🎧 Episode Overview

How to Start a Career in Surface Pattern Design Without Feeling Overwhelmed

Hi there! I’m Delores Naskrent, and I want to take a moment to talk honestly about something that can feel both exciting and completely overwhelming: starting a career in surface pattern design. If you’re new to it or even just thinking about it, this post is for you. I’ve learned a lot of lessons—many the hard way—and I hope sharing them can simplify the process for you. Let’s tackle some of the most common worries and roadblocks together.

 

 

Common Struggles When Starting Out

When I was first starting, I faced so many mental blocks that held me back. Here are a few struggles that might feel familiar to you:

• Perfectionism: That idea that everything has to be “perfect” before you even begin? It’s paralyzing. Trust me, done is always better than perfect. Progress is what matters.

• Not Knowing Where to Start: Greeting cards, home goods, stationery—there are so many directions you could go. Without focus, it’s easy to feel stuck and lose months tweaking your portfolio without actually making any moves toward clients.

• Feeling Like There’s No Room for You: The market can seem saturated, but the truth is, there’s always a demand for fresh ideas and unique perspectives. It’s not about competing with everyone; it’s about showing up and finding where your art fits.

• Imposter Syndrome: That nagging feeling of “I’m not good enough” shows up a lot. If this is you, try building momentum with small wins and surround yourself with a supportive group of creatives who get it.

These struggles are super common. I’ve seen them time and again, not just in myself but in the thousands of artists I’ve worked with. Let’s talk about how to move past them.

Simplifying the Design Process

When I first started designing patterns, it all felt so complicated—sketching icons, 

mapping out repeats, spending hours tinkering with tiny details to make everything seamless. It wasn’t until years later that I realized it didn’t need to be so hard!

One thing that made a huge difference for me was using design templates. These have been a total game-changer.

Here’s how they work: instead of spending hours manually creating repeats from scratch, you can drop your artwork into a template and see your pattern come together in real time. Every move you make—every tweak, every adjustment—you can instantly see how it affects the overall design.

This was such a lightbulb moment for me because it saved me so much time and mental energy. Now, I run a Template Club where I share different types of templates, covering everything from simple repeats to complex layouts. Once your repeat is ready, you can export it and you’re good to go! Tools like these let you focus on what really matters: creating.

The Power of Starting Small

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that you don’t have to do everything at once. In fact, trying to design for every single product category—bedding, water bottles, notebooks—led me straight to burnout.

If I could go back, I’d pick one category to focus on for at least six months. It’s not about limiting your creativity but about giving yourself room to master one thing at a time. For example, if greeting cards excite you, start there. They’re small, easy to illustrate, and don’t require creating entire collections. Spend time researching what’s out there, study the trends, and figure out what works with your style.

Once you feel confident in one area, you can naturally expand into others. The key is to start with focus, build your skills, and gain experience instead of trying to do it all at once.

Finding Your Place in the Market

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you think about how many artists are out there. But here’s something most people don’t realize: every single product you see—pillows, greeting cards, gift bags, notebooks—is designed by someone.

There’s room for you. There are always buyers and clients searching for fresh ideas. So don’t let doubts hold you back. Focus on starting, stepping into this huge, wonderful world in a way that fits you.

Community Matters

I also can’t emphasize enough the value of community. Whether it’s joining a group of like-minded designers or hopping on calls with other creatives, having a support network makes a big difference. I host weekly Zoom calls in my community where we chat, share ideas, and cheer each other on. Every person brings something unique to the table. It’s encouraging to see how others approach their work and to learn from those who are doing things differently.

Final Thoughts

If there’s one thing I wish someone had told me in the beginning, it’s this: you belong. Don’t let fear of not being good enough stop you—because your perspective does matter, and the market is always craving fresh ideas.

So take that first step. It doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to happen. Starting is what creates momentum, and from there, it all builds.

If you want to simplify the process or chat more about this journey, feel free to connect with me. Whether it’s following me on Instagram, joining my weekly calls, or checking out my Template Club, I’d love to see what you’re creating.

Thanks for spending this time with me. Remember, every small step adds up. Starting small doesn’t mean staying small, and I can’t wait to see where your creative path takes you!

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Key Takeaways (What Was Mentioned):

• Challenges to Watch Out For:

  • Perfectionism
  • Uncertainty about where to start
  • Fear of competition or thinking there’s “no room”
  • Feeling like you’re not good enough

• Tips for Overcoming These Barriers:

  • Focus on progress over perfection
  • Start with one product category (e.g., greeting cards)
  • Use tools like design templates to save time
  • Look for supportive communities to stay motivated

Let me know if this post inspires you or helps you get started. Keep creating, keep experimenting, and above all, find joy in the process. You’ve got this!

🧰 Resources Mentioned

🎨 The Template Club (Affinity Designer)
Explore my full library of repeat pattern templates designed to simplify your workflow and speed up your process.
→ Join the Template Club

🌿 Want it all? Join the Membership
Get access to every class, tool, and template, including the Template Club, when you join my all-access membership.
→ Explore the Membership

💬 Join Me

Curious about surface design? Come connect with me on Instagram, or join one of my Tuesday Zoom chats inside the community.

🎧 Listen now on your favourite podcast platform — and remember:
 Keep creating, keep juggling, and most importantly, keep finding joy in the process.

