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Creative Brief Member Spotlight – Marlies Blockand

Creative Brief Member Spotlight – Marlies Blockand

by | Feb 25, 2025 | Uncategorized

Creative Brief Member Spotlight

We love spotlighting our Creative Brief Members!
Artist Spotlight – Marlies Blockand.

Marlies Blockand of
@blockandmarlies

Marlies Blokland is an Illustrator & Surface Designer based in the Netherlands.
Her work shows a great use of colour and is often referred to as playful and cute.
She includes a variety of subjects in her work such as animals, food and toys, all spiced up with a little bit of childhood-magic.

Why I love the Briefs…

I love the Creative Briefs because they it keep me going! They also challenge me to create exciting work for my portfolio!

My Biggest Win

I’ve only just started this month, but I believe I will have wins to share
as I keep creating.

My Tip Tips…

“I try to use the Creative Briefs as a base for my planning and then give my own personal touch to the subject. That way my work stays consistent, but is still new and fresh because of the subject of the brief, which I might not have chosen on my own.”

Want to see more of Marlie's work?

Click Here

We love hearing from & Spotlighting our Portfolio Building Creative Design Brief members!
 If you are a member & would love to be featured submit below.

Submit Here 

Creative Brief Member Spotlight – Elaine Bozza

Creative Brief Member Spotlight – Elaine Bozza

by | Feb 9, 2025 | Uncategorized

Creative Brief Member Spotlight

We love spotlighting our Creative Brief Members!
Artist Spotlight – Elaine Bozza.

Elaine Bozza of
Ebozza Studio

Elaine Bozza is an Illustrator and Surface Pattern Designer based in Auckland, New Zealand. She loves creating whimsical designs, characters and animals for children.
Elaine’s art unfolds ludic-style tales of wildlife and adventure, each piece born from intuitive storytelling and brings people joy.
Elaine’s portfolio has diverse pattern designs for textiles, wallpaper, home decor and stationery.

Why I love the Briefs…

The Creative Brief Membership was a game changer because I saw it as a professional guide that kept me focused on the project.
It covers many details such as the colour palette, mood board, products and pitching calendar.
I loved it so much that I applied the same brief structure as a model for all my design projects.

My Biggest Win

Since becoming a member I have a new collaboration with the fabric company, Cloth Cuts, and a licensing deal with Natural Roots Fabrics.

My Tip Tips…

“I have a few pieces of advice that I always tell myself, and I learned from the Studio Chats, for instance: a mini collection is better than no collection, seek feedback and advice from other designers.

From my experience: value your style and artistic voice, but challenge yourself to study art principles, and explore new mediums or art techniques to stay inspired and expand commercial opportunities. “

Want to see more of Elaine's work?

Click Here

We love hearing from & Spotlighting our Portfolio Building Creative Brief members!
If you are a member & would love to be featured submit below.

Submit Here

 

Studio Chat – Building Your Brand Through Community

by | Nov 25, 2024 | Uncategorized

Studio Chat: Building Your Brand Through Community

Today, let’s dive into the delightful world of building your brand while nurturing a vibrant community. It’s like planting seeds in a garden and watching them blossom into beautiful flowers together. So, grab your coffee or tea, and let’s chat about what this journey entails.

First things first, building your brand isn’t just about showcasing your art—it’s about connecting with people on different levels. It’s about sharing your story, your process, and your passions in a way that resonates with others. Whether it’s through Instagram, newsletters, or good old-fashioned conversations, finding your tribe is key.

A common question we get: “Where do I start, and how do I find my people?” Well, my friend, the answer lies in being proactive. Don’t wait for community to come knocking on your door—go out there and seek it. Slide into those DMs, engage with other artists’ content, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.

But remember, building community is a two-way street. It’s not just about taking, but also about giving. Share your knowledge, support your fellow artists, and be genuine in your interactions. Trust us, it’s the little gestures of kindness that go a long way in fostering meaningful connections.

