Hey First name / friends!

 

We sure are kicking 2026 off with a bang! There were more submissions than ever for the #CreateWithCatCoq Mini Collection Challenge last week! I can't wait to see what you come up with this week.

 

Quick reminder if you haven't heard: For the month of January, I'm running a four-week challenge where you'll create a mini collection with me from start to finish. (Yep, I'm doing the prompts each week, too! 🤗) The theme is 2026 Trends inspired by my 2026 Trend Report. Participate by sharing your work on Instagram with the hashtag #CreateWithCatCoq and tagging @catcoq in the photo you post.

 

Everyone who participates in all four weeks will be entered to win a scholarship to my signature program, The Art of Collections (which opens on February 3rd. Get on the waitlist for extra bonuses, raw and unfiltered business advice in my Art Licensing Insiders email series, and early access to join!)

 

I put all of the mini challenge information together on one page, and you can check it out here. This will be your go-to spot for past prompts and all the juicy resources I'm sharing each week! Make sure to bookmark it and follow along!

Exciting announcement! To wrap up the mini collection challenge, I'll be hosting a free workshop at the end of the month called The 3 Roadblocks Stopping You From Landing Art Licensing Deals—And How To Solve Them. 

 

If art licensing has ever felt confusing, overwhelming, or out of reach, this workshop will clear things up and give you a clear path to follow to build your biz in 2026.

 

During this hour long workshop, you'll learn:

This is the exact framework I used to sell over a million products and get retail placement with brands like Target, Anthropologie, Crayola, and Urban Outfitters. I'm so excited to share it with you!

 

Bonus:
I’ll also be giving away one scholarship to my signature program, The Art of Collections, to one lucky attendee. At the end of the call, I’ll share details about The Art of Collections and what’s coming next, since enrollment officially opens on February 3 for anyone curious about taking the next step.

 

Seats are limited, and you'll need to register in advance to save your spot and secure the replay. It's totally free to attend, but registration is required. Pop your email in below to let me know you're coming! 👇🏼

 

When: Tuesday, February 3rd at 12pm EST
Where: On Zoom - RSVP Here to Get the Link!

The 2026 Trends Mini Collection Challenge Resources

Share all 4 prompts on Instagram by February 2nd at 11:59pm EST to be entered to win a scholarship to my program, The Art of Collections!

Last week, you started your collection off strong with a hero design. This week, your challenge is to design a blender pattern! Bonus challenge: Create it in multiple coordinating colorways to bulk up your mini collection.

 

A blender pattern (also called a simple coordinate, simple pattern, or filler pattern) is exactly what it says on the tin – a simple pattern related to the theme and subject of your collection. 

 

Adding blenders is one of the quickest and easiest ways to make your collection more strategic and enticing for licensing partners. (More on that below!)

 

Here's a little behind-the-scenes of how I designed my blender patterns this week. I used the same medium (Procreate) and the same brush to keep the blender pattern in line with the hero illustration. I also made sure that the style of the two illustrations was similar so that it feels like they go together. 

 

I drew my blender pattern with the same Procreate brush as my hero (a custom brush I created!) and I gave it wobbly edges to complement the wobbly edges and imperfections in the hero. I went with a gridded style for the blender to juxtapose the fluid forms in the hero. I always like for my designs to complement each other without being too matchy-matchy. Plus, checkered-style patterns are really hot right now, and this felt like a fresh take on that trend. So it's a win-win!

 

I ended up making my blender in two different colorways, and I'd encourage you to do the same! 

Want to display you mini collection like this? Download my tear sheet template here!

This week, I've got three fantastic resources for you. First and foremost, here's a super helpful blog post I wrote about blender patterns to help you understand how to make them and the strategy behind it. 

Next, check out this mini collection blog post and steal my exact strategy for designing mini collections!

And last but not least, the free tear sheet template! This is the exact template I'm working off of as I design my collection along with you. You can download the tear sheet below 👇🏼

Here are some of the incredible hero design submissions from last week. Don’t forget to share your blender patterns on Instagram with the hashtag #CreateWithCatCoq  and tag me @catcoq in the actual photo of your art for a chance to be featured in this newsletter and on my Instagram Stories.

I can't wait to watch your collections come to life!