My Story
Put yourself in the picture!
It Was Made For Me is a contemporary illustration studio specialising in perfectly personalised prints for stylish, modern homes.
Offering an exclusive range of bespoke, personalised and ready to hang artwork, my designs incorporate the pets, people and places you love the most and evoke sweet cherished memories and everyday moments that make you smile.
About Me
Having worked commercially for over a decade as a Graphic Designer since leaving university, I'm passionate about creating work that’s bold, colourful and fresh and my illustration style is inspired by vintage transport posters, architectural design and beautiful typography.
It all started when I created a bespoke art print for a friend as a birthday gift featuring her out for a stroll with her dog against a backdrop of the marina in my home town of Portishead. The response was overwhelming and I was approached by more and more people looking for locally themed bespoke artwork to give as presents for all sorts of occasions or just to brighten up their walls. I was coming to the end of maternity leave at the time and considering my next career move - the timing was perfect so I decided to give it a go.
It felt like a natural step to continue to offer an ever-growing collection of illustrative backgrounds for people to put themselves in the picture and since then I've never looked back - what started out as a hobby quickly grew in to something much more.
I launched the business properly in April 2017 to allow me to combine my career with motherhood. I have a design studio at home and work part time, allowing me to do something I really love whilst giving me the flexibility and work/life balance to be there for my young family.
I'm excited to see what the future holds for the business and have enjoyed every second of the journey it's taken me on so far.
EVERY PRINT TELLS A STORY
What makes an It Was Made For Me personalised print so unique is that it truly captures a moment in time, a loved one or a special memory and every individual print tells a story.
Whether it's a commission of a customer’s house, favourite location, beloved pet or family member, it's lovely to offer a bespoke, personal service and play a part in producing a personalised print with meaning that will sit pride of place on their wall.
"...PERSONALISING A FEW LITTLE DETAILS ALLOWS YOU TO COMMISSION A UNIQUE PERFECT PRINT OF CHERISHED PETS, PEOPLE OR PLACES..."
Contact MeIt's all about the detail
I produce digital illustrations of the highest quality on my computer, taking reference from photographs or descriptions supplied by customers.
Each individual element within my illustrations are drawn by hand with a stylus pen or mouse using a vector-based software package which allows me to create a series of 2D points connected by lines and curves to form colour filled shapes. Depending on the complexity of the composition, on average a new backdrop can take in the region of 10-15 hours to create.
For me, it's all about the detail as that's what makes each print unique. I use a lot of creative licence - the beauty of illustration as a medium is the flexibility to add or subtract those added little details to clients' requirements to create their perfect print. I've often been asked to add an extra little something to a print or to visualise a particular feature in a different way. Customers love to feel involved in the design process and it's encouraging to have their feedback along the way to make their print extra special. I'm proud to deliver a range of bespoke products that are just as fun to and give as to receive and I'm proud of every single one I produce.
"...working with Sarah to create a surprise personalised print for my dad's 50th birthday was such an enjoyable process. The final result was spot on and there were tears (of joy) when he received it which was lovely to see…"
– C. BOND, BRISTOL
