Hi Reader, We're told that creative success comes down to talent. Or going viral. Or landing that one big break that changes everything. After 13 years in this industry, I think that's mostly a lie. What I've seen in my own career, and in the careers of the designers and illustrators I teach, is that it comes down to habits. Small, consistent, often unglamorous habits that most people overlook because they don't make for a good Instagram caption. I just published a new video where I share the...

Hello Reader, There is a specific "aha!" moment that happens when an illustrator transitions into surface pattern design. It’s the moment you realise that a beautiful drawing doesn’t always make a beautiful pattern. In fact, some of the most stunning illustrations fail as repeats because they suffer from "Static Layout" syndrome. You know the look. You have gorgeous motifs, but when they’re put into a repeat, they look like they’ve been frozen in place. They look like a sheet of stickers...

Hello Reader As we jump into March I want to talk a little about pattern collections for licensing. I see it all the time: A designer spends 10 hours on a stunning, intricate floral pattern. It’s a masterpiece! But when they show it to a client, the client asks, 'What else goes with this?' If you don't have an answer, you’re leaving money on the table. In the world of Surface Pattern Design, we don't just sell 'prints'; we sell stories. And a story needs more than one character. To build a...