Etsy Seller Interview with Roman of Roman Digital Art

How Roman Digital Art got started

Introduce your Etsy shop and tell us your story. How did you begin and decide on what to sell on Etsy, and how do you create your products?

I’m Roman Poljak, owner and founder of RomanDigitalArt on Etsy. As an illustrator and graphic designer, I hand draw and sell SVG designs that can be used as decals on t-shirts, cars, and other merchandise. They can also be used as laser engraving designs on leather or wood. I opened my Etsy shop in 2017 to offer my customers unique hand-drawn designs.

How did it all start? As a kid, I loved to draw cartoon characters like Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Ninja Turtles and others and that's how the love to draw animals was born. I'm 41 years old, and in my life, I've done various jobs that I didn't really like, and drawing has always been there as some kind of vent. I used various drawing and painting techniques, oil on canvas, oil on wood, graphite pencil, chalk, etc. 

As I wrote before, I worked many jobs that I didn't like. But they provided me with some kind of security and steady pay, until I lost my job in June 2017. 

I didn't know what to do. I found out about Etsy online and decided to give it a try. The only problem was that I didn't know what to sell. Then I started researching on various forums and blogs and finally realized that I could use my drawing talent to make unique SVG designs.

Favorite items

What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?

Oh, that's a bit more difficult question for me, because I love each design in its own way.

My favorite design is the Sloth Yoga design, because it's funny and has a relaxing effect on people.

Since I adore dogs and they are my main inspiration, my second favorite design is the Smiling Pitbull.

My third favorite design is the Multilayered Wolf. I like this type of design because, unlike the previous two, it is multi-layered, and by properly cutting the plywood, you can get a wonderful 3D effect.

Getting sales on Etsy

How long did it take for you to earn your first sale and how do you currently attract customers to your Etsy shop?  

I think the first sale was within a week that I started to sell on Etsy. I was very excited when I heard the first "cha-chink" on my phone. Since that first sale, I try to offer my customers new designs following the trends.

Managing Roman Digital Art

How do you manage your shop? Are you running solo or do you have any team members? What tools or services do you use to run your shop and how do you handle fulfillment?

My store is a one-man show. I research, I draw, I respond to messages and try to answer any requests my customers have. For drawing, I use a Wacom Intuos tablet and my computer. Luckily, my products are digital, so I don't have any problems with shipping.

The future of Roman Digital Art

What goals do you have for your shop in the future?

The goal of my shop, RomanDigitalArt, is to seek inspiration for new illustrations and to offer unique designs to my customers. And of course adapt, adapt and adapt!

Advice for new sellers

What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?

It may sound like a cliché, but my advice to new sellers is to stick to their goals and be persistent, and to find their niche and make it unique.