really one particular theme.

You'll find floral bookmarks, cats, gothic decorations, biscuit-shaped storage boxes and a surprising number of things inspired by a certain franchise.

I love books, particularly fantasy, romantasy and horror. There's something wonderful about getting completely lost in a fictional world, becoming attached to characters and then feeling slightly lost when you've finished the book.

I'm also a huge Twilight fan. I love the films, but I also love laughing at how ridiculous some of the scenes are. That's probably why I've ended up making things like Eggward, my Edward-inspired egg cup, alongside more decorative pieces.

Sometimes I make something because I think other people will like it. Other times I make it simply because the idea makes me laugh.

I think there's room for both.

And then there are my bookmarks, which have become one of my favourite things to design. I love creating the illustrations and seeing how they turn out as physical objects. Some are colourful and floral, others are inspired by fantasy books, animals or silly quotes.

I'm also someone who always uses a bookmark. Folding over the corner of a page? Absolutely not.

How I make everything

One of my favourite things about LouLou Art is that I'm constantly learning.

I use a mixture of traditional art, digital illustration, graphic design and 3D modelling to create my products. Some designs start as drawings on my iPad, while others begin as a random idea that I try to work out how to make.

3D printing has been particularly exciting because it allows me to create things I wouldn't have been able to make before.

I love the little details, especially on my bookmarks, where the patterns and illustrations become raised textures rather than just printed images.

Of course, it's not always straightforward.

There are failed prints, designs that don't quite work, machines that decide they're having a bad day and plenty of moments where I wonder why I thought something would be a good idea.

But when something finally comes together and looks how I imagined it, it's such a lovely feeling.

I also enjoy the finishing touches, whether that's adding tassels to bookmarks, painting and finishing decorative pieces, assembling gift boxes or packaging an order ready to send.

Knowing that something I've made in my little studio is going to end up in somebody else's home is still quite a strange and wonderful thought.

My love of animals

Animals have always been a big part of my life, so naturally they appear in quite a lot of my designs too.

I have three cats, all with very different personalities, and I absolutely love them. I'm also a big fan of pretty much any animal, which probably explains why I enjoy making animal-themed products so much.

You'll find cat bookmarks, decorations, signs and other bits throughout the shop.

I also make personalised pet portraits, which are particularly special to me. I love the idea of creating something that celebrates an animal who means so much to someone.

Whether it's a funny cat decoration or a memorial piece for a much-loved pet, I really enjoy making things that people can connect with.

What I hope LouLou Art becomes

I've always wanted to do something creative for a living.

Not necessarily to build some enormous company, but to have a little business where I can spend my days designing, making things and doing something I genuinely enjoy.

I love having the freedom to explore different ideas, and I would love for LouLou Art to grow into something that allows me to work creatively full-time.

At the moment, I'm particularly enjoying making bookmarks and putting together gift sets. I like the idea of creating little collections of things that go together, especially for book lovers and people who appreciate something a bit different.

I also want to keep experimenting with home décor, unusual gifts and whatever other ideas pop into my head.

I don't want LouLou Art to become a shop where everything looks the same just because that's what I'm supposed to do.

I like colour, I like quirky things, I like animals and books, and I have a slightly daft sense of humour.

I'd rather make things that reflect that.

My hope is that people visit my shop and find something that makes them smile, reminds them of something they love or makes them think, "That's ridiculous. I need it."

Why I've started this blog

I wanted somewhere on my website where I could share a little more than just product photos and descriptions.

I'd love to show you what goes into making things, from the original ideas and sketches to the finished products. I'll probably share some of the things that go wrong along the way too, because there's certainly no shortage of those!

I'll also be chatting about books, creative projects, new designs, my animals and whatever else seems worth sharing.

I'm still figuring a lot of this out as I go, and I think that's part of the fun.

If you've bought something from my shop, shared one of my posts, left a lovely review or even just had a little browse, thank you.

It really does mean a lot when someone chooses to support a small business, especially when there are so many places they could shop instead.

How I make everything

One of my favourite things about LouLou Art is that I'm constantly learning and trying out different ways of creating things.

I use a mixture of traditional art, digital illustration, graphic design and 3D modelling. 

I don't draw every illustration or element you see on my products, either. I also enjoy using stock imagery and other design resources, sometimes combining different elements or adapting them to create something new. I think there are so many brilliant creative tools and resources available, and I love finding different ways to use them.

For me, the fun is often in taking an idea and figuring out how to turn it into a finished product, whether that's something I've drawn myself, a design I've put together using existing artwork, or something I've created through 3D modelling.

3D printing has been particularly exciting because it allows me to make things I wouldn't have been able to create before.

I love the little details, especially on my bookmarks, where the patterns and illustrations become raised textures rather than just printed images.

Of course, it's not always straightforward.

But when something finally comes together and looks how I imagined it, it's such a lovely feeling.

Anyway, that's a little introduction to me and LouLou Art.

Thanks for reading! 

Jody