Makers & Shakers: Human Nature Designs

Human Nature Designs

Woman-Owned Business

Instagram: @humanature.designs

Facebook: www.facebook.com/humanature.designs

Website: www.humanaturedesigns.com

Current Gum Pop Presents Events: Sloan’s Lake Fall BAZAAR, Belleview Station Holiday BAZAAR

Location: Denver, CO

“My goal for Human Nature Designs was to create an elevated gift and keepsake company that helps connect people with their favorite places in nature!”

Tell us about yourself! What’s your background and what do you do?

I'm Emily! A graphic designer and owner of two businesses - my retail design business and branding design business. I am also a nature lover, traveler, and hiker. I have always been creative, and have had a multitude of outlets over the years including poetry, film, photography, painting, crafting, and graphic design.

How did you learn your craft? Tell us about your first finished product.

I am completely self-taught! I studied Film, Media, and Law in college and got my first job doing marketing and graphic design for a law firm. I eventually moved into a design role at a tech company, which I quit mid-pandemic after realizing my love for designing nature-inspired illustrations in my free time. For the last two years I have been working on growing Human Nature Designs (the retail side of my business) and Human Nature Studios (the branding side) full-time. Through these businesses, I have DIY-ed my way to everything that comes with it including the software, sublimation printing, marketing, finance, SEO / web design, wholesale, and a whole lot more!

Where does the name of your business come from?

My goal for Human Nature Designs was to create an elevated gift and keepsake company that helps connect people with their favorite places in nature! The name stems from the idea of the "human-nature connection".

How long does it take to make your product and what’s involved in the process?

To create my designs, I use a mix of personal experience, photographs, and research to determine what the feel of a national park or travel destination truly is for people. For each design I decide to create, I put together a “vision board” of photos, quotes, articles, and more as a basis for the design. Once I have a foundation for the location, I will often freehand sketch a few (very basic) design ideas on paper or in Procreate. Adobe Illustrator is where I play with shapes, layouts, and colors (often for hours) to come up with the perfect depiction of the destination. Some designs come easily in a day, and some take weeks! For reusable mugs and pints, I do all the printing in my workspace at home. Each design is printed on sublimation paper, affixed to the mug or pint, and heat-pressed until it transfers. Each one takes about 3-4 minutes to sublimate!

“Everything in nature is my inspiration! The trees, mountains, oceans, and sunshine.”

Where does your inspiration come from?

Everything in nature! The trees, mountains, oceans, and sunshine - all the things that I believe can teach us so much about truth and ourselves if we take time to notice, observe, and listen to their wisdom.

What three words would you use to describe your product/service?

Colorful, Simple & Meaningful

What’s your favorite product that you’ve created?

My favorite product I've created is the Colorful Mountain Beer Can Glasses. I don't think I've ever seen anything else like them out there, and they are the perfect vessel for post-hike beers.