Where are you from?
I’m from Switzerland.
Where do you live now?
I still live in Switzerland, more precisely in the north-east, near the Lake of Constance. Cool
How long have you been crafting?
Pretty much since I started my apprenticeship as a Visual Merchandiser six years ago. I started developing my interest in photography, graphics, and interior design during that time. A lot of furniture in my apartment has been altered and customized by me in some way as I love DIY projects.
My own business is still very young, though. I started NordicCopperDesign in spring this year, offering digital prints and greeting cards. After two months, I readjusted the direction of my business to fit my talents even better and started with creating product mockups and sometime later also styled stock photography. This is a neat story of how you have gotten to where you are now.
What drew you to make product mockups and style stocked photography or what inspired you? My biggest frustration while being a designer of digital prints was to find mockups that truly suited my style and supported my product. And then, if I found one, it was usually a flat JPEG and I would have to invest a lot of time into converting it into a smart object-based, fully layered PSD file where I could insert my design in a matter of seconds. I decided to create my own mockups to help other creators of digital printables to showcase their products in the best light possible. And I decided to design and sell them as editable PSD files in order to save them time which they could invest creating new designs.
Styled stock photography and mockups overlap quite often, and because I love photography and styling are my professions, I decided to add this product range to my portfolio as well. What a great idea. Thanks for helping out other artists in the process of creating what would work for you best.
When did you start selling online or what drew you to sell online?
My products are digital, so selling online was my first and only choice. What I loved about it (and what gave the initial idea to start an online based business), was that I could work when and where I wanted and still reach so many people all around the world. These are great reasons.
What hopes do you have for your business in the future?
It started out as an idea to earn some extra cash to support my further education expenses. But I realized rather soon, that I wanted it to be much more than that. While I’m working towards getting employed as an exhibition designer in museums, I also want to develop this business into my main income source. That's great, I hope it works out for you.
What is your most favorite piece you have made?
It would probably be the first picture „Feminine Office“ with the white office supplies and the baby’s breath flowers. The bright, minimal and still elegant feel of this picture with all the different shades of white is what I want NordicCopperDesign to stand for. That's great.
What is one thing you would like to share with those wanting to start their own businesses online?
Take the plunge! And don’t be afraid to adjust your products and services. It takes time to figure out what works best and you will never know if you don’t put it out there. This is great advice!
You can find Marianne online at the following locations:
Instagram @nordiccopperdesign
Pinterest /nordiccopperdesign
Facebook /nordiccopperdesign
Etsy-Shop nordiccopperdesign.etsy.com
Website nordiccopperdesign.com
