The Kids Trends Workshop is geared toward professionals who design for the kids market!
3 weeks online workshop:
- Learn all about the current and emerging trends for the 2019/20 Kids Market.
- Creative techniques for brainstorming.
- Gain insight on how to create cute characters.
- Discover how to design for and approach your dream clients.
- Learn about licensing terms and how to understand contracts.
- Learn how to incorporate hand lettering into your commercial work.
- Create a cohesive body of work for the Kids Market; a clip art set, a pattern collection and a hand lettered collection.
New in the 2018 workshop: Portrait drawing challenge, new tutorials and lectures, interview with Hilli Kushnir.
During week one, you will become acquainted with the most relevant trends for 2019/20. You will spend the week creating graphics for your kid’s collection with a specific age group in mind. Lecture + tutorial by Sabina on creative techniques. Learn about picture book trends! A video case study by Denise Holmes that includes tips on how to draw cute animals for the kids market. Resources: Trends 2019/20 Workbook, creative drawing worksheets, PDF tips by Denise, useful links and recommended readings.
Week 2 is all about focusing on pattern design. You will spend the week creating a collection of patterns informed by trends in the Kids Market. Includes a lecture on best practices for designing unified pattern collections. Tips for approaching dream clients and designing with a specific client in mind. Lecture on licensing basics. Pattern tutorial by Denise. Resources: Dream client spreadsheet, licensing terms guide, and recommended readings. Bonus content: complete the first-week assignment to access bonus content.
The final week is all about typography. We will learn how to mix hand lettering with trends! Fun assignments will sharpen your lettering skills this week and will help you create a relevant collection. We will also provide tips for best lettering practices. Resources: Worksheet, recommended readings, and inspiring lettering artists. Bonus Content: complete assignment 2 and view more bonus content.
Our drawing challenges run in parallel with the workshop and offer industry relevant prompts to inspire and increase your social media exposure. Participation is optional.
The 2018 challenge is all about drawing portraits! Portraits are a big trend in fashion and the kids market. Drawing faces is tricky and we have helpful templates with proportions and illustration styles, as well as an inspiring tutorial by Denise to aid in drawing portraits of famous people. Follow us on Instagram and draw along!
Hilli Kushnir is a designer, Illustrator and caffeine addict residing in NYC. With over fifteen years of experience, visual storytelling is her passion. Clients include: Hallmark, American Greetings, Hachette, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Mudpuppy, Quarto, Cottage Door Press, Design Design, Random House Kids, Papyrus and many more. Hilli shares tips on drawing characters and supercharging your social media. Check her website for more information: hillik.com.
We have an exclusive interview with Sarah Betz of Little Cube, who works with companies like Paperless Post, Cloud9 Fabrics and Plumeti. Her designs have been licensed as wallpapers, home decor, fabric, temporary tattoos, children’s apparel, stationery and greeting cards. Sarah offers valuable tips on how to make it in the kids market. Website: little-cube.com
Flora Waycott is a UK-born designer and illustrator who lives and works in Sydney, Australia. Her designs are inspired by nature, her travels and her home. She is represented by agent Lilla Rogers, and some of her clients include Harper Collins, Flow Magazine, Madison Park Greetings, The Land of Nod, The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), Mollie Makes, Oopsy Daisy, Lilipinso, American Greetings, Papyrus. Flora will share with us some of her tips and impressions of designing for the kids market, finding inspiration and a bit about her creative process. Website: florawaycott.com
Stephanie is an illustrator, designer and teacher based in West Virgina. She works in Photoshop and Illustrator and has developed a style that blends both digital and traditional elements. She enjoys playing around with patterns, textures and brilliant colors. Stephanie is represented by the Bright Agency and her clients include Chronicle Books, Mudpuppy, Up With Paper, Caterpillar Books, Ladybird Books, American Greetings, Papyrus, Noel Tatt, and Highlights. Stephanie shares about her experience designing for the kids market, working with trends, licensing her work and more. Website: stephaniefizercoleman.com
Foundation class, Trends Workshop graduates, or having the following skills:
Hand drawing: self taught beginner, intermediate and advanced students.
Processing graphics: intermediate to advanced. You need to be able to process your drawings. Knowledge of Illustrator is NOT required! You have to know how to create patterns.
Please note, this class does not teach how to create vector hand drawn graphics.
Drawing materials: sketchbook, pencils. Any other materials you are used to create your graphics.
Art Supplies (optional): For our art materials challenge we encourage you to use one or all of the following: color markers, gouache paint, collage, pastels and color pencils. This is an optional challenge in addition to the main workshop.
