Hi, everyone! For those of you who don t know, name is Bonnie and I author Going Home to Roost - the blog dedicated to everything handmade and anything homegrown. I also work as a surface pattern designer, love to cook and am mother hen of the Roost Tribe, a fun community for creatives! I'm so excited to be talking with you all about the world of surface pattern design and share with you my story on how I became a designer. As a completely self taught designer, I'll walk you through every step I took from learning how to gather inspiration and start sketching to putting together a portfolio and signing a licensing deal. TO BECOMING A SURFACE PATTERN DESIGNER The world of surface pattern design is fun, exciting and incredibly inspirational. Just take a look around where you are right now, how many things can you find that have a design or pattern on it? Everything from napkins to fabric and stationary to wrapping paper usually features a pattern, and there's a designer behind each one of them. Why shouldn't it be you? ONE xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
INTRO Hi, everyone! For those of you who don t know, name is Bonnie and I author Going Home to Roost - the blog dedicated to everything handmade and anything homegrown. I also work as a surface pattern designer, love to cook and am mother hen of the Roost Tribe, a fun community for creatives! I'm so excited to be talking with you all about the world of surface pattern design and share with you my story on how I became a designer. As a completely self taught designer, I'll walk you through every step I took from learning how to gather inspiration and start sketching to putting together a portfolio and signing a licensing deal. The world of surface pattern design is fun, exciting and incredibly inspirational. Just take a look around where you are right now, how many things can you find that have a design or pattern on it? Everything from napkins to fabric and stationary to wrapping paper usually features a pattern, and there's a designer behind each one of them. Why shouldn't it be you? ONE xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
WHERE TO BEGIN? Sometimes it can be overwhelming to think about where to start, but I'll outline the process that I took. Everyone's story will be different, and there are several different paths that someone could take to become a surface pattern designer. One of the easiest ways would probably be to attend design school, but it's certainly not necessary (I went to school for business!). First things first, decide whether it's something you really want to pursue or not. It's not an easy road and it can take a lot of intensive study at first. It also doesn't necessarily pay well, especially at first. but, if you're in love with patterns, making things beautiful and enjoy working with color it can be one of the most rewarding things you ever do! Not an artist? Who cares! If you like to sketch, doodle or draw that's all that matters. Designers come in all shapes and sizes, and some even only work with geometrics and manipulating shapes on the computer. However if you are a skilled artist or painter, then this definitely be something you may want to pursue. One of my favorite surface pattern TWO xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
is Rachael Taylor. She's a self proclaimed doodler, and has been able to turn her scribbles and quirky doodles into a beautiful (and very successful) business. All you need is a heart and passion for pattern! Licensing your designs can be incredibly rewarding. There's just nothing like the feeling of seeing your artwork on a product for the first time. Working with different companies and different industries is also really educational and fun. Often times, you can license the same pattern as many times as you like as long as they're each in different industries. That means, you could potentially have the same design featured on wallpaper, stationary, fabric etc. GETTING STARTED First things first, how do you begin? As I mentioned earlier, everyone will have a different story, but today I'll share mine with you. Since I didn't have an art degree, I first needed to learn how to actually design. I suggest that you first just begin to sketch. Keep a journal with you at all times, and when inspiration strikes, start drawing. Even if they're just doodles and scribbles, it will give you something to start with. I also make a habit of keeping my camera (or iphone) with me, and take pictures of anything that I find inspirational. Later on, you can sketch off these photos, pull color stories from them or use them in an inspiration board. Next, you'll need to invest a little. Though some people (and you can as well) use Photoshop to design in, the industry standard is Adobe Illustrator. I highly suggest getting it THREE xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
early on, so you can start designing the right way from the very beginning. Most (if not all) companies will require you to actually send them the Illustrator (.AI) file for a project, so having it is essential. If you don't know how to use Illustrator already, the next step will be to learn the program. It's not an easy task, but it is doable. After all, it's only a computer program, right?! At first, I was completely lost. I still say it's one of the most difficult things I've learned how to use but, it's also been the most rewarding, creatively speaking. I decided to sign up for access to Lynda.com and self study using their courses. I studied pretty intensively (2-3 hours a day) for about 12 months before I made my first pattern. I highly recommend Lynda.com, but there are other routes you could take as well. Check out your local college or community college to see if they offer any design courses. You can also check out numerous books on how to use the program, but I personally needed more interactive courses. If you don't have a blog or online presence, now is a great time to start one. If you're taking time to learn Illustrator, use this time to also build your online audience. Crafty? Open an Etsy shop, too! The more built in audience you have when approaching a company to license your designs, the better. FOUR xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
LEARNING There are also several e-courses and books you can look into along the way that will be super educational and inspiring. Here's the e-course I took and a few books that I read during the 12 months I was studying. - The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design E-Course - Mastering the Art of Fabric Printing and Design - Print & Pattern - A Field Guide to Fabric Design Once you're familiar with working in Adobe Illustrator, my advice would be to take several months and do nothing but create. Fill yourself and your surroundings with inspiration and make us much artwork and as many patterns as you can. You will ultimately pull from this first work to build your first portfolio and pitch to your first company, so take plenty of time to work on it. Practice makes perfect, and I still learn something new just about every time I make a pattern! You'll also likely become very busy once you begin licensing your designs, so this early creative time is precious. Most artists make some of there all time favorite work in this stage. Cherish and nourish it, and do as much of it as you can! FIVE xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
