Happy May!

What a beautiful time of the year here in the Hunter Valley. The days are warm with clear blue skies and the nights are slowly getting cooler and darker. It's the perfect weather for lunchtime picnics and spending time in the garden! Being able to finish the working day and settle into a slow evening at home as the light fades feels just right to me. This change in the weather reminds me of my childhood - returning home at the end of the day as the light faded. We were so busy having fun and playing together after school that we were unaware of how quickly the temperature dropped. My bare feet were always ice cold when I arrived home for tea. Sweet memories.

On our home front, to my husband's delight, we've recently had a battery installed. He loves all things solar and often bamboozles me with facts and figures I should be taking an interest in, but alas, it's not really my thing. We already had solar panels and they've definitely helped offset the ever increasing cost of electricity here in Australia. I got very good at checking our production before starting the washing machine or using the dishwasher. But as we've just finished a rather hot summer requiring regular use of the air conditioner, I had to agree that the cost wasn't justifiable, especially on the really hot days when I was the only one home. I feel the heat terribly and I don't think that fact is going to change. Our government was offering a generous rebate so it seemed the right time to jump in. One month in, our production is far exceeding our use, and I must admit that knowing we are a little more self sufficient is satisfying. All our facts and figures will really be put to the test next summer!

A Discussion About Online Surface Design Courses

It seems I'm not the only one who is thinking about the vast number of courses that are available online. As I was scrolling through Instagram last month I came across a thought-provoking post on this subject by Shannon McNab, (inspired by a post by @Art.By.Aruba) and it really got me thinking. The comments left by other well-known designers on the subject were also worthy of a read. So when I received an email about a week ago from The Print School (based in Sydney) with the heading "We Need to Talk About Online Design Courses" it immediately caught my attention.

The content was the same as Shannon's post - there's a general feeling among designers that the marketing behind many online courses can be misleading. I know some courses claim it's highly possible that pursuing a career in surface design will provide a good income, and a lifestyle we all aspire to live, in a relatively short time frame. Personally, I've always taken these claims with a grain of salt but for someone new coming into the industry, I can see how it can be very misleading. Even with half a century of life experience behind me, there's a part of me that says if that's possible for someone else, why not for me? And as we all try to realise our dream of creating a reliable income, enrolling in course after course to discover the golden path can seem to be a sensible decision, especially with the effective marketing that comes with it all.

What about someone new to surface design? Navigating their way through all the courses to find their starting point would be no small feat. When I decided I wanted to learn surface design back in 2020 I'd never heard of Illustrator, Photoshop, Fresco or Procreate. My Google search on how to design for fabric led me to two courses - Immersion and Leverage Your Art. I had no idea which one to take. I now know they teach two totally different things, but I didn't then. In those days, you could join Bonnie's Flourish membership before enrolling in Immersion. I'm glad I did because it gave me six months to experience her world, do more research and make sure the course was exactly what I needed before I enrolled and parted with a large amount of money. The invaluable knowledge and deep love I have for surface design is down to completing Immersion and I will be forever grateful I discovered Flourish and enrolled in her course. To me, and being able to look back, it was worth every penny.

And as for us surface designers who have learned the basics and are eager to become better designers, and therefore realise a better income, navigating our way through all the courses that are available to our skill level can be just as tricky. There seems to be a course for every aspect of surface design and the industry. It's a rare occurrence to find an established designer that doesn't host a course! Clever marketing in promoting these courses can be just as appealing, especially when they push the idea that they have found success in the industry and therefore know the path to success - something we are all keen to discover!

I came to the realisation years ago that my main aim of pursuing a career in surface design was joy. If I created any sort of income that was a bonus. But I was determined to give it a red hot go. So if I see a course that I believe offers value, both in developing my technical skills or learning more about the business side of the industry, I consider taking it. But I definitely do my research first! But with so many exciting courses on offer, how can we determine which ones will be of value to us? I think The Print School is right when they offer the following advice:

If you’re weighing up whether to invest in your education, here’s our honest advice: ask who’s teaching it. Ask whether they’re working designers or primarily course creators. Ask what a realistic outcome looks like. Not the best case. The realistic one. Don’t buy into a false dream.

Do you think online course marketing can be misleading? How did you navigate yourself at the beginning of your surface design journey? What do you think about the cost of enrolling in some of these courses? Have you ever felt duped? I'd love to know how you feel about this.

High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard

I've been feeling scattered when faced with working lately so when Bonnie Christine recommended this book I thought I'd give it a go. I'm so glad I did because it's made a big difference to how I approach my work. This book covers six habits that research has found is common to highly successful people - clarity, energy, increasing productivity, raising necessity, developing influence, and demonstrating courage.

