My blush "love" pattern collection. I also have a love for all things party and shower related. At some point I will throw a shower with napkins and plates with this collection (even if I have to print it myself). Not to mention the wrapping paper. Luckily I have many years before my 8 and 12 year old daughters or teenage nieces are ready for a bridal shower.
She who always has a song in her heart will always dance.
Music inspires my little one and she inspires me. If there is a melody anywhere around her little body is moving. I had a neat experience as I painted this one. I decided I would listen to her music as I painted. When one particular song came on, "A Million Dreams", and I stopped painting Avery, I started to make her dance. I've painted her, now how do I make her dance?
Have my website started. Still need to go through with a few suggestions you guys gave me. Started a Society6 shop and sold two mugs. It’s the little things, right. Need to upload a bunch more stuff to that site. Printed a bunch of cards for Teaher gifts and a fundraiser auction. Thought it would be a good time to snap a few pictures to eventually put on the website in the “shop” section. Yay. And entered a few Spoonflower’s this month. Got 36 votes for the feather pattern from people I don’t know. Wanted to see how well it would do without asking people on Instagram and Facebook to vote.. 
Just trying to move the needle a little at a time.
Just thought I would share my latest collection. This will be turned into notecards for the little shop that carries my work. And hey, they only have two left in stock! I need to contact them to refill their box.
This will also be part of a fabric collection. Spoonflower launched a new bedding product. So, one of these images will be selected for the contest. I think it’s called “neutral bedding.” And because I want to treat myself, it’s going to be my new bedding. At least part of will be my sheets and throw pillows.
Then society 6 products will carry the prints as well. Loving the wheat for a tumbler and the cotton field for a tote
I painted solid background in the gray, aqua, and blush. I’ll add some to the paintings in photoshop. Not sure which ones I’ll put with the floral elements. I wanted to paint the backgrounds on with the florals, but it is so much easier to change things when a blank background.
And hey, did y’all know you could use white to make a great flesh tent in watercolors? Who knew. I have not used the white before. All this time wasted!
Just thought I would throw this out there. No, I don’t want to paint dog portraits all year long. I don’t even have it highlighted on my website or have an Etsy shop. It’s a niche I feel in to.
A store I sell my notecards in asked me to come for an even they were having at their store. Sit at a table and paint. The first even I made pennies for how long I sat there. I sold prints but customized it with someone’s name. The next event was around Christmas 2019. I needed a bigger ticket item to see if that would make it worth my time to be there. It exploded. I did stylized dog portraits. Y’all, don’t tell me secret, I don’t even own a dog. Explode may mean different things to everyone. Let’s just say it paid for all the food at Disney world for our winter trip.
This year I made was there for two weekends and got that many more commissions. I hate the idea of only doing commission work. It’s a one and done painting. But sometimes it pays the bills. By limiting it to only Christmas time and doing items that I enjoy painting or are just quick to knock out, it makes it doable. This year I expanded to house paintings. Those I charged double what I charge for the dogs. I also got tons of repeat clients from last year.
Just thought I would throw it out there. Small and local businesses supporting one another. They like the traffic and I like their traffic. There is no way I could get that many orders on my own. I’ll pay a percentage or a “booth rental.” Only because I adore them. They truly are the best!
Good luck to you guys this holiday season! 
Who doesn't love a cupcake? But what if they are even better than expected? What if, there was a hidden surprise of yummy unexpected goodness?!?!?!? An ingredient that you never knew would taste so magical in a cupcake. Or a birthday sprinkle confetti surprise. What about finding out the type of little bundle that you will be bringing into the world? Cupcakes can hold such sweet little treasures. After all, they are a cake that fits in a cup.
Mermaid Toile (fabric pattern). Finished! My little kidlettes as mermaids. It was a blast imagining them as mermaids. What would they be doing. Can't wait to get my bag all printed up for the pool. They may swim like mermaids, but they still need their goggles! 
