🎨 How I Became a Full-Time Artist: The Sketched by Siena Story
If someone had told me a few years ago that I’d be drawing for a living, creating personalised cards, prints and gifts for people all over the world, I honestly would’ve laughed! But here we are, and Sketched by Siena is officially my full-time job… something I still pinch myself about daily!
When I first started our small business, I literally used to paint every single illustration by hand, which of course took forever and wasn’t sustainable if we wanted to grow our small business to move off of my bedroom floor!
✏️ Where It All Started
Like most creative stories, mine started with a sketchbook and a creative brain. I’ve always loved drawing, painting and creating personalised keepsakes for loved ones. So I wanted people to have that same option, which is where the website was born!
My sister, Ellie, joined the business and pushed the idea of us growing much bigger and the introduction of the website helped us to widen our audience with how many people, and how many places we could reach!
Our live sketching kick-started the whole thing with us going viral on social media! We started our live sketching journey by doing our first wedding completely for free and hoping that through word of mouth, people would start to find out about us…
And it definitely worked! From our first small wedding free of charge, we have now worked with HUGE brands like Jo Malone, Formula 1 and even the Royal family of Monaco!
💌 Turning a Hobby into a Business
At first, it was just me, my iPad, and a very messy desk. I started on social media, offering personalised illustrations and cards, from engagements to birthdays and everything in between. Each order felt like a tiny celebration, and I poured all my time into making every design special.
It was equal parts exciting and terrifying, learning how to print, pack, post, and promote all at once. There were late nights, plenty of trial and error, and more than a few printer mishaps (if you know, you know). But with every happy customer and every sweet message about how much someone loved their order, my confidence grew.
🌟 The Leap to Full-Time
Fast forward a bit, and what started as a little creative side project became something much bigger. My sister Ellie joined the business, orders kept coming in, my community grew, the live sketching REALLY took off, and one day, I realised, this isn’t just a hobby anymore. This is a business.
Taking the leap to go full-time was scary , I won’t lie! Leaving behind the security of a “normal” job to chase something you’ve built from scratch is a big decision. But I knew deep down that if I didn’t give Sketched by Siena my full attention, I’d always wonder “what if?”
And honestly? Starting our dream small business has been the best decision I’ve ever made.
💕 What Sketched by Siena means to me
Sketched by Siena isn’t just about cards and illustrations, it’s about capturing moments, personalities, and connections in a hand-drawn, heartfelt way. Every design tells a little story, and I feel so lucky to be part of so many people’s special occasions.
From engagement cards that get framed, to “Sorry for ghosting you” Halloween orders that make everyone laugh, to sweet “new baby” keepsakes, each one holds a little piece of joy.
✨ A Little Note to Other Creatives
If you’re someone sitting on a dream or a creative idea, this is your sign! Start small, be patient, and don’t wait for the perfect moment (spoiler: it doesn’t exist). You never know where your sketches, designs, or side hustles might take you.
And if you ever need a reminder that your passion is worth pursuing, well, these two sisters turned business owners are living proof that starting your dream small business is possible!
