Am I a real surface designer or am I just playing at being an artist? This is a question many of us may have contemplated, especially when we get discouraged and compare ourselves to other artists on social media. But it is possible to find the inspiration we need to create the art we want to see in the world without scrolling endlessly on Instagram. Because there is no need to fit ourselves into social media squares.  The first thing we must do as soon as we claim ourselves as a designer or illustrator is to BELIEVE deep down that we are indeed artists. It’s true that my art taste may n ..read more

I love being a surface design teacher and one of the things that makes it so wonderful is being able to meet really special people from around the world and have them as students. One of those ladies is Sara Trovati and I'm proud to celebrate her as this month's spotlight designer. Please Introduce Yourself I was born and raised in Italy (where I currently live with my husband and two daughters) but I always felt the world was my home, ready to move anywhere near or far. . .just say the word. I have been living and breathing art since I can remember and to this day one of the best Christmas pr ..read more

Today we're thrilled to highlight a few designs from this month's Portfolio Power Ups Challenge theme: Prehistoric. Dinosaurs are the perfect mix of science and imagination; no wonder kids love them! But there's plenty to explore with this theme beyond the children's market – see where your imagination takes you. Our goal with Portfolio Power Ups is to help you grow your portfolio with an art challenge in a way that’s sustainable long-term, designing with timeless surface design themes that art directors will want to see season after season. If you'd like to join the challenge for next m ..read more

As a surface designer, adding new designs to your art licensing portfolio is key because you want to present a full body of work for potential clients to choose from. Sometimes ideas appear out of thin air and spark creativity right away. Or you might feel the energy to create, but nothing comes to mind. This is super frustrating! I think every creative person has experienced this, me included.  So what can you do about it? Here is a list of my top 10 ways to find new surface design inspiration. You can use them all for pattern design, illustration work, or other creative fields.  1 ..read more

My last in-house job, prior to pursuing a career in surface pattern design and illustration, was as an art buyer. I began as a graphic designer and illustrator, then had the opportunity to establish and develop the role of art buyer at the company I represented. I held the position for five years. At the time I left I was responsible for managing the designer relationships for over 90 artists. As a former art buyer, I've seen all types of cold emails: the good and the bad. I could always spot the ones that were phoning it in. Even worse were the ones that looked like a text message with bad gr ..read more

Lizzie is an artist you absolutely should get to know. Now I may be a bit biased as she's been my accountability partner for 5+ years, but she's truly one of the best people I know. Not only that, but her home decor-focused artwork is stunning and she's got lots of great advice for staying in this industry long-term. I know you'll enjoy learning more about her. Please Introduce Yourself First I want to say thank you for the spotlight! It's an honor. For the moment, I'm loving urban living and walkability in Old Town Alexandria, VA. And I'm SO looking forward to moving in August to State Colle ..read more

“Blah Blah” ← That was the name I would often give to my work-in-progress surface design files. I would even forget to rename some of them for my artist portfolio. So when I first started pitching my artwork to potential clients, my surface design portfolio was a mess. I had some of my "Blah Blah" files on the desktop, some on my hard drive, and some on the cloud. It didn’t matter until a few months later when an art director responded to my email. She said she loved my style and wanted to see some of my holiday art. I knew I had holiday art, I knew which pieces I wanted to send to her, b ..read more

Today we're thrilled to highlight a few designs from this month's Portfolio Power Ups Challenge theme: Polka Dot Party. The polka dot is the most versatile pattern in existence, but that doesn’t mean it should be boring. This month’s challenge was to add a unique spin on this often undervalued coordinate to make it a star in its own right. Our goal with Portfolio Power Ups is to help you grow your portfolio with an art challenge in a way that’s sustainable long-term, designing with timeless surface design themes that art directors will want to see season after season. If you'd like to join th ..read more

“Is my surface design portfolio ready?” ← I constantly get asked this in my DMs and inbox and I completely understand. Because without a good art portfolio, you don’t have a chance at making an income from art licensing or any other design income stream you choose. But your portfolio isn’t the only (or first) thing you need to consider if you want to have a long-term career in this industry. So today, I’m discussing the five key ingredients that will help ensure you have a stronger start in surface design. Quick Note: A few links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase something aft ..read more

I've been a fan of Beck's designs for years. But after getting to know her inside Pitch Your Portfolio last year, she's earned my respect as well. Not only is she an absolute delight to chat with, but her persistence to develop her career is inspiring. And I know you'll enjoy learning more about her as she's this month's spotlight designer. Please Introduce Yourself I'm from Melbourne, Australia and have been designing for a long time! I probably found my way into surface designer (although I didn't know it was called that back then) 9 years ago. Tell us a little bit about your design journey ..read more