Hello friends & readers!
First of all – apologies for not posting for a few weeks.
There has been a lot going on and unfortunately the blog has suffered
temporarily. However I promise, we are now back on track!
Over the past few weeks I have taken a “break” from creating
artwork as I wanted to concentrate on getting my candles into production. I was
coming to the realisation that simultaneously working to establish myself as an
artist, as well as manufacturing candles from scratch was spreading myself a
little too thin so I needed to really concentrate on one thing at a time.
Regarding the candles, I am thrilled to say that I am
getting there!!! It has taken several
months to research potential suppliers and weigh them up – making the final
decisions of who to proceed with feels like a huge leap into the unknown but
hopefully I have made good choices. I have been speaking to some really great
suppliers who have been wonderful at offering advice and suggestions to a ‘newbie’
like myself, as well as suppliers who have shown a real willingness to deal
with small, new businesses which is great. As this is my first production run I
wanted to keep numbers as small as possible – both from logistical point
of view and also so that I can really focus on optimum quality. This has meant I lack some of the 'clout' to really negotiate prices, but hopefully in time the
candles will be amazingly successful and I will be able to improve my buying
costs in the future.
As a true designer at heart I am determined to avoid having
to compromise any of the design elements as much as possible. I want my products
to reflect the same passion that I put into my artwork - created with attention
to every last little detail. So as a quick (or maybe not so quick) overview,
here is where we are up to on the various components:
CANDLE GLASS
My glass vessels are now on order from the factory. I knew
exactly the kind of glass finish I wanted, but really struggled to find a UK
based manufacturer. Most scented candle brands use a very standard type of
glass and I knew I needed something that would stand out from the crowd. After
weeks and weeks of searching, I found a glass supplier who has offices and
factories in both the UK and Far East, who have been brilliant at achieving
exactly what I was after. If you follow me on instagram (@tara_sofia) there is
a sneaky preview of what the candle glass looks like and I really am so happy
with them. The pale gold metallic effect is perfect, and will look so elegant
and beautiful when the candles are lit.
BRANDING
The branding of a product has huge importance, so again I knew
I wanted something different. A lot of luxury scented candle brands just use a
pretty standard paper sticker on their candles. What is exciting about a plain
paper sticker? When you are paying £40+ for a scented candle, you aren’t just
paying for a scent. You want the whole thing to be an ornament in itself, to
accent your home. I wanted the branding to be part of the candle’s aesthetic,
so again followed many weeks of searching and many weeks of getting absolutely nowhere!
Eventually I came across a wonderful supplier who can produce amazingly
intricate name plates made of embossed copper which look stunning against the
gold metallic glass. They are pretty pricey but I think they are totally worth
it, and add a real element of majesty to the candles.
I have designed 2 options for an updated logo, to really
make the most of the name plate and these are currently being sampled. No advance
pictures of this unfortunately – have to save something for the big reveal!
FRAGRANCES
The fragrances for this collection were massively important
for me to get right. Many candle fillers had a selection of stock fragrances
that they were offering. Typical ‘people pleasers’ of lavender, vanilla,
gardenia, etc – all lovely scents and very popular but nothing really different
about them. What I am trying to create
with this collection is something new and exciting – scents that you smell and
love but not because you can immediately identify them. I wanted complicated
scents that hypnotise and excite you into trying to solve the mystery of what notes they
include. I wanted fragrances that would trigger memories and nostalgia, as well
as a feeling of magical fantasy. So, not asking for much really J
My candle range is inspired by a limted edition collection of artworks I created, which were my own personal indulgence. So, I liaised with one of the world’s leading fragrance houses to develop 4 wonderfully unique and indulgent scents, each one based on a different one of my artworks.
My candle range is inspired by a limted edition collection of artworks I created, which were my own personal indulgence. So, I liaised with one of the world’s leading fragrance houses to develop 4 wonderfully unique and indulgent scents, each one based on a different one of my artworks.
The scents are currently undergoing tests with the wax – an
extremely crucial part of the process. I want to include the highest possible
percentage of fragrance in each candle, to create a wonderfully intoxicating
aroma as they burn. However, adding too much fragrance can cause candles to
burn inefficiently so I am working hard to get this balance perfectly right.
PACKAGING
Ahhh the packaging!! The thorn in my side since this project
began. Originally I assumed this would be the simplest component… how wrong I
was! My biggest problem has been the quantities I was looking at. I wanted 4
different box designs (one for each fragrance), rather than a generic box for
all as so many other candle brands do. I wanted the packaging to be an extension
of the appeal of the product, rather than an afterthought. This of course
caused the price of them to skyrocket, making them almost as expensive as the
candle itself to produce. Not ideal!
After numerous tweaks and endless contacts, I have finally
found a supplier in the UK who can produce the quantities I need at a
competitive price – woohoo! I am going to use my exclusive embossed copper name
plate on the box as well as the glass, which I think will make a great visual
impact.
So that was my candle update! If you are interested in more information on any of the elements I have mentioned above, please feel free to comment, email (tara@tarasofia.com) or send me a tweet (@Tara_Sofia). Once the candles are ready I will be doing some serious giveaways so make sure you are signed up to receive information about them!
Thanks for reading and please don't forget to share and subscribe :-)
Thanks for reading and please don't forget to share and subscribe :-)