Hey First name / friends!

 

One of the things that holds artists back from making a solid income is not having a plan for their artwork. 

 

They paint what inspires them, but haven't really thought through how that piece might work on a product. 

 

I think there is totally a time and a place for just painting what inspires you, but if you sprinkle in a teeeeeeny bit of strategy on top, you can take a painting from one that might get passed over by art directors to one that flies off the shelf at Target.

 

Today I want to share how to make a simple shift that can make a huge impact in the marketability of your artwork.

 

In this brand new blog post, I wrote about how to find your perfect product fit so that your art has more selling power. Whether you're constantly creating new work or pulling old pieces together into collections to pitch, this post will give you some great strategies to make your work stand out.

In keeping with the theme of product fit, I wanted to make this week’s challenge all about a motif that I’ve personally designed in multiple different styles with different products in mind: tropical palms!

 

Palm motifs are also a classic example of an evergreen trend, meaning they never really go out of style. These kinds of designs are incredibly powerful to have in your portfolio because they can get licensed year after year across a variety of product types.

 

To participate in the #CreateWithCatCoq challenge, simply follow the prompt and post a photo of your work on Instagram with the hashtag #CreateWithCatCoq and tag me @catcoq in the actual photo. Instagram has made it harder to find hashtag posts these days, so tagging me in the photo itself is the best way to make sure I see it.

 

Here are four examples of palms I’ve created that all have very distinct vibes:

My original tropical leaf pattern started as a hand-painted watercolor piece I created in 2016. With its organic botanical forms, this design has been licensed on and off throughout the years by various companies. Last year, it was selected for a fabric line with Cloud9 Fabrics! 👇

 

This second example was a palm pattern that I drew in Procreate for my African Safari collection. I chose a more sophisticated drawing style and moody color palette for this one. (Fun fact: this exact design was picked up for licensing by my partners at Ecell Global just days after I added it to my portfolio!) That’s the power of a versatile motif like tropical palms! They can work across sooooo many different product categories depending on how you style them. 👇

👇 This colorful palm pattern is more versatile. It's got a bold, modern color palette that appeals to a wide range of age groups. It could work well on anything from journal covers, to throw pillows, to party napkins and more! Pretty much anything that needs a cute, colorful pattern.

 

It ended up getting selected for one of my biggest licensing collabs of 2022. Lunch boxes with Sam's Club! (Fun fact: My dad used this as his lunchbox for a while. Just goes to show the mass appeal of this pattern 😉)

 

Lastly, here's a fan palm that I originally painted way back in 2017. It’s one of those designs that continues to get licensed again and again… that's the power of an evergreen trend like tropical palm leaves! They never go out of style, and this one in particular has had major staying power. You can see it here on throw pillows sold through Urban Outfitters. It has that chic, modern vibe that works perfectly for home decor. It's sophisticated without feeling stuffy.

If you want to learn more about designing for products, check out my new blog post to learn more about my process!

Here are a few of the submissions from last week's peach challenge. 

 

If you want to be featured in this newsletter and on my Instagram stories, make sure to use the hashtag #CreateWithCatCoq on Instagram and tag @catcoq in the actual photo you post so I can find your work! 

Have a fabulous week!