surface design classes

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Pitch Your Portfolio

In this in-depth course, I'll show you how to find, connect with, and pitch your art to companies so you can finally get the art licensing ball rolling!

If you want to get consistent (or your first) art licensing deals.

Artful Pricing & Negotiation

I'll teach you my tried-and-tested pricing method for licensing & freelance, plus how to negotiate contracts.

If you're already having conversations with companies

I've also got some bite-sized offerings if that's more your speed.

hand lettering for surface designers

sketching for surface designers

Portfolio Masterclass

practical pricing w/ jennifer nelson

Portfolio Sheet Templates

Borrow the sheets I use for my own portfolio with this 20-page template suite. Provided in BOTH portrait and landscape in three formats: Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.

SNAG THIS EASY-TO-USE RESOURCE

Lots of surface designers struggle to get traction because they’re not sure what to spend time on. Instagram? Adding more art to their portfolio? Uploading designs to Spoonflower? Spending lots of time and money at trade shows?

Look, I’ve done it all.

And what I discovered was that the key to success is to stop hoping and start taking control of your career. This means pitching your work and negotiating better deals. All my classes are hyper-focused on helping artists do exactly that.

I’m not promising to teach you everything about surface design….
but everything I teach you will be actionable and bankable.

i seriously love my students!

and I’ve had the pleasure of teaching thousands of 'Em!

I have received numerous licensing contracts since Pitch Your Portfolio and found out a few days ago my dream of getting into Hawthorne Fabrics has come true! Your PDF layouts, advice, and Airtable all made it happen for me. So thank you!

"Your classes have been the jumpstart of my career."

- Mandy Corcoran

I was having a difficult time with how I thought my portfolio should look. After your Masterclass, I feel reassured that my art style is still evolving and that is ok. Honestly, it's one of the best classes I've taken and I've been taking a lot lately.

"Now I feel confident about how I want my portfolio to look!"

- Jessica Bryan

As someone who is getting into the freelance side of this industry much later in life than many, I have gained the most benefit from all of your well-thought-out, informative classes that actually give real answers and roadmaps to getting things accomplished.

"You share so much of your expertise and knowledge."

- Diane Labombarbe

After taking the course last year, I am so grateful to have signed four contracts, my first ever as a surface designer… I really feel that your course has given me everything I need to prepare for these moments and to enter negotiations from a place of confidence.

- Kate Lower

"Artful Pricing & Negotiation has changed my career."

You gave me such valuable feedback. I'm super motivated and excited about focusing more on licensing my watercolor artwork – I think you did sort of give me the permission slip I was looking for!

"I’m really grateful for your time and generosity."

- Cheryl McCaffrey

One of my biggest dreams was to obtain a contract with a fabric manufacturer and I'm thrilled to say that after consecutive pitching and building relationships, I was able to secure a fabric deal for one of my latest collections. Shannon is such an excellent teacher, who really cares about her students.

"You gave me the confidence to pitch my work to art directors."

- Jennifer Labre

It’s not preachy or overly optimistic where you feel encouraged by still get lost… I started sending out my portfolio to clients and within a month got 2 licensing contracts and 4 inquiries. I know I wouldn’t have had the confidence to start thinking on business terms if not for you.