Hey, First name / friends!

Last week I sat down with Bonnie Christine for an in-depth Q&A where we did a deep dive into the world of surface design and answered all your juicy questions!

 

This Q&A was so fun because we dove into topics and questions that neither of us have answered in past interviews!

 

If you couldn’t join us live, I’m excited to share that there is a replay available! It’s only going to be available for a limited time, so make sure to watch it ASAP so you don’t miss out on these valuable surface design industry insights! (Trust me…you’ll want to take notes!) 

Speaking of Bonnie Christine… Her popular course, Immersion, is open for enrollment for a few more hours. After that, it won’t open again until 2025!

You’ve heard me talk about Immersion over the past week, but today I wanted to another behind-the-scenes look at my own journey and why I think this course is so impactful.

 

When I was studying graphic design and illustration at University, I was on a singular creative career track. I’d work at an agency out of school, get promoted, and eventually become an Art Director. That was the dream! (Or so I thought…)

 

After college, things went according to plan: I got that agency job– the one I’d always dreamed of. Everything seemed to be going just as I’d planned it– I started as an intern, was soon hired into the agency as a designer, and then –the big dream– I was promoted to Art Director!

 

This was everything I’d ever wanted! I should be happy, right? Well… not exactly.

 

Don’t get me wrong– I felt incredibly grateful to be working at my “dream job”. But I just didn’t feel as happy or content as I thought I’d be. To put it simply, I just wasn’t passionate about the way my life was going:

 

I was 27 years old and working and living twenty miles from the home I grew up in in Kansas. I’d always wanted to travel, the two weeks annually I earned for vacations barely scratched the surface of all the places I wanted to visit.

 

I found myself discontent with my job, too– I was bored of designing logos and websites and I started to feel every designer’s nightmare creeping in – creative burnout. I realized in that moment that I’d lost my passion for being an Art Director. 

 

It wasn’t until I stumbled upon the print-on-demand site, Society6, that the surface design wheels started turning. It blew my mind to learn that I could make one piece of artwork and license it on hundreds or thousands of products across the globe without holding any inventory or incurring any costs!

 

This was the catalyst for me leaving my agency job. I knew I was burnt out at work and it wasn’t fair to the team (or myself) to continue struggling along. I decided to leave my agency job and went full-time as a surface designer. To be blunt, I felt absolutely terrified.

 

 

 

 

Turns out, my worries were for naught. I was so happy to have the freedom that comes along with self-employment. I began traveling the world full-time, running my business from my laptop and painting all the cool things I encountered on my travels.

 

Still, so much of my time was consumed with trying to learn how to navigate the surface design world. I was brand new to the industry and desperately wanted to do things right. Stumbling through it on my own was a recipe for making costly mistakes that could have been avoided if I had a little more guidance.

 

This is why I stand behind Immersion and why I’m SO excited to share it with you.

 

This course is what I wish I had when I was navigating the surface design industry on my own. Immersion is a comprehensive eight-week online training program for those who want to learn Adobe Illustrator, the art of surface pattern design, and how to create a sustainable business as a creative entrepreneur.

 

If you’re ready to get structured guidance on how to build a successful career as a surface designer, Immersion just might be the perfect fit for you.

 

In honor of the Surface Design Immersion course, this week’s #CreateWithCatCoq challenge is inspired by one of my most popular surface design portfolio categories - tropical motifs! 

 

When I first started traveling full time in 2015, I was filling my portfolio with lush greenery inspired by my tropical surroundings. 

 

Now, tropical leaves, fruit, and animals have become some of my best sellers. 

 

And the best part? The tropical theme is still on trend in 2024! Especially bright, vibrant, tropical fruits! Your challenge this week is to create a tropical illustration picking a motif of your choice. 

 

Here are some ideas for inspiration to kick you off – palm leaves, monstera plants, papaya fruit, hibiscus flowers, pineapple, flamingos, or bananas! 

 

Share your tropical illustration on Instagram with the hashtag #CreateWithCatCoq, so I can like, comment and share your work. 

 

And if you're looking for inspiration for how tropical designs can work in your art licensing portfolio, here's an example of a new collection I whipped up from my existing tropical illustrations!

I hope you have a great week! Whether you are interested in Immersion or not, make sure to check out the replay of my Q&A with Bonnie Christine before I take it down! There are some serious art licensing value bombs in that interview, and I can’t wait for you to check it out!

Have a fabulous week!

 

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I'm a proud affiliate for Bonnie's programs, which means that if you enroll in one of her paid courses using my link, I earn a commission at no additional cost to you : )