From Meh to Wow: How to Make Your Pattern Designs Stand Out

by Creative Studio Collective | Nov 7, 2023 | Uncategorized

From Meh to Wow: How to Make Your Pattern Designs Stand Out

Let’s talk about how surface pattern designers can take

their designs to the next level!

1. Keep Your Finger on the Pulse: First off, stay in the loop with what’s hot and happening in the design world. Trends, colors, and styles are like fashion – they come and go. Embrace the current wave to make your designs more appealing.

2. Find Your Design Groove: It’s time to put your own stamp on your work. Think of creating style as your design superpower. Whether it’s a particular color palette, a favorite motif, or a unique technique, let it shine through in your patterns.

3. Get Experimental: Don’t be shy to try new things! Explore different techniques – from traditional hand-drawing to digital. Your willingness to experiment can lead to some amazing breakthroughs.

4. Tell a Good Tale: Your patterns can tell a story. Whether it’s a whimsical narrative or a deep concept, infuse your designs with a bit of visual storytelling. It adds layers to your work and can make it more impactful.

5. Seek Inspiration Everywhere: Look around and let the world be your muse. Nature, architecture, vintage knick-knacks, or even science – they all hold inspiration that can spark your creativity.

6. Embrace Cultural Diversity: Dive into the rich tapestry of global cultures for fresh ideas. Borrow elements from different traditions to add diversity and uniqueness to your patterns.

7. Think About Scale and Harmony: Play with different scales in your patterns. Big, bold designs can be just as captivating as smaller, intricate ones. And don’t forget balance – it’s like the secret sauce for visual harmony.

8. Color Theory is Your BFF: Become pals with color theory. Understand how colors work together, create beautiful palettes, and set the mood with your color choices.

9. Don’t Fear Feedback: Be open to feedback and critique. It’s like a creative workout that makes you stronger. Seek input from others, learn from it, and watch your designs grow.

10. Eco-Friendly is Cool: Think green! Create designs that are eco-friendly and perfect for sustainable products. It’s not just good for the environment; it’s a selling point.

11. Team Up with Fellow Creatives: Collaboration can lead to fresh ideas and fantastic designs. Working with other designers, artists, or manufacturers can be a game-changer.

12. Tech is Your Friend: Stay up-to-date with design tools and software. The digital world offers endless possibilities to take your designs to the next level.

13. Never Stop Learning: Keep the learning fire burning. Take courses, attend workshops, and stay curious. The design world is always evolving, and the more you know, the better you can adapt.

14. Spread the Word: Don’t just make great designs; let the world know about them. Market your work, build an online presence, and use social media and e-commerce to reach a bigger audience.

15. Create a Design Diary: Jot down your ideas, sketches, and inspirations in a journal or sketchbook. It’s your creative treasure chest for future projects.

Elevating your surface pattern designs is a journey – an exciting one! With your creativity, some willingness to contine skill-building, and paying attention to the world around you, you’ll be crafting designs that stand out in no time. Happy designing! 🎨💫

READY TO TAKE YOUR PORTFOLIO TO THE NEXT LEVEL?

Join Us Today

WHAT YOU’LL GAIN FROM OUR DESIGN BRIEFS

Our design briefs offer you valuable insights and advantages:

– Recommended Pitching Timeframes: Each brief is carefully timed to align with the season and industry trends, helping you pitch your work at the right moment.

– Insider Knowledge: Gain access to insider knowledge about what to design and when. Stay ahead of the curve and create designs that resonate with the market. This has taken us years to figure out & perfect!

– Work in Advance: With our design briefs, you can work well in advance, ensuring you never miss out on opportunities. Be prepared and proactive in your creative journey.

OUR COMMITMENT TO QUALITY

We created these design briefs in 2022 because we needed them ourselves. Since then, we’ve used them every month in our own design businesses alongside our members. We pour our hearts and energy into crafting each month’s Design Brief to provide you with quality, well-researched, trend-driven creative design brief challenges.

We’ve done all the strategic thinking and planning for you. All you need to do is show up and dive in. Our design briefs are not only affordable but also packed with value. Plus, there are even more bonuses inside!

Did someone mention ART CALLS?

READY TO TAKE YOUR PORTFOLIO TO THE NEXT LEVEL?

Click the button below to learn more about this wonderful design tool we’ve created to help you on your creative journey in art licensing, surface pattern design, textile design, and product development.

Join us in the adventure of artistic growth, portfolio enhancement, and creative empowerment!

Learn More Here

Xx- Ryann & Fleur

Little Cocalico Art Call Results

by Creative Studio Collective | Oct 31, 2023 | Uncategorized

Little Cocalico Art Call: Winners and Licensing Results for Our Creative Design Brief Members

ART CALL results- little cocalico (Youtube Banner)

🥁 Drumroll, please! 🥁 Our latest ART CALL with the online Fabric Print-On-Demand retailer Little Cocalico just wrapped up, and the results are nothing short of spectacular!

