Step Into the Hot Foils World
If you love glitter, colour, bold design and pop culture references, then Hot Foils - the alter ego of Peckham-based artist Jessica Watson - should definitely be on your radar. And if you’re into all of the above and obsessed with greeting cards? Then the Hot Foils x Cath Tate Cards collection is one you’ll want to explore immediately.
We’ve been lucky enough to work with Jessica for a few years now, publishing over 50 of her sassy, vibrant designs - each one bursting with personality and sparkle. With a new batch of Hot Foils cards on their way for Summer 2025, we thought it was the perfect time to sit down with the artist herself for a proper catch-up.
In this interview, Jessica shares a bit about her creative process, her inspirations and what it’s like designing for the world of greeting cards. Let’s dive in and get to know the artist behind the sparkle.
Hi Jessica! We’ve loved having you be a part of the world of Cath Tate Cards since 2022 – for any of our customers who aren’t familiar with you and your creations, could you tell us a little about yourself and how you got into this line of work?
I’ve been honing my skills at hand foiling from my home studio in Peckham, South London for quite a while now, though I’m definitely still learning.
For 20 years I worked as a design director specialising in packaging and branding so this all really started as just a hobby in my spare time. The first attempts [at foiling] were truly awful, but I persevered once I realised I could marry my love of typography and all things sparkly.
With a lot of practicing the designs started to get really exciting and I knew I could be on to something. Hotfoils opened fairly soon after as an online shop…I can still remember the excitement of my first orders coming in.
Where do you find inspiration for your bold, striking designs?
Inspiration can strike at any time! Often a funny phrase or joke will come to mind when I’m in bed and I’ll have to quickly note it down in my phone.
Some of my best-selling designs have been inspired by popular culture and a cheeky irreverent take on everyday life. I don’t like to take myself too seriously so I try to convey that through with my captions. Above all I want people to smile when they pick up my designs.
We’ve been so lucky to have launched over 40 everyday and Christmas cards with you over the last couple of years – if you had to pick, what’s your favourite everyday and Christmas card from the range?
I just love the Let’s Dance card. I think that sums up Hotfoils really well as a brand. Plus it’s pink and sparkly - what’s not to love?
Christmas? It absolutely has to be Merry Christmas Tinsel Tits. My mum said she laughed her head off when she saw it in the shops - so that was nice.
We love keeping up with what else you’re up to on your socials @hotfoils - what other creative projects do you work on when you’re not designing greeting cards for us?
I’ve been lucky to work with some really exciting brands. Last year Hotfoils was asked to do a ’takeover’ at the Levi’s flagship Regent Street store and I designed some
really cool foiled patches for customising their denim. That was pretty wild. I still don’t really know how that happened to be honest.
Also I was asked to design all the backstage signage for Strictly Come Dancing a few years in a row. That was great fun - I got invited to the show and got a close look all the sparkling costumes and incredible dancers.
What’s been your biggest ‘pinch me’ Hot Foils moment?
I don’t think anything has topped seeing Spice Girl Mel B hang a Hotfoils print in her home gym. I almost died.
And finally, what advice would you give any fellow artists and illustrators who are ready to take the next steps in their career?
Believe in your own style, it’s better to be a few people’s shot of tequila than everyone’s cup of tea - oh actually that’s quite good. Might have to foil that one.
A huge thank you to Jessica for sharing a glimpse into her glitter-powered world!
We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know the creative mind behind Hot Foils and learning more about the magic behind her bold, brilliant designs.
Ready to add some sparkle to your shelves?
Explore the full Hot Foils collection below, and look out for 4 brand-new designs for Summer 2025!