ARTWORK A note on collections: It's a great idea to work on 10-20 patterns that go well together. That means they will tell a cohesive story and share a cohesive color story. Every industry is different, but I usually work with anywhere from 6-20 colors in a single collection. It's also important to vary the scale within a collection and also add some more simple designs usually called 'blenders' (think stripes and dots). A collection should have large, medium and small scaled patterns. A note on colors: another topic that I get asked about frequently is using color. It can be hard to put together a cohesive color story, but it's also one of the most fun parts! I love to pull colors from photos I've taken, which is probably the way I work most often. The industry also has a standard for using colors called Pantone. Depending on your industry, Pantone makes color books and color chips for purchase that make it easy to tell a printer or fabric mill exactly what color you want. They make different Pantone books for paper, home decor, fashion (and more), so be sure to purchase the one that is closest to the industry you will be working in. Along with the book will come instructions on how SIX xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
to download the Pantone color libraries in Illustrator, so you know exactly what colors you're working with on screen. Once you have several patterns or collections that you're eager to share with the world, it's time to make a portfolio. There are several different ways to create a portfolio and I would advise you to be creative and professional. Resist the urge to just send your work in an email or standard office supply store type portfolio. Personally, I wanted to create a book of my work that felt incredibly special in the hands of whoever was viewing it. I wanted it to feel like one the most precious books they had ever held. So, I decided to make my own book. I researched my options and decided that I wanted to use the 'drum leaf binding' technique (this allows the pages to lay flat, which is great for artwork). So, I did a Google search for book binderies in my area and scheduled to visit one of them to learn how to create my own book. This means, I printed my own pages at home (I used an Epsom Stylus 1400 and Epsom Premium Presentation Paper) and covered the book myself. It was actually pretty easy and it was so much fun! Of course, you can come up with you own way SEVENxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
to showcase your work, but I encourage you to be creative with your marketing and present a beautiful, professional looking package. Within my portfolio I included a table of contents, a page about my blog and accomplishments (include readership, magazine features, big online mentions, etc), 2 separate collections both in 2 difference color stories (about 40 patterns total). I also added a few pages where I applied my artwork onto items to help them see what they would look like in real life (think iphone covers, pillows, tea towels, etc) and finished the book with my bio and contact information. NOW WHAT? Now what? Every company that deals with design will most likely have an art director. Picking up the phone to call was the hardest part, but I just swallowed my nervousness and dialed the number. I'd ask to speak with their art director and most often got put right through to them. Sometimes they would pick up, other times I'd leave a voicemail. Basically, I just introduced myself, told them I was a designer and that I wanted to submit my artwork to them. Sometimes they'll have submission guidelines, so ask for those as well. Out of this conversation, you'll want to have made a good connection and gotten the mailing address of where to send your portfolio. Next, you'll want to prepare your portfolio for shipping. I liked to wrap mine up with something pretty and place it in a sturdy mailing box. Also include a personalized note to whoever you're sending it to, as well as whether or not you'd like it returned to you (I assume you do!). If you do want it returned, include a self addressed, prepaid padded envelope in the box to make it easy for them. EIGHT xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Now, you wait! It's the hardest part, you'll be rushing to your phone every time it rings! Be prepared though, some companies take a very long time (I waited 9 months last year on one!). This means, it might also be a good idea to send out several portfolios at once to help you get the ball moving. TRADE SHOWS Another great option is to attend a trade show in the industry of your choice. These are really unique events in the fact that you'll have nearly every art director you're interested in under one roof at the same time. If you plan to go to one, start calling art directors and making appointments to meet with them 2-3 months in advance. This can be incredibly rewarding, when I went to Fall Quilt Market in 2012, I left with a contract! This really is a fabulous way to connect, meet and greet and get your work seen. Take your portfolio, several samples of your work (if possible) and something to leave with each of them as well. I had smaller versions of my portfolio printed (using Peecho via Issuu), wrapped them up with paper and included a chocolate bar and fabric covered notebook with each. I then tied them up with ribbon and a twig pencil- they were a HUGE hit! NINE xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A NOTE ON CONTRACTS No matter how long this process takes, you will eventually find a company who is eager to work with you (yeah!). After you celebrate, start going over your contract with a fine tooth comb. Contracts can be sticky and you want to make sure you know exactly what you're getting in to. My best advice would be hire a lawyer to go over it with you (some will do pro bono work for new artists). Once you've agreed on the contract, you're well on your way to being an accomplished surface pattern designer. Buckle up, because the sky is the limit! TAKE AWAY ACTIONS Ok, so we've covered a ton of information and most likely about 12-18 months worth of work in a very small amount of time. Don't be overwhelmed though! You have plenty of time to move slowly and go at your own pace. Though you may have 100 questions right now, the answers will unfold along the way. All you need to do is just get started! Here's what I suggest: start doing just one thing every day that moves you toward your dream. Take a picture, buy a sketchbook, draw a scribble. Spend 15 minutes looking at courses online. Just put one foot in front of the other, and over time you won't believe how it adds up! I'm also providing a few worksheets to go along with this ebook which should help you get started, stay focused and be inspired. TEN xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
STAY IN TOUCH! QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I would love to hear from you! blog: goinghometoroost.com facebook: facebook.com/goinghometoroost twitter: twitter.com/gohometoroost e-mail: goinghometoroost@gmail.com esty shop: sweetbonniechristine.etsy.com portfolio: bonniechristine.com ELEVEN xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx