How do you break into the fabric or stationary part of illustration? (psst, I've already listed to the first "how to make money in Illustration")
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Hey! Check out Surtex- I'd start there. Also it's stationEry, not stationAry (staying still). Easy to mix up.
Is there a class on SVS that addresses licensing?
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@hopper12 there is a class at SVS that just went live last night! It is AMAZING!!!!!!! I just finished it. thanks for your help though. I will check them out too.
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I just watched it- It was very informative. Thanks!
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@whitney-simms Thank you so much! Gina is amazing! She's also going to keep this series going - so there's so much more to come!
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@will-terry that's exciting. She was a pleasure to listen to. I can't wait to see what else comes in the classes. I'm learning tons in your mixed media watercolor digital class. I'm not ready to paint in all grays yet! Can't give up the color in the brush. There are many things in there that I am using already in getting my art ready to print and turned into stationary. Next on the tutorials bucket list will be the composition class. Maybe I'll get those flags and plates out one of these days. The more I learn about children's books and see what the SVS peeps are doing, the more I realize that I may not be a good fit. Not now. In the next year or so my friend and I will be doing a cook book. I can listen to the carpool classes on kick starters and self publishing (those ramble ones, which are really fun as I am driving). You guys are awesome, thanks for what you do!
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@whitney-simms Well we love it so I don't think we're going to stop anytime soon - THANK YOU!
- 2 months later
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@whitney-simms
Hi, I know this topic is from a few months ago, but I just came across it and I wanted to share with you a little mini class by a surface designer, Bonnie Christine. It's more about her creative process, and it's titled "Gathering Inspiration" but I thought you might be interested.I hope you see this right away, since I think it's only available through today, 5/18/18--but try it to make sure, if it's past that date. Here's the link for the mini-class:
https://www.karenabend.com/sketchbook-revival/bo-cr/
Each presenter had a free gift & hers was 30-day access to her website, where she teaches about this niche of the illustrating industry. (It looks like it's probably the regular offer for her website & you have to enter pmt. info, and cancel before the 30 days are up--the usual get people onto a subscription type of thing. So put a reminder on your calendar if you don't want to continue after the free period!)
https://bonniechristine.com/roost-tribe-for-sketchbook-revival/It's part of a free workshop series. (Jake Parker did a session for it as well.) Here's the whole list: https://www.karenabend.com/sketchbook-revival/schedule/
I know what you mean about wishing you could design your own fabrics, plates, cell phone covers, etc, etc, etc.! Although, you are way ahead of me in your art! Your designs look like they belong in stores! I'd love a shirt with that gray & brown floral--so pretty! I keep thinking I should paint designs on some plain colored clothes, but I haven't tried it yet, and I'm afraid I'd mess them up!
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@miriam The workshop was closed. That's okay. I didn't know about this designer. Bonnie Christine's work is beautiful! She has an entire curriculum for surface designs. I'll follow her for sure! Maybe she will throw out a free class again in the future! Thanks for the heads up!
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@whitney-simms
Oh, that's too bad, but like I mentioned it was really about the process of gathering information more than anything specific about that type of work. She encouraged people to go out into the real world whenever possible--like visiting a horse farm to sketch and take photos, instead of just googling horse pictures. She also spends time making lists of everything having to do with a subject before she starts drawing.One thing she talked about that was specific to surface design is practicing making collections of images or patterns that go well together (for things like coordinating fabrics, stationary items, etc.) I think she said something about having bolder or larger patterns/images as well as simple ones. For example, you'd have more involved designs that could be used on items like cards, and smaller patterns that could be on things like a pencil or pen for the same set.
I'm happy that I was at least able to help you find another artist in this area of illustration, especially since you like her work. She does have a nice style!
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@miriam Thanks for passing along those tips too! Sometimes it is easy to just google an image rather than find it in real life! I'm going to do a series of ice-cream in just a bit. I think it may require lots of R&D!
I love the idea of creating a collection as well! Prints that go with the color scheme. The idea of complex designs as well as simple ones makes sense too! Thanks!
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@whitney-simms Ha, ha! Yes, that subject matter definitely requires real-life research!
- 3 years later
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@Miriam thanks so much for passing the name of Bonnie Christine along. It truly changed my trajectory in my work. She’s absolutely fabulous at teaching pattern design and all the things related to running your business in that industry.
@Sneha-Rao ! Here it is. Oh man, how many answers do we have now! I wonder how many more of us are out there?