Victoria is gorgeously creative, she is the owner of Victoria Rodgers Creates and the awesome person behind the Customised Character Mascots that you will have seen popping up on Facebook, Instagram and lots of Businesses around the country. Victoria designed my logo and business branding and continues to support me with my random and wacky design ideas. As well as creating the character mascots Victoria also creates stunning typography and other illustrated logos for all types of business.
Not only can Victoria create stunning digital design work she is also a dab hand with a paint brush and even fimo clay, creating gorgeous wedding cake toppers and jute bags. The jute bags are an amazing marketing tool hand painted with a Character Mascot and add an extra level to the promotional material that Victoria can offer. Is there anything this girl can’t do?
When did you start drawing?
I’ve been drawing since I could hold a pencil! I used to spend hours in my room drawing (when I should have been tidying it up instead!). I did a GCSE in Art & Design at high school, I then chose to go into childcare, but was able to continue to draw for displays, window paintings and wall art. All my work colleagues use to come to me with a marker pen and a large piece of paper to draw a cartoon character for their wall.
How have your characters changed over the years?
I grew up copying Disney characters and children’s cartoons, I never imagined I’d be able to create my own ideas. Over the last 5 years I have developed my own style, I cringe when I look back at my early work, and I’m still learning every day, but I love my style and love seeing my characters used by businesses.
What is your favourite biscuit?
Oooh borders short bread is my absolute favourite as use to get them a lot on my childcare courses!! But at home it’s good old chocolate digestives.
What is your background?
I followed my mums’ footsteps into childcare, studying at collage then getting my first job in a nursery at 18. I stayed in nurseries for 12 years until I became my own boss as a childminder for the next 10 years, but I’ve always had an arty, crafty side!! I love drawing and did it a lot in my spare time, slowly building up my business to where it is today.
Where did you start and where are you now?
I have always had something arty going on alongside my childcare career. I started face painting for nursery, modelling with fimo clay and selling them to friends, which is when a family member asked me to make their wedding cake topper! I started selling those on Facebook and I still make the odd one if I’m asked very nicely.
I started to see the popularity of painted jute bags and started painting my characters onto bags as promo items for customers. One customer asked if her character could be printed on a T-shirt and that how I discovered digital vector art! Fast forward 3 or 4 years and I’m now about to finish my childcare career to do work on Victoria Rodgers Creates FULL TIME!
Who are the clients/what are the projects that you most enjoy working on?
I’m very lucky to have been asked to be involved in so many fabulous projects, the majority are new businesses and crafty parents like me just trying to make their life’s better for themselves and their family doing what they love. I’m even luckier that I get so many return customers too! I love updating their characters when they change their look or adding seasonal additions.
I especially enjoy logo design now, coming up with the initial ideas and I love to involve the business back story or their actual products.
How long does it take for you to create a Character Mascot?
Ooh how long is a piece of string? LOL! It depends, I don’t think I’ve timed myself but after sketching initial idea the completed the digital process can take between 4 hours and 8 hours. Logo packages can take me a week of evenings to complete including amendments and emailing files etc.
How do you market your business?
I started on Facebook and I’m still hear 5 or 6 years later! I have started using Instagram more and I’ve just created a website – I’m still working on it so be kind!
Where do you see your business in 5 years’ time?
Still going, I hope! I’m self-taught in most things but I’d like to learn more about the technical/ computer side of things. I finish my child minding business this summer to focus on the business full time and have managed to create my own little space at home just for me.
Have you ever turned down a client?
I think I’ve turned down proper caricature portraits as not really my style, my worst nightmare is disappointing people.
If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?
Rome wasn’t built in a day!!
Check out Victoria Rodgers Creates on her website at https://www.victoriarodgerscreates.com/ and Victoria Rodgers Bags Full of Character on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VRBagsfullofcharacter/
