Allow me to bust a surface design myth for you...
Hey friends,
There is a common misconception in the design world that concerns me and it’s that companies only accept vector files. Allow me to bust this myth for you. This simply is not true. You do not have to master Adobe Illustrator in order to become a professional surface designer. It is an incredible tool to have in your toolbox 🧰 that can open up a wide range of career opportunities, and I, personally, way prefer creating repeat patterns in Illustrator over Photoshop and Procreate.
For many years, I worked exclusively in Photoshop and raster-based programs (a.k.a. pixel-based). Then I learned Illustrator, fell in love with it, and spent about three years developing a vector style that actually felt like me. (It doesn't have to take that long for everyone; I just wasn’t focusing on it consistently at the time!)
And look..the learning curve is so real, my friends. Converting traditional elements to vector requires practice, experimentation, and it's totally dependent on your personal style. And if you're in that messy middle of figuring it out, my advice is not to give up! There was a long period of time where I really didn't think I'd ever feel confident creating vector art, but I got there!
Vectors are awesome! 🤓 But you have options. I really like how professional illustrator Sarah Watts put it in her recent ‘Pattern + Process’ Substack newsletter:
“The whole point of being an artist is to express your vision, and there are many programs to choose from that fit your vision best.”
Read the rest of Sarah’s thoughts on this HERE (scroll down to the “Spill the Ink” section of her newsletter).
This may seem counterintuitive to me promoting Bonnie Chrstone’s Immersion Course (as I have every spring since 2020), a course on mastering Adobe Illustrator, but it’s important to me (and all of Team BC) that you have all of the information you need in order to make an informed decision, especially when it comes to such a big investment.
While I do believe in this course and am proud to be an affiliate partner**, I also think that it’s important to only invest in the things that you, personally, feel really good and excited about and that you feel you can invest in smartly. If it doesn’t feel right for you, it's not the end of the world and it doesn’t mean you have zero options.
What you can do is you can focus on your artwork, because ultimately the most important thing for any artistic career is to improve your skills through tons of practice and creating.🎨✨
It can be really hard to know who to trust online. I totally get that. I've taken a course in the past where I ended up feeling like it wasn’t really worth what I spent on it. It’s not something that makes me angry, but it is still something that I feel didn’t benefit me all that much, so a part of me wishes that I had taken a step back and not rushed into it.
I’m on Team BC’s support team for the fifth year running! 💖
Just to be clear, I don’t feel that way about Bonnie’s course at all. I do think it is very much worth it or I wouldn’t be promoting it or working for Bonnie, and if you do want to learn Adobe Illustrator for surface design, Immersion is, hands down, the best of the best! If you feel excited about it (or any other course on your radar for that matter), then please, by all means, go for it! 🙌🏻
I love and respect online learning. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it is so much more affordable than traditional schooling (at least here in the U.S.), which I really appreciate. Online learning, and the Immersion course in particular, made things a LOT easier for me, but do what's right for you!
So go forth, my friends, and do your research! 🤓 Or ask me! I’m happy to answer any questions you may have!
Thank you for reading. I appreciate all of you, whether you decide to join me in this course or not.💖
Love,
**As an affiliate partner, if you click on one of my links and then decide to enroll in Bonnie's Immersion course, I receive a commission for that sale (at no cost to you).
