My 4th year as a surface pattern designer has been a pretty adventurous one. I am having fun! I am not waiting for anyone to invite me or give me a seat at a table. I am testing my own limits and it feels slightly rebellious!
Things have changed a lot having after having a baby almost two years ago. It seems there is little time for anything and sometimes it feels like I am wading through a stream of molasses to even make any progress, but as I said in my first year post, I’m in this for the long haul. At the end of the year, I feel behind but also impressed that I am able to do this at all. That is the beauty of consistency. We can all keep showing up for what we love!
In January 2024, I attended another trade show as a guest with one goal, to find someone who could help me make my headbands a reality. I talked to almost every booth at the trade show–and none could help me, I was even slightly mocked or told to come back when I had more investment funds. I was about to leave the show and upon exiting, someone at a booth started talking to me, I was so tired, I just bluntly asked, can you make a headband? I was thinking the answer would be no but a miracle happened. They said yes! Not only that but they are the same manufacturer of headbands for a major designer! I later had dinner with friend and said that it seemed so surreal, that a big lofty goal, could be within my reach. I said it even seemed too good to be true, and a bit of me was skeptic.
Shortly after, I heard from the manufacturer and I began asking a lot of questions. I liked that they always got back to me within 24 hours. I spent a lot of these early months working on selecting and copyrighting the design for the headband and communicating with the manufacturer to send them my specifications for the headband (I also didn’t have a tech pack, but the manufacturer helped guide me and were willing to work with me. I used Procreate for my design template and sent them my exact specifications/headband dimensions. It was exciting to be this close to a dream.
In August 2024, I received the copyright notice for the headband design and my headband sample both arrived on the same day, a super pinch me moment! It confirmed to me that this is meant to be, despite how slow my progress is, this headband really puts me in the game! I am not only a print designer…I am now a fashion designer too! I have worn my sample nearly every day since the day I received it. Its my tangible reminder to keep going. I no longer feel like this is some lofty goal for tomorrow, its happening now–a big mindset shift! If you need a daily tangible reminder, you may be interested in the headband too or wearing your own product that you designed!
As if this year couldn’t have brought me any closer to my dreams, I received an offer to preview The Pattern Cloud. I was interested but it involved an investment and even with the original offer, I turned it down, I also told them, I think I am a year away from being ready for something like this but I said to let me know about any future offers.
Not long after, they returned with a great offer, so good It seemed like a worse deal to pass it up. I decided instead of investing in another course I’m too busy to take, let me instead use that time and money to try out the pattern cloud. Lets see if I can focus this year on designing more prints and seeing if there can be an audience for them. I’m doing this as a way to see early, is this something I want to do and if it’s not, I will have more prints at the end of the year I can use for other purposes and maybe I will get better at designing by raising the stakes a little because now there’s some financial stake!
So I am a couple months in, I haven’t reached my target yet but I am close to having 15 designs uploaded before I start marketing it. My goal has been to upload one print a week, either repurposed from an older design or a completely new design. This exercise has really stretched me and challenged me more than ever. This is also faster than my output has been with the exception of my first year! I had more time then!!
I think the timing is good to have my designs shared more privately because I was worried about designs being taken using AI. This past year I saw a very similar design of mine used by a prominent brand who I like and it was modified slightly so I can’t say it was from me but it was very close, enough to make you wonder. I would love to have my art used by a big brand and the nice thing with The Pattern Cloud is they have to pay for it either to license or buy out. When I am uploading my design, I am selecting if the design will be sold as a buyout (exclusive) or to license (non-exclusive). I am not sure if I am in love with the idea of a buyout but while I am still learning, I am okay with it. It will help me to understand the market and where my niche should be directed.
Here I am listed as a studio on the pattern cloud!
What do you think of my 4th year progress? Where are you at in 4 years? What is your artistic journey like? Tag me on Instagram @pattern_babe or send me a message! If you don’t mind, check out the headband! Do you love it too? If you know someone that would love this headband, please share it with them! I appreciate your support and encouragement to keep chasing my dreams as a print/pattern and fashion designer!