We are so proud of our wonderful Make Art That Sells alumni and are pleased to showcase a 4 part series of gorgeous work that was produced in our first session of Creating Collections for Home Décor
Here is part 3.
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Mitzie Testani
Home décor for sustainably-made wood products. Wood is my absolute favorite element for home décor. It’s natural, warm, rustic, textured and comforting. This is my favorite image because it’s the last project in the course and I felt like I put all of the lessons I had learned together in this collection.
For me, it was the start of a beautiful alphabet series, which I would like to produce as double-sided ornaments on recycled stock or as coasters on pressed recycled wood pulp. I could envision someone buying only one or two letters (as their initials or to make a special word as a gift.) I could also picture these reproduced as round memory cards for a child.
How did the Home Décor class help you grow?
I really ramped up my pace for producing in this course and it gave me so much confidence because I met every deadline—early, even though it was a shorter time-frame. It also strengthened my process.
What did you discover about yourself?
My style is all about the drawing. Early on, I relied heavily on effects, collage and (although I love it) Photoshop. I feel like my work became more pure when I started to use my own drawing to create the collage and texture, which is what this week emphasized. It sort of made me come full circle in my image-making. I also realized how powerful icons can be—even for home décor. The more you make at the beginning of the project, the more quickly the work flows and the richer it can be.
How would you describe the course to a friend?
It was eye opening to see how I could push and stretch myself. I would highly recommend it for any illustrator who wants to grow and/or stay motivated with self-initiated work—especially if you love home décor. You are provided with so many resources, from buyers and experienced artists. I loved it so much that I have signed up for the next course!
See more of Mitzie’s work here: Website
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Lori Walters Art
I really enjoyed coming up with these products, as ceramics are a very fun and important part of my everyday life.
How did the Home Décor class help you grow?
Although I have been studying cultures and materials and making one-of-a-kind handmade items for years, this class grew my knowledge regarding the many materials and processes of making in the world. (thanks Margo!)
What did you discover about yourself?
Through this class, I discovered even more that I can persevere through self-doubting and hard and difficult times…and that I can continue to be authentic and true to myself.
How would you describe the course to a friend?
I would describe this course to a friend in this way: a thorough, informative and fun course to learn everything about the home decor market…one that will grow your knowledge and stretch your artistic and emotional muscles in great ways!
See more of Lori’s work here: Website | Facebook | Instagram
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Lucinda Kidney
These are a few of my favourite items from the MATS Home Decor course. I’ve chosen to feature a tiered glass cupcake stand with my art printed under glass; a coloured glass pitcher with embossed butterfly detail and a shaped, printed fabric cat cushion featuring hand embroidered flowers and embellishments. I’ve chosen these products because it was during this process that I rediscovered my love for hand lettering. I also love to draw by hand using either a Pentel brush pen or dip pen and ink. I scan my drawings and convert them to vector using Adobe Illustrator.
How did the Home Decor course help you grow?
The Home Decor course helped me to organise and prioritise my work flow in order to work smarter. I was challenged to push through artistic block, dig deeper and move out of my comfort zone. I feel that the course has enabled me to take my art to the next level. Now, when I get a design/illustration brief I am far more aware of all the possibilities open to me and take that information and knowledge into account throughout my design and illustration process. The course has also taught me how to create and present ready-to-sell product collections as a professional pitch.
What did you discover about yourself?
During this course I discovered that, although I already had most of the knowledge within me from my years of being a Graphic Design professional, I had lacked the confidence to move forward. Lilla and Margo have such a unique way of helping you tap into your own abilities and existing skills urging you to believe in yourself…. it’s like they’re cheering you on from the sidelines… I found my cheerleaders helped to bring the best out of me enabling my confidence to grow enormously and I was pleasantly surprised to discover my style developing.
How would you describe this course to a friend?
If you dream of seeing your artwork brought to life on actual products this course will provide you with an understanding of the materials used to manufacture products. It’s an intense five week course and each week focuses on a material e.g. glass, fabric, metal, wood and ceramics. A choice of mood boards is provided and using your chosen moodboard you will develop a range of products for that particular week’s material e.g. metal. Lilla and Margo have a wealth of knowledge which they so generously share.
See more of Lucinda’s work here: Website | Instagram
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Christine Anderson
I really think this was my strongest week and final products because I did what was most natural to me. I went back to the proverbial drawing board and did what I felt to be the strongest representation of my style, in keeping with the mood board provided for imagery and colors. I showed my joy, my love of detail and texture. I also added in the weeks mini of mark making , which I am continuing to add to my work now. I love the juxtaposition between the tight rendering and the looseness of the marks elsewhere on the piece.
How did the Home Decor course help you grow?
The class has helped me grow by changing the thought process to which I approach a project. I think first about application now and if it would be appropriate for the market I am aiming for.
What did you discover about yourself?
I discovered by all the positive response that I received that people actually like my work and style! LOL. I am new to surface pattern design and was very unsure of how my work would be received. It is very different from a lot of the work out there and that has proven to be a good thing.
How would you describe this course to a friend?
I would describe this class to a friend by saying the pace is intense and you will amaze yourself at what you can actually produce with such time constraints. The people you meet in this class will become great friends and immeasurable support going forward in this field. The knowledge that you gain from not only the class materials but from the other artists is great. I highly recommend it if you are interested in designing for the home décor market and are able to fully commit to the process :)
See more of Christine’s work here: Website
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Daniela Glassop
This is my favourite collection from the five weeks of the Home Decor course as it combines my favourite pieces from the collections that I had created during the course. It contains a metal tray, a ceramic jug that doubles as a vase, a light fitting that is made from metal with hanging coloured glass pendants, that had been based on a bird cage; a wooden coat stand that is topped with a colourful bird, some wall art that is mounted on wood, and a fabric covered ottoman and chair that are decorated with my textile designs. The collection was based on plants, butterflies and birds from a garden, hence the name of the collection being ”Le Jardin”.
How did the Home Decor course help you grow?
I have always had an interest in designing products and applying my pattern and illustration to three dimensional surfaces. The Home Decor class made me aware of the many possibilities there were for each of the substrates that had been focused on and how to best design for these substrates so that they could easily be manufactured.
What did you discover about yourself?
The course helped to to see that I was capable of designing for more than just design for print and fabric, and that I could really let my head go and design many different products.
How would you describe this course to a friend?
When describing the course, I would say that it was different to the other Make Art That Sells courses in it’s structure but very satisfying as you just want to see how many amazing designs for products that you are able to create. The course material was comprehensive and Lilla and Margo were very supportive with their hints and tips. The Home Decor course is a lot of work but this is because you just want to push yourself to see what is possible.
See more of Daniela’s work here: Website | Facebook | Instagram
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Want a piece of the $60 Billion Home Decor industry?
What is home décor? It’s all the gorgeous and/or functional items in your house. It’s a booming market that needs tons of art, with over $60 billion in annual sales. Its massive growth is due in part to the popularity of home design TV shows, Pinterest, and Instagram, and stylish online retailers like One Kings Lane and Dot&Bo.
Art directors NEED your great art!
Our next live e-course, Make Art That Sells: Creating Collections for Home Décor starts January 25th and teaches you everything you need to know to create killer presentations with your art. Registration is open and we look forward to seeing your gorgeous designs.