Hardware: camera or phone to take pictures of your work, scanner (optional), printer. You are NOT required to use drawing tablet!. Webcam and mic are optional in the live sessions.
Software: Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator are recomended, however, if you only use analogous tools only you can still take the workshop.
Other: Good internet connection
Class Starts September 10!
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Q&A
Is this workshop relevant for next year?
The class covers the most relevant trends for 2019/20. You will be able to prepare collections that will be in trend for next year.
Do I need Adobe Illustrator for this class?
No, you can work with any medium and technique you are used to. You can process with Photoshop or paint by hand only. We are not going to focus on vector processing and also the tutors will not answer questions about Adobe Illustrator. This would be out of the scope of the class. If you are interested in hand drawn vector graphics please consider the Foundation Class.
How many hours per week to allocate for this class?
About 10 hours per week. The class is packed with materials and resources so you can spend more time if you like. At the same time the assignments are very focused and on point so you can also learn in a shorter time period.
Do I need a Wacom tablet
No, unless you are used to drawing on one. We are not going to teach how to make digital drawings. Unless you are used to drawing on a tablet please do not buy one for this class!
Can we ask questions in the class? Do we get feedback?
Questions are encouraged! Feedback is not included with the self-paced class.
I can not attend the live sessions. Can I still join?
Yes! you will not be hindered in any way if you are not able to attend the live sessions. You can submit questions in the website forum or chat with the tutor. All learning material – lectures, tutorials, downloads will be available on the website. To complete the class you only need access to the website.
Early Bird
£ Sold Out
≈ $- 120 days of access
- Video lectures & downloads
- Tutor feedback
- 3 live sessions
Sold out
Standard
£ 195
≈ $250- 120 days of access
- Video lectures & downloads
- Tutor feedback
- 3 live sessions
Sold Out!
Kat Uno
“I loved both trends classes! The content is so valuable! My pattern was featured on Print & Pattern! Following that the collection is now licensed by Target and part of their summer apparel for kids”
Website: www.katuno.com
Lizzy Dee
“I’ve found more value in Sabina’s classes than the 4+ years of online illustration classes I’ve taken prior. She teaches how to properly research themes and incorporate them into your work. I worked and watched as my work quickly bloomed into a style I had been trying find for years. I’m more than grateful for Sabina’s teaching style. She sets you up for continued success. A pattern I made from the Kids Trends class was recently licensed for stationary and paper products in Scandinavia! Clients are attracted to the work I’ve made in the classes which has led to other illustration and design work. Design Garden classes have become a part of my illustration routine and I look to them to expand my portfolio every season.”
Website: www.lizzydeestudio.com
Neelam Kaur
“Design Garden Classes had been a great resource for me, from content to the delivery, I found it really engaging and beneficial in my journey of being a designer. It was last year in 2016 that I first enrolled in the Kids Trends Workshop and since then I had created numerous pieces, I improved a lot overall and sold couple of prints created post workshop. However what is most interesting for me to share with you is that now I have an Agent to represent my work (hopefully I would be making a debut at Surtex 2017). Kids Trends Workshop 2016 had not just made me understand trends however made my work commercially viable and I always recommend Design Garden Classes to fellow artists.”
After the workshop:
1. I am shortlisted as Designer for Texitura 57 (2017) and my work is now part of Texitura Box 57.
2. Besides, my work is also featured as Contributing Designer on Emily Kiddy AW 2018|19 KidsWear Trend Publication.
Website: link
MaJo Bautista V
“Trend research takes time, and paying trend sites are expensive as well as trend reports sold separately. I think the selection of kids trends included in the workbook, were amazing. The workbook truly reflected Sabina and Denise’s hard work and experience into putting together their own version of a trend report from their own research. Having that information available not only saves you time, but also makes you feel constantly inspired. Plus, once you are aware of the trends, you start noticing whether they are already in the market, or starting too. It also makes you a bit more sensitive towards new trends that might be emerging. The class is totally worth it just for the workbook itself. If you also count the tips you get from Sabina and Denise, then you are getting a total bargain. Can’t wait to next year’s trend workshop!”
After the workshop:
I used the patterns which I created in the Kids Trends Workshop for my new line of dog accessories MONSHULS. I found that the cute designs are also suitable for pets and fit the taste of my customers.
Website: www.majobv.com
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About the tutors
Denise Holmes
Children's Book Illustrator
Description
Sabina Radeva
Bio
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