Hi, everyone! For those of you who don’t know, name is Bonnie and I author Going Home

to Roost - the blog dedicated to everything handmade and anything homegrown. I also

work as a surface pattern designer, love to cook and am mother hen of the Roost Tribe, a

fun community for creatives! I'm so excited to be talking with you all about the world of

surface pattern design and share with you my story on how I became a designer. As a

completely self taught designer, I'll walk you through every step I took from learning how

to gather inspiration and start sketching to putting together a portfolio and signing a

licensing deal.

The world of surface pattern design is fun, exciting and incredibly inspirational. Just take

a look around where you are right now, how many things can you find that have a design

or pattern on it? Everything from napkins to fabric and stationary to wrapping paper

usually features a pattern, and there's a designer behind each one of them. Why shouldn't

it be you?

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T O B E C O M I N G AS U R F A C E P A T T E R N

D E S I G N E R

Hi, everyone! My name is Bonnie and I author Going Home to Roost - the blog dedicated

to everything handmade and anything homegrown. I also work as a surface pattern de-

signer, love to cook and am mother hen of the Roost Tribe, a fun community for creatives!

I'm so excited to be talking with you all about the world of surface pattern design and

share with you my story. As a completely self taught designer, I'll walk you through every

step I took from learning how to gather inspiration and start sketching to putting togeth-

er a portfolio and signing a licensing deal.

The world of surface pattern design is fun, exciting and incredibly inspirational. Just take

a look around where you are right now, how many things can you find that have a design

or pattern on it? Everything from napkins to fabric and stationary to wrapping paper

usually features a pattern, and there's a designer behind each one of them. Why shouldn't

it be you?

INTRO

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Sometimes it can be overwhelming to think about where to start, but I'll outline the pro-

cess that I took. Everyone's story will be different, and there are several different paths

that someone could take to become a surface pattern designer. One of the easiest ways

would probably be to attend design school, but it's certainly not necessary (I went to

school for business!).

First things first, decide whether it's something you really want to pursue or not. It's not an

easy road and it can take a lot of intensive study at first. It also doesn't necessarily pay

well, especially at first. but, if you're in love with patterns, making things beautiful and

enjoy working with color it can be one of the most rewarding things you ever do!

Not an artist? Who cares! If you like to sketch, doodle or draw that's all that matters. De-

signers come in all shapes and sizes, and some even only work with geometrics and ma-

nipulating shapes on the computer. However if you are a skilled artist or painter, then this

definitely be something you may want to pursue. One of my favorite surface pattern

WHE RE TO BEG I N ?

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is Rachael Taylor. She's a self proclaimed doodler, and has been able to turn her scrib-

bles and quirky doodles into a beautiful (and very successful) business. All you need is a

heart and passion for pattern!

Licensing your designs can be incredibly rewarding. There's nothing like seeing your art-

work on a product for the first time. Working with different companies and industries is also

very educational. Often times, you can license the same pattern as many times as you like

as long as they're each in different industries. That means, you could potentially have the

same design featured on wallpaper, stationary, fabric and more!

First things first, how do you begin? As I mentioned earlier, everyone will have a different

story. This is just mine. Since I didn't have an art degree, I first needed to learn how to

actually design.

I suggest that you first just begin to sketch. Keep a journal with you at all times, and when

inspiration strikes, start drawing. Even if they're just doodles and scribbles, it will give you

something to start with. I also make a habit of keeping my camera (or iPhone) with me,

and take pictures of anything that I find inspirational. Later on, you can sketch off these

photos, pull color stories from them or use them in an inspiration board.

Next, you'll need to invest a little money. The industry standard is Adobe Illustrator. I highly

suggest getting it early on, so you can start designing the right way from the very

beginning.

GETT ING STARTE D

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Most (if not all) companies will require you to actually send them the Illustrator (.AI) file

for a project, so having it is essential.

If you don't know how to use Illustrator already, the next step will be to learn the program.

It's not an easy task, but it IS doable. After all, it's only a computer program, right?! At first,

I was completely lost. I still say it's one of the most difficult things I've learned how to use

but, it's also been the most rewarding, creatively speaking. I decided to sign up for

access to Lynda.com and self study using their courses. I studied pretty intensively (2-3

hours a day) for about 12 months before I made my first pattern. I highly recommend

Lynda.com, but there are other routes you could take as well. Check out your local col-

lege or community college to see if they offer any design courses. You can also check

out numerous books on how to use the program, but I personally needed more interactive

courses.