This month’s challenge I’m going to make a pattern collection. I envision it being for a wedding or a bridal shower. Just trying to make a “lovely” collection. Maybe I’ll even mock up plates and cocktail napkins. I know for sure it will be turned into a note card set for Mother’s Day. So- here is the start.
There are many of you guys that are so stinking amazing! I want you guys to create books, stories and comics that I can read to my children. Even ones that they can fall in love with on their own. I have been wrestling for the past year of wanting to have more time to create my work, to get better, and really give this art thing a "go." Learning more about the business side and all the other information found here make that dream more real than ever. It being more real makes it harder to feel trapped in my current position in life.
Please don't take this post as winning. Or one of those "oh, I wish I had that problem." This is just what I am slowly realizing with my work and myself as an artist. Think of "national women's day." This is my choice as a woman and don't go all feminist on me please.
I am a stay at home mom. I have 4 kids from ages 11-4. None of them took a bottle. That meant sleepless nights for mostly me. My husband works hard. Extremely hard. (as many of you all do). With his high demand job our home rolls aren't exactly 50/50. He swoops in for playtime after all the homework and after school things are done. and I wake up and get them all ready in the morning. Dr apps, allergy shots, carpool, practices, that's all me. He provides a good living for our family. I don't "need" to work and earn extra for our family to be comfortable and enjoy a few of the extra fun things. I will not put my husband's job and our families financial security for my personal self fulfillment.
Then there is a beast inside that needs to make things. As an artist that wants to work, have validation it is SO hard to not be jealous of those that have nothing but time to prefect and poor into their work and promote. I felt so bitter for a while that I had to give up something I wanted so badly all my life and that my artistic growth was stunted because I had no creative energy when I was pregnant and nursing babies and chasing toddlers.
Then my heart began to soften. Stupid time-hops on Facebook with my work and trying to dig up something on pinterest and finding work from 5 years ago. The straw that broke the camel's heart was a visit to my brother's house. One that recently moved back to a drivable distance. I saw the work spanning two decades. Work that I had forgotten I even made. Good work. Work that I was proud of. I never stopped making work. I have always created things for the people I love. That candle of creativity has always burned bright. No, not much money has exchanged hands over the past 15 years. But a lot of love has. Work that I tried my best on. That gave my full heart in creating.
So, if your paycheck hasn't come in yet. PEASE DON'T STOP MAKING WORK YOU ENJOY DOING! Don't stop sharing it with your friends and family. Hopefully, if you need to feed your family, the right people will see your work. I know there are so many of you I am dying to get in my library. I mean that with the most sincere part of my heart. You guys are brilliant. I "real" people in your life love your work (not just the hearts and likes and up-votes), even if you create it as much as you wish.
As one of the original painting tutorial man use to say, "Happy Painting."
“I can't think of anything more rewarding than being able to express yourself to others through painting. Exercising the imagination, experimenting with talents, being creative; these things, to me, are truly the windows to your soul.”
@Kristin-Dudish he’s the best. I’ll go back and watch that one. I wish he was my neighbor. Then we could take about stuff at the mailbox and taking out the trash.
This one isn’t a podcast, but a YouTube channel. It’s “struthless” . And I kinda love him. His last two were great topics that I want to listen to mulitple times. One is on imposter syndrome and the other is “quit your day job and follow your passion.” He really dissects that phrase and how it is much more complicated than it sounds. But it’s great. The one on imposter syndrome is applicable to so many areas of life. I even shared it with some girl’s on a church visit. Unfortunately, he cusses a little so I had to paraphrase vs show the video.
Anyways. I like him. He’s also an illustrator which we can all relate to.
Hey, the ant hill book is how I came across Mr Will Terry. I have one where they are sledding. I was listening to Jake’s YouTube after figuring out he was Mr Inktober after following a few people that did inktober back in 2017. Then Jake said look up the people who’s books you like. I was reading that one with one of my kids and thought this these were amazing images for an early reader. How random is it that I found both these guys separately before knowing how connected they were. Sorry Lee, no fancy story for you.