It’s also just as important to talk about building community as a brand or business. It’s a bit trickier, but equally rewarding. Whether you’re reaching out to other brands or nurturing relationships with your customers, authenticity is key. Show love, give love, and never underestimate the power of a genuine connection.

In the end, building community and branding is all about being intentional. Know who you’re talking to, share your journey authentically, and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. After all, the most beautiful things often happen when we least expect them to.

So, here’s to building thriving communities and brands that shine bright like the stars we are. Cheers to creativity, connection, and endless possibilities!

If you would like to jump in and be part of the Creative Collective Studio community, we would love to have you! Sign up to our newsletter to be part of our community, and you will have access to support and advice from us and our members.

If you would love to dive into this topic more then get FREE ACCESS TO OUR STUDIO CHAT LIBRARY  HERE
Sign Up To Our Newsletter

There is an entire video library of chats and it’s totally FREE!

In the library we cover topics including:

– How to Keep Your Instagram Safe

– Raising Your Prices

– Industry Myth Busting and lots more

 

Get Access Here
Creative Brief Member Spotlight – Sarah Lucking

Creative Brief Member Spotlight – Sarah Lucking

by | Nov 11, 2024 | Uncategorized

Creative Brief Member Spotlight – Sarah Lucking

Artist Spotlight- Sarah Lucking

Heatherbelle Crafts was set up by Sarah simply because of her love of art. She particularly enjoys drawing animals in a child-friendly style and is taking tentative steps into the world of surface pattern design.

She lives with her husband, two little girls, dogs, cat and chickens!

If you would love to see more of Sarah’s designs click here

“This is my first time participating as I only joined as a Creative Design Brief Member a few weeks ago.

I really enjoyed my first brief because it was something a little different and gave me plenty of new ideas and inspiration to think about.“

We love hearing from our Portfolio Building Creative Design Brief members on how they love our Design Briefs & their hot tips for working with them! if you are a member & would love to be featured submit below.

Submit Here

If you are not a member yet & would love to learn more about our amazing design tool to help you build your portfolio like a pro then click the button below to learn more.

At Creative Studio Collective, we’re all about crafting fantastic design tools for Surface Pattern Designers, Textile Designers, Artists & creatives that support you on your creative journey, allowing you to focus on the enjoyable aspects while we handle all the strategic thinking and planning for you! 

Learn More About Our Monthly Creative Briefs Here

Studio Chat – Time Management, Juggling Life and Staying on Track with Your Business Goals

Studio Chat – Time Management, Juggling Life and Staying on Track with Your Business Goals

by | Jul 22, 2024 | Uncategorized

Studio Chat: Time Management, Juggling Life and Staying On Track with Your business Goals

As an Artist, do you ever find that you set out to accomplish a specific task, only to find yourself lost in a sea of other activities? We certainly have. In a recent chat, we delved into the significance of maintaining focus and effective time management—a conversation that offers valuable insights for anyone juggling the complexities of a hectic schedule.

Have you ever made a comment similar to this?
“Like yesterday, I was determined to work on those images for you, but somehow, I ended up doing something entirely different.”

It’s a scenario that hits close to home for many of us—a constant struggle to stay on track in a world filled with distractions.

So, what’s the remedy? How do you get to the end of your day with a sense of accomplishment? Structure! You need to focus in and set timers. By allocating dedicated time slots to specific tasks, we empower ourselves to stay focused and achieve our intended goals.

It is also very important to spend some time prioritizing tasks based on the current season of life or business. Seasons, both in business and in life, are inevitable. It is important to be able to recognise them and accept the ebb and flow of time availability and business growth.

“Some seasons offer plenty of time, while others feel more rushed. Your business may sprint in some seasons and take a leisurely stroll in others.”

The underlying message is crystal clear—embracing the changes and tailoring your strategies to fit your current season is not just adaptive; it’s a powerful formula for success.