If you don't have a blog or online presence, now is a great time to start one. If you're

taking time to learn Illustrator, use this time to also build your online audience. Crafty?

Open an Etsy shop. The more built in audience you have when approaching a company

to license your designs, the better.

GETT ING STARTED

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There are also several e-courses and books you can look into along the way that will be

very educational and inspiring. Here's the e-course I took and a few books that I read

during the 12 months I was studying.

Once you're familiar with working in Adobe Illustrator, my advice would be to take several

months and do nothing but create. Fill yourself and your surroundings with inspiration and

make us much artwork and as many patterns as you can. You will ultimately pull from this

first work to build your first portfolio and pitch to your first company, so take plenty of

time to work on it. Practice makes perfect, and I still learn something new just about every

time I make a pattern! You'll also likely become very busy once you begin licensing your

designs, so this early creative time is precious. Most artists make some of there all time

favorite work in this stage. Cherish and nourish it, and do as much of it as you can!

LEARNING

Sometimes it can be overwhelming to think about where to start, but I'll outline the pro-

cess that I took. Everyone's story will be different, and there are several different paths

that someone could take to become a surface pattern designer. One of the easiest ways

would probably be to attend design school, but it's certainly not necessary (I went to

school for business!).

First things first, decide whether it's something you really want to pursue or not. It's not an

easy road and it can take a lot of intensive study at first. It also doesn't necessarily pay

well, especially at first. but, if you're in love with patterns, making things beautiful and

enjoy working with color it can be one of the most rewarding things you ever do!

Not an artist? Who cares! If you like to sketch, doodle or draw that's all that matters. De-

signers come in all shapes and sizes, and some even only work with geometrics and ma-

nipulating shapes on the computer. However if you are a skilled artist or painter, then this

definitely be something you may want to pursue. One of my favorite surface pattern

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- The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design E-Course

- Mastering the Art of Fabric Printing and Design

- Print & Pattern

- A Field Guide to Fabric Design

A note on collections: It's a great idea to work on 10-20 patterns that go well together.

That means they will tell a cohesive story and share a cohesive color story. Every industry

is different, but I usually work with anywhere from 6-20 colors in a single collection. It's

also important to vary the scale within a collection and also add some more simple de-

signs usually called 'blenders' (think stripes and dots). A collection should have large,

medium and small scaled patterns.

A note on colors: It can be hard to put together a cohesive color story, but it's also one

of the most fun parts! I love to pull colors from photos I've taken, which is probably the

way I work most often. The industry also has a standard for using colors called Pantone.

Depending on your industry, Pantone makes color books and color chips for purchase

that make it easy to tell a printer or fabric mill exactly what color you want. They make

different Pantone books for paper, home decor, fashion (and more), so be sure to pur-

chase the one that is closest to the industry you will be working in. Along with the book

will come instructions on how

ARTWORK

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to download the Pantone color libraries in Illustrator, so you know exactly what colors

you're working with on screen.

Once you have several patterns or collections that you're eager to share with the world,

it's time to make a portfolio. There are several different ways to create a portfolio and I

would advise you to be creative and professional. Resist the urge to just send your work

in an email or standard office supply store type portfolio. Personally, I wanted to create a

book of my work that felt incredibly special in the hands of whoever was viewing it. I

wanted it to feel like one the most precious books they had ever held. So, I decided to

make my own book.

I researched my options and decided that I wanted to use the 'drum leaf binding' tech-

nique (this allows the pages to lay flat, which is great for artwork). So, I did a Google

search for book binderies in my area and scheduled to visit one of them to learn how to

create my own book. This means, I printed my own pages at home (I used an Epsom Stylus

1400 and Epsom Premium Presentation Paper) and covered the book myself. It was actu-

ally pretty easy and it was so much fun! Of course, you can come up with you own way

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to showcase your work, but I encourage you to be creative with your marketing and

present a beautiful, professional looking package.