Great advise with not over complicating questions to possible advisors or mentors. Here’s all the work I’ve ever created, help? But finding your niche or path is so freaking hard. And an it’s always evolving. I think the main question is where do I start? You guys have answered it in a million different ways. Or when do I have enough to start? Still, answered in a million places through your podcast and in SVS.
No real comment or feedback. Just always great to listen to you guys when I’m working. Yay for birthday cards. Artwork that is consumable! I think Jake mentioned that in a podcast not long ago. I have 10 of your prints. But did you know skull chaser can wish you happy birthday too. You’re welcome for the idea.
Here are some of my favs
Do it for the process (creative business)
Honest designers (Liz glanz is an amazing illustrator! I love her work and her style)
The Bancroft brothers (animation)
Does anyone have a fav app or software they use for budgeting/bookkeeping. Lee has mentioned something. Anyone remember which podcast episode? I want to see what products are sold, where the business expenses are going, and I think that’s it. Itemize which areas or products bring in the money.
@NessIllustration thats adorable! So stinking cute. @Coley we should all start a club! Congrats on the work though. Yeah, once the last one is done I promised myself I’m not taking anymore this year. I hope I can stick to my guns. I have four to paint and four to start from scratch.
Coley- is yours just spreading by word of mouth?
@Amanda-Bancroft right! People love their pets, but you can only paint so many before your eyes get crossed. And I don’t feel like it’s moving my art in any direction. Sometimes it’s all about diversified income streams. And that’s good too!!!
@Amanda-Bancroft thanks for your post. I make stationary and do feel a little out of the loop on the forum. Most of what I do doesn’t usually apply to book illustration and publishing. I’ll look up the company you mentioned.
@Shelley-James-0 @jimsz - sorry,
I can’t remember who asked the question. I can’t scroll up once I start writing. This can be a super involved question to reply to. There are tons of resources about this type of licensing. Svs is amazing about creating stellar artists and perfecting your craft. And uber helpful about the publishing industry. That’s their niche if you ask me. You can’t do everything.
Other people out there that can help answer your question are Bonnie Christine. She has a membership and some free content out there. She deals with licensing and educates with surface pattern design. Proof to Product is also a great one to look into. I think it’s Katie Hunt. There is a podcast associated with her as well. Skillshare also has tons of classes on it.
As far as the forum, they are freaking amazing at feedback. Actionable items to improve your work with thoughtful critiques, but also super sweet to give positive feedback too. Post some of your designs. We would love to see them. Composition and style and other design elements are universal to any industry.
Just thought I would throw this out there. No, I don’t want to paint dog portraits all year long. I don’t even have it highlighted on my website or have an Etsy shop. It’s a niche I feel in to.
A store I sell my notecards in asked me to come for an even they were having at their store. Sit at a table and paint. The first even I made pennies for how long I sat there. I sold prints but customized it with someone’s name. The next event was around Christmas 2019. I needed a bigger ticket item to see if that would make it worth my time to be there. It exploded. I did stylized dog portraits. Y’all, don’t tell me secret, I don’t even own a dog. Explode may mean different things to everyone. Let’s just say it paid for all the food at Disney world for our winter trip.
This year I made was there for two weekends and got that many more commissions. I hate the idea of only doing commission work. It’s a one and done painting. But sometimes it pays the bills. By limiting it to only Christmas time and doing items that I enjoy painting or are just quick to knock out, it makes it doable. This year I expanded to house paintings. Those I charged double what I charge for the dogs. I also got tons of repeat clients from last year.
Just thought I would throw it out there. Small and local businesses supporting one another. They like the traffic and I like their traffic. There is no way I could get that many orders on my own. I’ll pay a percentage or a “booth rental.” Only because I adore them. They truly are the best!
Good luck to you guys this holiday season!
Get a pack of prang watercolors and a pack of copics and see what you like best. Shouldn’t be too expensive. Like 4 copics.