As Artists and Designers, in this journey of adapting to different seasons, we’re all in it together. So, let’s embrace the changes, set our timers, and move forward, knowing that each season brings its unique opportunities for growth.

If you would love to dive into this topic more then get FREE ACCESS TO OUR STUDIO CHAT LIBRARY  HERE

There is an entire video library of chats and it’s totally FREE!

In the library we cover topics including:

– Finding Success with Art Challenges

– Keeping Your Instagram Account Safe

– Industry Myth Busting and lots more

Get Access Here
How To Get Your Design Chosen For An Art Call

How To Get Your Design Chosen For An Art Call

by | Apr 29, 2024 | Uncategorized

7 Tips for Art Call Success: Getting Your Design Noticed & Selected

So you’ve read the brief for an Art Call, and you’re itching to jump in and start designing – but wait! Not quite so fast! There are some key details that you need to pay attention to before you put pencil to paper! 

Here are 7 of our tried and true tips when designing for an Art Call:

  1. READ THE BRIEF CAREFULLY!
    We can not stress this enough, take the time to carefully read the brief. A quick tip is to take out a pen and paper and write down important details as you are reading that you want to keep in mind while you’re designing.


    2. THEME: 
    Make sure that your submission aligns with the theme of the Art Call. You need to understand and respect the brand you are submitting to, which means submitting work that aligns with their specified theme, work that aligns with their visual style, and work that is tailor made for them to consider, not just something that you have created previously with an abstract reference to the art call. 

3. COLOR PALETTE:
Art Calls often include guidance on color palette.  Submissions that don’t take that color palette guidance into consideration are rarely going to be considered. In our art calls, we’ve seen some beautiful patterns that most likely won’t be selected because specified color palette requests are ignored.
Tips for color:
Use at least one of the prescribed colors in your palette or similar tones.
Visualize your design on the product you are designing for, how would it look in a real life setting? Would the colors of your design look like it was from the art call collection?

4. OLD WORK VS NEW WORK:
You are more than welcome to submit artwork that you have previously created for an Art Call. However, you will want to make sure that it is artwork that is available for a licensing or a buyout and that you take the time to ensure it has a color palette that coordinates with what the brand has requested and meets the criteria of the Art Call.

5.SHARING YOUR DESIGN
Often times it’s stated within an Art Call if the company wants you to keep your design exclusive or not. If it’s a non-exclusive that means your welcome to upload your design to places such as Spoonflower and most of the time you are also welcome to go ahead and share your design on your website, social media, etc. If it is exclusive, you will often need to keep it private until you know the results.

6. FILE REQUIREMENTS
Does the Art Call include specific details on final file specifications for your submission? These details are incredibly important! If you do not submit the correct file type your submission will not be included for consideration in the art call. It is a good idea not to start designing until you know all the specifications of the final file type required (eg: colour profile, DPI, file format etc). Many submissions don’t even require you to have your motifs in a repeat to submit – so make sure you read carefully to save yourself a lot of time!

7. SPACE:
We are not taking about scale when we talk about space. Please take into consideration how much “white space” or “empty space” you have in your design. If you are designing for a product with a smaller surface area you will want to take that into consideration. A design with a lot of white space or empty space won’t work as well for a small product, eg: baby clothes, as it would on a larger product such as wallpaper.

In an art call, details matter. 

So, now that you’ve made sure you’ve read the brief through once, twice and even three times, it’s time to grab your pencil and dive into designing!

Join us!

Xx ~ Fleur & Ryann

Now that you’re equip with all the tips you need for your next art call, it’s time to refine your portfolio. If you aspire to enhance your portfolio with well-rounded, marketable, and high-quality artwork, you’ll adore our Creative Design Brief Membership. It equips you with all the necessary tools, meticulous planning, and strategic thinking to ensure you have your most successful year yet! Click the link below to learn more and unlock the potential for your artistic journey.
PS. If you would love to stay up to date we everything we do then join our newsletter HERE 
 
 
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