Guess what? They didn’t pick just one Portfolio Building Creative Brief member’s collection; they chose TWO amazing collections from our member submissions to be licensed with them – and it totally blew their minds! 🏆 We are thrilled about the success of our Brief members. Over the last two Art calls, four members have had their artwork licensed, which is absolutely amazing.

Before we dive into the details, we want to send a massive THANK YOU to this incredible community. You guys are the heartbeat of creativity, and we’re endlessly inspired by your talent and dedication! Hosting these Art Calls is a true joy, and seeing your unique interpretations of our briefs? It’s pure magic! You all put so much time & energy into this Art call, and it does not go unnoticed.

We were excited to see Little Cocalico choose from over 100 submissions, with 29 collections making it to the voting stage – that just goes to show how amazing all your work was!! Even if you didn’t get picked, your hard work will not have gone to waste. This was also a great opportunity to build your portfolio & practice working to a Design brief from a company, to flex your skills & widen your portfolio. This is also not a closed door; it is still a wide-open door, and you can still pitch new collections to Little Cocalico if you feel you are a good fit for their company & customer base.

Now, let’s dive into the results!!

Little Cocalico’s top pick 🥇 goes to @studio.rianne, and their 2nd place collection was none other than @poppiesanducks! We can’t wait to see these two beautiful collections with Little Cocalico in the coming weeks. Let’s support Rianne & Benedetta and congratulate them on this lovely move forward in their creative journey.

And to all the talented souls who entered but didn’t make the final cut – you are AMAZING! 🌟 Your work shone brightly, and we appreciate every stroke of your creative genius.

A massive shoutout to our partner in this artistic journey, Little Cocalico. This wouldn’t be possible without them!

Remember, even if your creation didn’t make it this time, your talent is boundless. Keep creating, keep shining, and stay tuned for more exciting opportunities on the horizon! 💛

Our next Art Call drops in December for our Portfolio Building Creative Design Brief Members, so stay tuned!!

Not a Portfoilo Building Creative Brief Member yet?

Join Us Today

WHAT YOU’LL GAIN FROM OUR DESIGN BRIEFS

Our design briefs offer you valuable insights and advantages:

– Recommended Pitching Timeframes: Each brief is carefully timed to align with the season and industry trends, helping you pitch your work at the right moment.

– Work in Advance: With our design briefs, you can work well in advance, ensuring you never miss out on opportunities. Be prepared and proactive in your creative journey.

OUR COMMITMENT TO QUALITY

Did someone mention ART CALLS?

READY TO TAKE YOUR PORTFOLIO TO THE NEXT LEVEL?

Join us in the adventure of artistic growth, portfolio enhancement, and creative empowerment!

Learn More Here

Xx- Ryann & Fleur

Top Tips For Starting the 100 Day Challenge

by Creative Studio Collective | Oct 24, 2023 | Uncategorized

Tips for getting started on the 100 Day Challenge

OUR TOP TIPS FOR EMBARKING ON THE 100 DAY CHALLENGE

Are you longing for a creative outlet. The need for something to get back in the game and regain your confidence.

The saying ‘practice makes perfect’ holds true but we like to think of it as ‘practice makes us better’. Regular artistic expression can transform your art style into something you’re genuinely proud to share with the world.

The 100-day challenge is a remarkable method for achieving this. By committing to one small creative act each day for 100 days, you refine your craft and steadily progress towards your larger dreams and goals.

We wholeheartedly recommend setting this challenge for anyone looking to discover their unique art style or striving toward a significant goal. There are no strict rules, except for completing the project every day.

TIPS TO BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY

Choose a Manageable Format: Opt for a small art diary (A6 or A5) to make the project achievable even on busy days. If life gets hectic, don’t be disheartened by missing a day; resume the next day (but avoid missing two days in a row). Consistency is key to maintaining momentum. If you are in the flow of things & are inspired to do two on one day & know you will be busy the next you can save it to post on your busy day.
Start Small, Dream Big: While a 100-day commitment might seem daunting, consider beginning with a 7-day or 30-day project. However, we highly recommend the 100-day duration for deep self-exploration and fun exploration. The longer you stick at something the better the results.
Share Your Progress: Utilize social media and hashtags like #100daychallenge, #the100dayproject, and #the100daychallenge. You could also create a unique hashtag for easy project tracking.
Set Guidelines: Establish rules to refine your project and prevent overwhelm. Consider focusing on one subject (flowers, patterns, landscapes, portraits, daily events), using a specific medium, experimenting with different mediums, limiting colors, or setting a time limit.
Diversify Your Subjects: Explore a variety of subjects throughout your challenge. Incorporate elements like nature, everyday objects, emotions, or abstract concepts. Diversifying your subjects will keep your creativity flowing and prevent monotony.
Experiment with Techniques: Use the 100-day challenge as an opportunity to experiment with different artistic techniques. Vary your strokes, shading methods, or try out new tools and materials. Embrace the learning process and discover what techniques resonate most with your style.
Incorporate Personal Reflection: Integrate a reflective element into your challenge. Consider adding a brief description or journal entry alongside each piece, sharing your thoughts, feelings, or the inspiration behind the artwork. This can create a more profound connection between you and your audience.

