New Year - New Trends - New Routines
Happy New Year! Well, happy surviving the first month of 2025!
Like many others, I spent the days after Christmas jotting down everything I wanted to achieve this year. Whether personal or professional goals, you've probably started 2025 with plans and checklists, eagerly waiting to see your ideas come to life!
At the end of 2023, I decided to take my drawing skills and start making money from them. I was petrified because I had major imposter syndrome. I speak more about this in a future blog post.
After a year of throwing anything that sticks, I finally started to understand what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be in the art world. Along the way, I managed to pick up an amazing accountability buddy! With the extra boost of positivity, it became much easier to lay out an artistic plan for 2025.
Yes! There will be a blog post about this lovely designer named Gemma!
THE 2025 TO-DO LIST
We are now in February, and we are inundated with future plans. These would probably consist of new habits, and new notebooks with checklists. And in these new regimes, you may want to add a couple of the things I discovered just before the new year,
- TREND REPORTS
- WHEELS OF NAMES
- NOTESHELF 3
TREND REPORTS
When I first entered the world of illustration at the end of 2023, I joined Skillshare and Domestika to learn new skills and create work to share on my socials. At that time, I didn’t have a specific “reason” to make art; I simply went with what inspired me each day. However, throughout 2024, I noticed established artists and surface designers discussing trends and themes that are showcased at different times of the year.
With the goal of selling my artwork to companies, I began to pay closer attention to the guides those seasoned designers were offering. These guides essentially outline the themes and prompts that companies looking to buy or license artwork are interested in, as well as when they start searching for them.
I downloaded Mabel Tan’s guide, "Print on Demand: When to Pitch," because I wanted to start creating my art in line with what these companies would be interested in purchasing.
For instance, even though Halloween is at the end of October, the guide suggests beginning to create this style of artwork as early as January and pitching or sharing it in the spring. This timing applies to both illustration and surface pattern design. Even if you aren’t selling your art yet, it’s a great way to prepare work for when you decide to transition from hobby to income.
It was challenging to stay focused last year because I suffered from "Shiny Thing Syndrome." This is when I would see something online that seemed useful for growing my business as an illustrator and surface pattern designer. While some of these resources were free, others came with a cost. Thankfully, I met my accountability buddy in time, preventing me from spending £3,000 on the shiniest thing of all!—A course with a well-known surface pattern designer!
At the end of 2024, I was introduced to various trend reports that discussed the Color of the Year and different styles of patterns and illustrations that would be marketable. Now that I am confident in my decision to pursue selling my artwork, I began to explore these resources.
Here are a few trend reports I will be working from this year:
- Mabel Tan’s 2025 Prompt, Pitch, and Print-on-demand Guide https://jumpshare.com/v/DdaekKohNwwC6qrjQbLa -£0
- Cat Coq Trend Report https://catcoq.com/trends -£0
- Liz Kohler https://thestudiomembership.com (sometimes freebies)
- Spoonflower Competitions https://www.spoonflower.com/design-challenge - (free to enter)
WHEELS OF NAMES
This is an amazing app for people who have a lot of ideas but crash when it's time to pick one.
I need to be a bit disciplined when planning what I need to make for socials, my shop or to pitch to potential licensing/buyout companies. I found this app while searching Google and it has been a dream come true in being more organised!
I have a few “wheels” with different category prompts. for example
One of my wheels is filled with all the trend prompts highlighted in the guides above.
Another wheel is the type of medium I would use, for instance, watercolour, ink or digital. Then I have a wheel for what the end product would be. Wall Art, jigsaws, soft furnishings or fabric.
I find these wheels a great way to focus on one thing at a time. I also find it decreases my burnout phase, which I suffered a lot with last year. The struggle was real and like I have said a few times, having an accountability buddy really helps too.
The wheels can be saved to a Google cloud. I use my Google account and all of the wheels are available for me to use when I need them!
NOTESHELF 3
I love notebooks! I have hundreds of notebooks with ideas that I jot down both for my personal and professional life. I even used to make my own, back when I was doing my crafts business. The use of pen and paper is something that I love, but of late, I downloaded Noteshelf 3. I downloaded it to use my digital planner I purchased from Mabel Tan last year.
Since then, I have used it more to make my own digital planners and notes for times when a pen and paper are not available.
I use mine on my iPad, which I can sync with my iPhone, perfect! Especially when an idea pops into your head and you have no pen. paper or iPad!
THE REST OF THE YEAR AHEAD
Well, January flew by for me. I am not sure if it is because of the buzz of finding these tools or for those who know me personally, the pains of broken down cars and the distraction to the typical 300day long January feel.
As I enter February I am super excited to share my art world with you! 2025 is the year of the snake, but it's also the year of community, growing, and being super successful!
Be sure to come back soon to read more about my art, my life and everything in between!
Until next time!
ps. You can find me on Instagram
@ar8yedz_illustrations
💖Yemi xx