How I came to pursue surface pattern design.
I was scrolling rather mindlessly through FaceBook as I am wont to do. That’s when Anne LaFollette’s FB ad popped up. Her kind, honest, friendly face slowed my scroll. She was speaking and the word “doodle” jumped out at me. I can’t remember exactly what she said (since it was a year and a half ago), but she referred to doodles and the potential to make money from them. So I stopped and listened, because if you’ve been keeping up with this here blog, you know that I have tons of doodles from years of sitting in meeting and lectures. (You can read all about that on blog post #3.) Anne was talking about her FREE master class where she teaches you to create repeating patterns from your doodles using Adobe Illustrator (AI). I was hooked. A FREE CLASS?! Yes, okay!
Sidenote: Her free masterclass is now called From Doodles to Dollars. She is teaching it right now! It might not be too late to sign up. All you need is access to Adobe Illustrator. She will teach you how to use Adobe Illustrator from scratch, as in from opening a document to creating a repeating pattern. You can find more information on that on her website. But if you miss this Doodles to Dollars, I think she opens it up again in the fall.
Back to my story… So I took Anne’s free masterclass and created a simple repeating pattern (see below). It was fall, so naturally I gravitated toward autumn elements: pumpkins, acorns and fall leaves. It was a clunky first pattern for sure. The colors were just not right. But I was excited and recognized the potential for how it could fit into my plan for all my existing doodles!
Another sidenote: I just want to toot my own horn and point out how much my artwork style has improved since this first repeating pattern. The images at the top show all the same motifs, but revamped today to demonstrate what a difference a year and a half makes if you keep practicing. The color are no longer electric! It’s not perfection, but it’s progress!!
The next step in my journey was to take Anne’s paid course called The Pattern Design Academy. It is a much more comprehensive 8-week course that takes you from learning to make repeating patterns (and the different types of patterns) to showing you the many ways you can use patterns (wrapping paper, wall paper, fabric, stationery, mugs, prints, etc.). Furthermore, she teaches you simple ways on HOW you can potentially make money with your surface patterns. It was such a mind blowing experience, that by the end of it, my whole world had shifted. I had taken other online courses before that showed you how to earn money from your artwork, but this course really resonated with me, and gave me the push I needed for the next step.
And then I found Bonnie Christine’s Immersion course. Just like the name suggests, this course is MORE immersive and MORE intense. Not everyone needs to take it to this level. I wasn’t sure I needed this since I’d learned so much from Anne already. So I emailed Anne (yes, she’s that accessible), and expressed my dilemma. I straight up asked her if she thought I should take Bonnie Christine’s course. She, of course, had the perfect answer. She is a fan and supporter of Bonnie Christine, but she said that only I can really know if I am in the right place to take on the Immersion course. She gave me extensive advise on what I could do if I do take the course, and what I can do if I DON’T take the course. What wonderful advise! It was comforting to know I had many options. I was so glad I reached out to her.
I knew that if I was going push my surface pattern design forward, I was going to have to start a business. Yikes!! My OCD kicked in. I’m the type of person that has to do extensive research before doing anything unfamiliar. I have to dot all my “I”s and cross all my “T”s before jumping into something like creative entrepreneurship. And that’s how I knew I needed to take the Immersion course. And I did. This course gave me the confidence to become a creative entrepreneur. And while I’m still working at it, and my progress is slow (because that is how I’ve chosen to do), I feel like I have a handle on the creative AND business sides of it. And I’m so excited about it!
I’ve always noticed and admired patterns on tiles, table surfaces, fabric, etc., but I never really questioned HOW those patterns came to be. It wasn’t until Anne LaFollette shared that secret (well, it’s not really a secret, but it sure seemed like it to me) that I realized I could and wanted to do it too. Bonnie’s course gave me all the tools and confidence to take it to the next level.
Now, not everyone has to take this route to learn and do surface pattern design. There are other more independent ways to go about it. But this is what worked for me. It’s all so very magical, really.