Celebrate Milestones: Acknowledge and celebrate your achievements along the way. Designate specific milestones, such as every 25 days, to reflect on your progress and growth. Consider sharing a compilation of your work at these intervals, allowing yourself to appreciate the journey and inspire others.

Remember, the key to a successful 100-day challenge is consistency and the willingness to explore and evolve. Enjoy the process and embrace the learning opportunities that arise during the creative journey!

SHARE YOUR WORK AND GROW

Before our 100-day challenge, sharing our work on Instagram was a challenge due to self-doubt. However, once we started, the support and interest from a newfound community were overwhelming. Our following grew through consistent posts and hashtag usage. It was a unique experience, unlike anything we’d encountered in our previous years in the industry.

So, our collective message today is: CREATE MORE & SHARE MORE.

We hope this collective experience inspires you to embark on your project.

Check out our 100 day projects over on instagram

@h_u_f_t_o_n

@charlierowandesigns

Join us!

Xx ~ Fleur & Ryann

PS. If you would love to stay up to date we everything we do & this challenge then join our newsletter HERE

I AM AN ARTIST SUMMIT

by Creative Studio Collective | Oct 24, 2023 | Uncategorized

I am an Artist Summit – 19 Surface Designers & Experts

LEARN MORE HERE

We are honoured to be invited to speak at this Summit along side 18 other amazing industry leaders!!

Are you ready to take your passion for surface design to the next level? Do you dream of turning your artistic talent into a thriving profession, but find yourself held back by doubts and fears?

Imagine…

Waking up every day excited to create beautiful designs that people love.
Having a thriving business where you can set your own hours and work from anywhere in the world.
Having your work featured in top magazines like Uppercase and Flow
Seeing your designs on products in retailers like Target and Anthropologie.

This is all possible for you…

This summit brings together 19 world-renowned surface designers to share their tips and tricks of the trade, reveal their own creative journeys, and answer your burning questions.

Here are just a few of the benefits you’ll get from attending:

Learn from the best in the business: You’ll have the opportunity to learn from some of the most successful surface designers in the world, including Bonnie Christine, Mel Armstrong, Cat Coq, Erin Kendal, Jess Miller, Charly Clements and more.
Get inspired by their stories: Hear about the challenges and triumphs that these designers have faced on their journeys to success.
Get your questions answered live: At the end of the summit, you’ll have a chance to participate in a live Q&A session with the speakers.
Get lifetime access to all the content: Once you register, you’ll get lifetime access to all the video tutorials, Q&A sessions, and other resources.

This summit is perfect for you if you’re:

An aspiring surface designer who is eager to learn from the best.
A seasoned surface designer who wants to take your business to the next level.
Anyone who wants to learn more about the surface design industry and how to succeed in it.

CHECK IT OUT

What is the “I Am An Artist” Summit?

This 5-day virtual event is a unique opportunity to unlock your creative potential and gain valuable insights into the world of surface design.

19 well-known artists and designers who are ready to share their tips, tricks, and personal journeys with you.

Who is it for?

If you’re an aspiring surface designer or a seasoned pro looking to reignite your passion, this summit is for you. We understand the challenges you face, from imposter syndrome to fear of rejection and the worry that the market may be too crowded. We’re here to help you overcome these obstacles and shine as an artist.

What to Expect:

– Expert tutorials and insights from industry leaders.

– Engaging Q&A sessions with your favorite artists.

– Lifetime access to all summit content.

– VIP access to a live zoom call with some of the designers.

Early Bird Tickets:

Don’t miss out on our special early bird offer! Get your ticket for just USD$397.60 (coupon code EARLYBIRD20) from October 23rd to October 31st. After that, tickets will be sold at the full price of USD$497.

Summit Dates:

Mark your calendar! The summit kicks off on November 6, 2023, and runs until November 10. Each day will be filled with inspiration, knowledge, and opportunities for growth.

Ready to take the first step towards turning your creative passion into a profession? Join us at the “I Am An Artist” Summit, where we’ll help you conquer your fears, build your skills, and connect with a vibrant community of fellow artists.

Join us!