Within my portfolio I included a table of contents, a page about my blog and accom-

plishments (include readership, magazine features, big online mentions, etc), 2 separate

collections both in 2 differe color stories (about 40 patterns total). I also added a few

pages where I applied my artwork onto items to help them see what they would look like

in real life (think iPhone covers, pillows, tea towels, etc) and finished the book with my bio

and contact information.

Now what? Every company that deals with design will most likely have an art director.

Picking up the phone to call was the hardest part, but I just swallowed my nervousness

and dialed the number. I'd ask to speak with their art director and most often got put

right through to them. Sometimes they would pick up, other times I'd leave a voicemail.

Basically, I just introduced myself, told them I was a designer and that I wanted to submit

my artwork to them. Sometimes they'll have submission guidelines, so ask for those as well.

Out of this conversation, you'll want to have made a good connection and gotten the

mailing address of where to send your portfolio.

Next, you'll want to prepare your portfolio for shipping. I liked to wrap mine up with some-

thing pretty and place it in a sturdy mailing box. Also include a personalized note to

whoever you're sending it to, as well as whether or not you'd like it returned to you (I

assume you do!). If you do want it returned, include a self addressed, prepaid padded

envelope in the box to make it easy for them.

NOW WHAT?

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TRADE SHOWS

Now, you wait! It's the hardest part, you'll be rushing to your phone every time it rings! Be

prepared though, some companies take a very long time (I waited 9 months last year on

one!). This means, it might also be a good idea to send out several portfolios at once to

help you get the ball moving.

Another great option is to attend a trade show in the industry of your choice. These are

really unique events in the fact that you'll have nearly every art director you're interested

in under one roof at the same time. If you plan to go to one, start calling art directors

and making appointments to meet with them 2-3 months in advance. This can be incredi-

bly rewarding, when I went to Fall Quilt Market in 2012, I left with a contract! This really is

a fabulous way to connect, meet and greet and get your work seen. Take your portfolio,

several samples of your work (if possible) and something to leave with each of them as

well. I had smaller versions of my portfolio printed (using Peecho via Issuu), wrapped them

up with paper and included a chocolate bar and fabric covered notebook with each. I

then tied them up with ribbon and a twig pencil- they were a HUGE hit!

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TAKE AWAY ACT ION S

TRADE SHOWS

A NOTE ON CONTRACTSNo matter how long this process takes, you will eventually find a company who is eager to

work with you (yeah!). After you celebrate, start going over your contract with a fine

tooth comb. Contracts can be sticky and you want to make sure you know exactly what

you're getting in to. My best advice would be hire a lawyer to go over it with you (some

will do pro bono work for new artists). Once you've agreed on the contract, you're well

on your way to being an accomplished surface pattern designer. Buckle up, because the

sky is the limit!

Ok, so we've covered a ton of information and most likely about 12-18 months worth of

work in a very small amount of time. Don't be overwhelmed though! You have plenty of

time to move slowly and go at your own pace. Though you may have 100 questions right

now, the answers will unfold along the way. All you need to do is just get started!

Here's what I suggest: start doing just one thing every day that moves you toward your

dream. Take a picture, buy a sketchbook, draw a scribble. Spend 15 minutes looking at

courses online. Just put one foot in front of the other, and over time you won't believe how

it adds up!

I'm also providing a few worksheets to go along with this ebook which should help you

get started, stay focused and be inspired.

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TAKE AWAY ACT IONS

A NOTE ON CONTRACTS

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QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I would love to hear from you!

blog: goinghometoroost.com

instagram: @goinghometoroost

facebook: facebook.com/goinghometoroost

twitter: twitter.com/gohometoroost

e-mail: goinghometoroost@gmail.com

esty shop: sweetbonniechristine.etsy.com

STAY IN TOUCH !

JOURNEY TO BECOMING Asurface pat tern des igner

Use this workbook to help guide you through your journey to becoming a surface pattern designer. Follow the outlines, check off your accomplishments and most importantly, stay motivated and inspired.

Buy yourself a few new sketchbooks and some nice drawing pencils or pens.

Make a habit of taking your camera or smartphone with you everywhere you go.

Start noticing the patterns around you.

Start sketching. Aim to draw 1 or 2 things a day. They can be anything!

Take photos. Print them out or organize them on your computer to draw inspiration from.