TRANSCRIPT:
(Delores Naskrent)

Hey there,
I'm Delores Naskrent, and today I want to sit down to talk simply and honestly about starting a career in surface pattern design. I'm sharing lessons that I've learned the hard way. I want to simplify a process for you that can feel really overwhelming, and hopefully, I'll offer you some tools and motivation to get started. If you're new to the industry or on the fence about diving in, stick around. Let's start with the big hurdles.

I know firsthand how easy it is to feel stuck, especially when faced with perfectionism, uncertainty, and even doubts about your place in a crowded market. Here are some of the common blockers I see (and these are things I've experienced myself):

You know that voice in your head saying, "It has to be perfect before you begin"? It can be so loud that it stops you from starting altogether. I've been there, spending weeks tweaking things when, honestly, done is better than perfect every time. Progress matters more than getting every single little detail right.

Another challenge is not knowing where to start, and that can be really paralyzing. Do I make greeting cards? Do I design for notebooks? Artwork for bedding? Without focus, it really is easy to waste months or even years on your portfolio and your artwork while never actively reaching out to clients.

It's also really easy to think to yourself, This industry is full, and there's no room for me. But I promise you, there is. Every day, buyers are looking for fresh art, unique voices, and new ideas. It's not about competing with everyone—it's about showing up, offering your perspective, and understanding what works for the market.

Feeling like you're not good enough is another major barrier. I've seen that so much, and it's something I want you to write off starting right now. Believing in your potential and your creative perspective is key. If you're feeling like that's not possible—if you're struggling—I suggest you find a supportive community to cheer you on or look for small wins to build momentum. Does all of this sound familiar? I hope this helps you feel less alone in what you're facing. These challenges are part of every creative journey, believe me. I've worked with thousands of artists, and I hear this over and over again. So, let's talk about solutions.

For years, surface pattern design felt overly complicated to me. I would sketch endless icons, map out repeats, and spend hours tinkering with layouts to make them seamless. It took a lot of trial and error before I realized it doesn't have to be this hard. I was doing everything the hard way, and it took years of development for me to figure out ways to make it easier. That’s what led me to creating templates. Honestly, that’s the secret—these templates simplify the process.

I want you to imagine this for a second: You have your individual motifs or icons ready. You’ve painted them, or you’ve drawn them, creating a whole collection. Now, imagine this—you drop those things that you’ve created into a template, and that handles the pattern repeat for you. I know it sounds unbelievable, but you can honestly see your design in real time.

What you’re doing is dropping in those assets and placing them into the repeat. As you move things around and play with the positioning, you see the entire repeat. It’s all there. And every move you make impacts the overall design, which you can see instantly. I’ve spent months creating templates, and I now run a Template Club that has every type of pattern repeat you can imagine. When you’re done, you just export the single repeat, and it’s ready for uploading or whatever you’re planning to use it for.

Tools like this can save you so much time—and that extra time can now be spent creating more designs or pitching your work. If that sounds like something you’d love, I’d be thrilled to have you check it out. There’s a link in the notes below where you can explore all the templates and see how they save you time.

Now, one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned (the hard way) is this: You don’t have to do everything all at once. I spent years researching way too many product categories, thinking I needed designs that worked for every surface imaginable—like bedding, water bottles, notebooks, and greeting cards. Spoiler alert: that approach led me straight to burnout.

If I could go back, I’d pick just one category to start with and focus all my energy there for six months (or another set period of time). Narrowing down doesn’t limit your creativity—it just means giving yourself space to master one thing before branching out to another. For example, if greeting cards feel exciting, start there. It’s a great first step. I’ve created tons of greeting cards, and that’s why I host greeting card challenges. They’re small, don’t necessarily have to work as a complete collection, and are easy to create as your first projects.

Whatever you choose, focus on making designs for that category. Spend several months learning all the industry standards for it. Research and analyze what’s popular with your style in mind. Believe me, there are billions of examples out there. While it’s a long game, you will expand. Starting small doesn’t mean staying small. Once you work with clients, earn money, and gain experience, you’ll naturally expand into new categories and bigger challenges as you grow. The beginning is about getting your foot in the door and building momentum so you can layer on new skills and projects over time. Trust me—things will start to add up.

Before we wrap up, I want to share something I wish someone had told me when I was starting: You belong. The market might seem overwhelming or saturated when you’re learning all about it. You’ll probably come across many successful artists, designers, and teachers. But here’s the reality: Every pillow, notebook, coffee mug, and gift bag you see is covered in art. Look around—go shopping. That art was created by someone just like you.

There are brands, buyers, and clients who are actively looking for fresh, heartfelt designs—across every industry. I hope this conversation has helped ease some of the doubts or fears you may have been feeling. I’ve been there too, so I understand. Just remember, starting doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to happen.

If you’re ready to simplify the process, take action, and see your designs in the world, let’s connect! You can follow me on Instagram or join my Zoom calls, where I meet with people in the community every Tuesday night. In our latest meeting, every person had a chance to talk or ask questions, and it’s so inspiring to see people doing different things with their skills. For example, one artist in the group creates collage papers—something I wouldn’t have even thought of!

Remember, every small step you take today is another piece of the puzzle. You’ve got this, and I can’t wait to see what you create. Thanks for hanging out with me. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes, and don’t forget to share this with someone who could use a little inspiration. Until next time, keep creating, keep experimenting, and most importantly, keep finding joy in the process.

T-MORE

Sources:
https://airtable.com/applG6dVpSAVKC8j2/tblEg4x9iWHSoC6Hu/viwrkUBqOG5zM510Y/recXvIWgVCD5FCKN6?blocks=hide

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