Oh, Plesiosaur

Since founding Oh Plesiosaur in 2013, I have grown it from a small illustration venture into a thriving business. With hundreds of sales each month, my product line focuses on nature-inspired art, accessories, and apparel.

I’ve been in love with illustration as long as I can remember. My childhood heroes were picture book illustrators; Chris Van Allsburg, Edward Gorey, Mercer Mayer, Alice & Martin Provensen, Maurice Sendak. During my years as a librarian I couldn’t wait to share these beautiful images and words with my students. As an illustrator and designer, I strive to capture the same beauty, playfulness, and wit in my work.

As a one-woman illustration studio and small biz owner, I run every aspect of Oh Plesiosaur. I conduct market research, turn sketches into finished products, source ethical manufacturers, design packaging, collaborate with other artists and small businesses, manage the website and three online sales channels, forge connections with wholesalers, run social media accounts (almost 30k Instagram followers), fulfill orders, provide customer service, and much more. I manage brand identity and content strategy, maintaining a cohesive direction and voice across all marketing and social platforms.

My small business has also provided me with amazing opportunities to give back, and I direct fundraising initiatives with other designers and business owners throughout the year. Our efforts have generated donations for various environmental and human rights nonprofit organizations, totaling over $50,000 in 2017 alone.

Oh Plesiosaur keeps me designing, innovating, and challenging myself every day.

Process

  Market research
  Illustration & branding
  Product design (inc. sustainable sourcing)
  Web design
  Marketing
  Social media
  Customer service

Tools

Photoshop / Illustrator / InDesign
WordPress / PHP / HTML / CSS
Shopify (Liquid) / Etsy / Amazon
Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest
Accounting & shipping software
Traditional illustration tools