Spotlight On:

Louisa Houchen

The thing that we love about our Crafter in the Spotlight is that they give us the chance to speak to people from a wide range of handmade industries, from upcycling and textiles to candle making. In our latest interview, we chatted to Louisa Houchen, who creates “affordable bespoke art for pet enthusiasts.”

It is a well-known fact that pet owners really love their pets. When it comes to crafts, animal clothes, jewellery and artwork are extremely popular. Louisa noticed this opportunity in the market and decided to set up her own business drawing animals based on photos.

 

“I am an artist and realised that it can be difficult making a living in this industry. In my 20’s I had lots of different jobs, including being published as a greeting cards artist. I decided to set up my business because I am technically skilled and no one else has the same style as me.”

Louisa doesn’t just draw pets but she also sends them to be printed on a range of different products, including phone case covers, gift wrap and keyrings. Her bestselling products tend to be the “canvases and art prints as they can be put up in the home”, as well as cushions, bags and aprons.

With so many different pets out there, we were keen to find out what was the most popular request. Most of Louisa’s customers ask her to draw traditional pets like cats or dogs but in the past, she has created artwork of lizards and horses, which made an interesting change!

When asked what her favourite animal to draw is, Louisa told us that she is “obsessed with cats” and that they are the easiest to draw. “Cats are posers and it’s very easy to take pictures of them. Dogs are more energetic which means that they jump around a lot and don’t stay still.”

Louisa tries to complete each project “in 8 hours” but this can vary depending on the type of animal and complexity. “It tends to be quite quick to do on Photoshop as I can edit easily. If it was an oil painting for example, it would take longer because I would have to wait for it to dry before making changes.”

When she isn’t working, Louisa is kept busy with family life. She told us that she enjoys walking and often makes her 2-year-old son come along for the fresh air! “I also enjoy cooking. I have a sweet tooth so try lots of different healthy recipes when I can.”

CraftCover would like to thank Louisa for taking part in our Crafter in the Spotlight! If you would like to get involved with future interviews, or have any questions about craft insurance, please get in touch!