It's a full-on read so I'm choosing to read it in chunks, allowing me to digest the information and put into practice all the tips and actions suggested. I'm about half way through and I'm listening to the audiobook as I read the hardcover version alongside. This helps me to stay focused as I read. It's written in a straight-forward, structured way which I love. I can see me referencing back to this book regularly. There's so much to learn and I'm loving it's common-sense approach.

So if you find yourself without a clear direction to move in, amid a never-ending sea of 'to-dos' this book might help you become more clear with your goals, become more purposeful, and navigate your next move.

Lucy Thomasin Morrish

Have you come across the beautiful work of U.K. artist Lucy Thomasin Morrish? I might be late to the party, but as a lover of all things William Morris and medieval design, I was instantly drawn to her work. Her illuminated manuscripts are incredibly intricate and beautiful. She works on calfskin vellum or on gessoed wooden panels with hand-made watercolour pigments ground from minerals and earth or egg tempera. Her work includes traditional gilding techniques using 24-carat gold-leaf detail. There’s such a sense of care in every piece — you can really feel the time and skill behind it.

Lucy is teaching a course in May called "Illuminating William Morris" where she will be taking students step by step through the process of designing, painting and gilding their own William Morris-inspired medieval initial. It's being held via zoom on the 10th, 17th and 24th May between 4-6pm UK time and is suitable for beginners. The sessions are recorded for participants. The cost is £95.

I'm excited to say I've enrolled and am so looking forward to slowing down and learning more about creating in the style of William Morris.

Bärbel's Trailing Floral Pattern Challenge

If you haven't already signed up for Bärbel's annual free trailing floral workshop, beginning on 7th May, here's the link to sign up.

I've participated for the last three years and always love going back to the basics, slowing down, and completing the lessons by applying the new skills and insights I've gained though the past year. I hope to see you there!

Finding Myself In Flow

Recently I've had the privilege of experiencing several periods of being in flow. I think it's a happy result of being a little more focused, approaching my work with more intention and having a purpose, thanks to reading High Performance Habits. As I watched the Sketchbook Revival sessions last week, I was finding the ideas were coming thick and fast. My pencil was just flowing across the page and I filled five pages in my sketchbook in one afternoon and I'm happy to say it continued on the next morning. I was even dreaming at night in ideas and colour combinations! Isn't being in flow just the most magical feeling? It's like a form of meditation and I love when it happens.

I think an added bonus of being in flow, and consequently being more prolific with sketching, is that when I'm not necessarily feeling inspired I can go back to all these sketches and find something to work on. Some days I'm just not in the mood or right frame of mind to think of something new and exciting. Having existing sketches helps with that.

100 day Art Challenge

As you know, I'm participating in the 100 day challenge and I'm absolutely loving it. Although I'm not completing a page everyday, (I accept that the way I choose to work requires more time than 10 minutes), I am creative every day, whether it's in a sketchbook, in Illustrator, or just doodling in the margins. But participating in this challenge has really helped me approach a sketchbook, and my design work, with less overwhelm.

At the beginning of the challenge I was intimidated by having to fill a page. And of course, I wanted it to be perfect. I realised I was approaching my sketching from a 'repeating pattern' point of view, as if I was having to create something that would have to be transformed into a repeating pattern later on. Not so. A lot of what I create has turned out to be stand-alone illustrations. But as the days have passed, my practice has changed, and I am approaching that blank page as an opportunity. I am not figuring out how it will be, I just start making marks and see where it goes. I'm finding it fun!

Part of creating in my sketchbook most days is that I've fallen in love with acrylic markers. The set I originally purchased (ARRTX brand) are fantastic but I was finding that the nibs were a little too thick for some of the delicate illustrations I was drawing. So I ordered a set of 60 thinner JustArt makers that do the job. They're dual tip - the brush tip is great for filling in large areas and the fine nib great for finishing off any tight angles or adding highlights. From the little play I've had I am extremely happy with the colours and how they work with paper. I'm still undecided on the quality of their opacity and their ability to cover over each other.

Have you caught the acrylic marker bug?

The Gift of Structure

One of the Sketchbook Revival presenters shared this bit of wisdom during her presentation. As I'm currently creating and perfecting my own workflow for uploading to POD sites, it really resonated with me.

Have you created any SOP's (standard operating procedures) for the things you do often? They can take the overwhelm out of completing routine tasks, especially if you're like me and prone to forget the steps between times you need to do them.

I'd love to hear any advice or lessons you've learned along your surface design path. We are all looking to achieve the same thing, and supporting each other is the best way we can all reach our goals. Feel free to email me with anything you can suggest. Let's share the knowledge we've gained though our experiences in this beautiful industry!

Until next time,