Share This Article
Siobhán Watt Illustrations
From Industry Pro to Thriving Independent Illustrator
From a pattern-loving student in Scotland to an emerging creative business owner, based in the heart of Walthamstow, London. Siobhán Watt is an inspiring printmaker, illustrator and creative entrepreneur who’s made her mark across the UK fashion and design scene.
Hailing from the beautiful city of Edinburgh, Siobhán’s love affair with pattern began early, which led her to study Textiles and Fashion at Heriot-Watt University, specialising in Screen Printing. After university, she built a stellar career designing for high street giants like Arcadia, Topshop, Topman, and River Island. With over 15 years of experience creating distinctive patterns for everything from women’s wear and children’s wear to gifting and homewares. You name it, Siobhán has designed and printed it!
The Leap to Freelance – Reigniting Creative Spark
Like so many creatives, Siobhán eventually felt the pull to combine industry experience with her own vision.
“I wanted a bit of a mixture, to keep freelancing, but also start doing my own thing again.”
Siobhán Watt, Founder
Website: https://www.siobhanwatt.com/
Follow Siobhán Watt on: Instagram
Going freelance unlocked new opportunities, but carving out time for personal work was tougher than expected. It took the unique circumstances of COVID for Siobhán to make a bold decision: it was time to focus on building her own range of products and step fully into her identity as an independent creative business.
The Birth of Siobhán’s Own Illustration Collection
By 2022, Siobhán had launched a thoughtfully curated range featuring cards, wall art, and her best-selling tea towels. Her style? Nostalgic, playful, and calming illustrations inspired by nature, travel, and the beauty of imperfect texture. Each handmade collage brings a warm, analogue quality, her way of sharing authentic joy and calm in a noisy digital world.
A Mindset Shift to Professional
Like many designers, Siobhán’s first website was simply a digital portfolio to show to clients. The leap from portfolio to e-commerce store brought plenty of new challenges. Switching to actually selling products online was a big mindset shift. Suddenly, she had to think like a business owner, not just a creative. Choosing platforms, optimising Squarespace, and grappling with site structure became her new priorities.
“If I’d known more at the start, maybe I would’ve explored other ecommerce platforms, but once you’ve invested in a website, it’s tricky to change paths easily!”
Strategic Support That Makes a Difference
Thinking much more strategically about the website itself, and how it functions, was a key thing Onwards and Up helped her to realise. Our collaboration started with a full site review, unearthing plenty of small tweaks that delivered big improvements: clearer descriptions, an organised ‘bio bank’, and tips on image selection all added polish and professionalism.
One thing Siobhán valued the most in our work together? Honest, experienced feedback from someone who truly understands the creative industries.
“It’s so nice to have someone else bring a fresh eye, because if you work alone, you think you should do everything yourself. Having that outside perspective, and shared knowledge, made a huge difference.”
The End Result: Visible Growth, Renewed Confidence
With a newly optimised and more professional website, Siobhán noticed the impact straight away. It’s given her confidence; she is proud to send people to her site. Even the images got more attention! All the changes add up, so when people find me online, she knows she is putting my best foot forward.
Looking Ahead: New Products and Strategic Growth
Right now, Siobhán’s sights are set on the festive season. Time for planning for Christmas markets and events, reviewing product range, and deciding what to add or reprint, which is a bit more fun! There’s a strategic twist, too. With hands-on print production a big part of her process, every decision counts towards sustainable growth and creative joy.
Siobhán’s Top 3 Tips for Emerging Creative Businesses
Nail Your Branding Early
: Don’t rush it! Take time to craft a clear, cohesive identity, from your logo to your product design. Consistency makes everything feel more professional and connected.
Get Organised Behind the Scenes
: Invest time in naming image files properly, setting up processes, and getting things right from the start. It’s much easier than backtracking later!
Know Your Customer
: Spend time figuring out who you’re targeting. “Doing all the markets, talking to real people, and testing products is invaluable; you’ll get to know your audience inside out.”
Onwards and Up Business Impact
Transform The Website From A Showcase to An E-commerce Platform:
Onwards and Up support worked with Siobhan to transform her website from a showcase platform into an active driver of sales. Therefore moving confidently away from freelance work to focus on scaling her own product lines.
Establishing Brand Identity & Building Confidence:
Improving brand descriptions, a refined professional bio, and upgraded product imagery to raise the level of professionalism across Siobhan’s online presence. The result is a website that not only looks sharp but also inspires confidence, both in Siobhan and in every potential customer who visits her site.
Streamlined Operations & Sustainable Growth:
Adopting systematic organisational practices helped Siobhan run her business more efficiently. With better file management and a centralised location for key brand assets, she replaced repetitive tasks with strong operational habits. This foundation set her up for smoother workflows and positioned her business for scalable, stress-free growth.
Onwards and Up didn’t just improve the look and feel of Siobhan’s brand; we gave her the mindset, structure, and tools to turn a creative website into a thriving business engine, ready for the next stage of growth
With strategic support, a dash of industry know-how, and a willingness to embrace the mindset shift, your next business step can be your smartest yet.