Case Study
pop out projects
Mentoring in Motion: Turning Clever Craft Products into Compelling Visuals
Through the Sligo Local Enterprise Office mentoring programme, Verver worked with Outcrop Ltd / Pop Out Projects to elevate the visual storytelling of their innovative Rocket Loom and weaving kits. In a one-day, hands-on mentoring session, we created a suite of styled images together and taught the founders how to keep producing on-brand photography themselves.
About the Brand
Pop Out Projects is a design-led family business based in Rathcormac Craft Village, Co. Sligo. Founded by structural engineer Maeve Pudney and product designer Aran Pudney, the company creates layered landscape maps and the Rocket Loom — a patent-pending, clip-together wooden loom designed to make weaving accessible and fun.
With strong eco credentials, Irish-made yarns and a focus on Donegal tweed, their weaving kits are designed for contemporary makers at home and for retailers in Ireland, the UK, Europe and the US
The Challenge
Pop Out Projects had a genuinely exciting product range and a clear story—but their visuals weren’t yet doing that story justice.
They needed to:
- Communicate the unique design features of the Rocket Loom and accessories
- Show the fun, colourful, tactile experience of weaving with Donegal yarn
- Produce imagery suitable for retail packaging, website, and trade-show displays
- Learn how to create this level of imagery themselves as they developed new products
With Showcase on the horizon and plans to grow wholesale, strong imagery wasn’t just “nice to have” – it was a key part of their sales strategy.
Our Approach
As part of the LEO mentoring programme, Maeve and Aran joined Suzy in the Verver studio for a full, practical mentoring day.
1. Strategy & Styling Foundations
We began by clarifying:
- Which stories each image needed to tell (process, materials, finished pieces)
- Priorities for wholesale buyers vs. end customers
- A simple visual style guide they could realistically maintain in-house
2. Live Demonstration & Co-Creation
Throughout the day, Suzy demonstrated:
- Composition and styling for small, detailed products
- How to work with colour (bright yarns, natural wood) without visual clutter
- Simple lighting setups achievable in a home or workshop environment
Maeve and Aran styled and shot alongside Suzy, learning by doing while building a real content library for the brand.
3. A Reusable Image System
By the end of the session, they left with:
- A collection of styled lifestyle and product images of the Rocket Loom range
- Practical techniques to recreate the look for new kits and colours
- Clarity on how to adapt images for packaging, web and trade-show print
Results
Even from a single mentoring day, the impact was concrete:
New Packaging Assets
Selected images from the session were used to create updated packaging that better reflects the quality and creativity of the weaving kits.
Showcase Trade Fair Display
The imagery supported Pop Out Projects’ Showcase expo stand, helping them present a clear, professional story to retailers.
In-House Visual Skills
Maeve and Aran left with repeatable styling and shooting methods—allowing them to generate consistent, on-brand images as the product range grows.
Conclusion
This project is a great example of what mentoring at Verver can do:
not just “a few nice photos,” but skills + assets that a growing creative business can use long after the session is over.
If you’re a design-led brand who wants both beautiful imagery and the knowledge to create more yourself, Verver’s mentoring sessions can help you do exactly that.
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