Research purchasing Adobe Illustrator. Try the 30 day free trial.

Look into some online courses, books or websites that will help you learn the program.

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WHY DO YOU WANT TO BECOME A SURFACEPATT E RN DES IGNE R? HOW MUCH T IME ARE YOU WI LL ING TO INVEST?

GETT I NG STARTE D

THIS WE EK ’S CH ECK L IST

Use this workbook to help guide you through your journey to becoming a surface pattern designer. Follow the outlines, check off your accomplishments and most importantly, stay motivated and inspired.

Buy yourself a few new sketchbooks and some nice drawing pencils or pens.

Make a habit of taking your camera or smartphone with you everywhere you go.

Start noticing the patterns around you.

Start sketching. Aim to draw 1 or 2 things a day. They can be anything!

Take photos. Print them out or organize them on your computer to draw inspiration from.

Research purchasing Adobe Illustrator. Try the 30 day free trial.

Look into some online courses, books or websites that will help you learn the program.

Make sure to include a prepaid self addressed envelope if you’d like it returned to you.

Make your package feel special.

After you know the company has had your work for 10-14 days, feel free to give them a call to follow up with it. Be prepared, you may have to do this several times!

If you know what industry you’d like to be a part of, start researching their trade shows. See if you are able to attend, and if so, make arrangements to do so. Start calling art directors 2-3 months in advance to make appointments during the trade show where you’ll show them your work.

If you’ve been offered a contract, CONGRATULATIONS! Be sure to read it thoroughly and consider hiring a lawyer to go over it with you. Don’t be quick to sign the first thing that comes along. Take your time and make sure you feel like it’s a great fit for you and the company. Have fun!

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

blog: goinghometoroost.cominstagram: @goinghometoroostfacebook: facebook.com/goinghometoroosttwitter: twitter.com/gohometorooste-mail: goinghometoroost@gmail.comesty shop: sweetbonniechristine.etsy.com

STAY IN TOUCH !

SHIP YOUR PORTFOL IO

MAKE FOLLOW UP CALLS

RESE A RCH TRADE SHOWS

SIGNI NG A CONTRACT

I would love to hear from you!

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At this point, you’re probably in the midst of learning how to use Adobe Illustrator. It can be a long and tedious (but exciting!) process. It’s so important to stay focused, motivated and inspired. Here are a few things I like to do in order to do so.

Surround yourself and your workspace with inspiring things. Photos, artwork and a vase of flowers will go a long way!

Stay in as much natural daylight as you can. It will be better for your eyes and provide a breath of fresh air.

Take breaks. Don’t study or stay at the computer for more than about an hour without getting up to stretch and walk around.

Crack the window or open a door- some fresh air will keep you inspired.

Drink some tea or lemonade. Something refreshing while you work.

Stay focused on your own work and your own timeline. Try to not get overwhelmed by what everyone else is doing, and always stay true to your sense of style and design.

When you feel comfortable, start designing as much as you can.

Consider working in groups of patterns or collections.

Research color use and the Pantone color system. Possibly purchase a Pantone Color Book.

Print your patterns out set them somewhere you can look at them. Over the days, you’ll figured out which ones are your favorites and which ones need work.

Begin researching the companies you’re interested in approaching. Look at their past collections and learn as much about them as you can.

Define your target audience and consider ways to market to them.

STAY MOTIVATE D

START MA K ING PATTE RNS AND ARTWORK

RESE A RC H

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QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I would love to hear from you!

blog: goinghometoroost.com

instagram: @goinghometoroost

facebook: facebook.com/goinghometoroost

twitter: twitter.com/gohometoroost

e-mail: goinghometoroost@gmail.com

esty shop: sweetbonniechristine.etsy.com

Decide what kind of portfolio you’d like to make, and gather supplies to do so.

Be sure to include in your portfolio: - Your best work. 20-30 patterns if possible. - A Bio and About Page. - Your Contact Info. - Information about your online accomplishments (Blog, Etsy shop, Etc). - Something Extra to WOW them!

Call the companies you wish to approach and ask for their art director. Introduce yourself and get their shipping address along with any submission guidelines.

BUILD YOUR PORTFOL IO

GAT HE R I NFORMAT ION

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