Rachael Taylor: “We have LOVED every minute of Winter School 2019! Myself and the team have been totally floored by the unbelievably high standard of work that has been submitted. We’ve enjoyed the gorgeous eye candy you’ve presented, all jam-packed with breathtaking colour, patterns and textures. It really has been SUCH a pleasure to see all your design work!
We are so very proud to have a global community of extremely passionate students creating world-class design – you are all standing out as major players in the design industry. I personally am so looking forward to seeing where your designs take you. Times like these are so exciting and we are truly honoured to be part of your design journey. Sending out a HUGE thanks and WELL DONE for all the time, love and effort you’ve put into Winter School 2019″.
Rachael xo
Prize Draw Winners!
During Winter School 2019 we held a prize draw to win places on our instant access classes of Modules 1 – 3 of The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design. Entrants were required to simply submit work to the gallery for BOTH creative briefs in their TRACK and subsequently were entered into the prize draw. That was it – it’s not based on favourites or skill – it’s the luck of the draw so everyone had the chance to win!
1) A place on ‘Module 1 – Designing Your Way (Instant Access Class)
Designing your way (Module 1) is an instant-access online course where you will learn everything you need to know to turn basic sketches into elements for pattern design. Find out more about colour and pattern, how to create mood boards and how to create repeat patterns in Adobe Illustrator.
Module 1 is a fantastic introduction to the surface pattern design industry and helps YOU to find your passion, personal style and place within it.
We have welcomed students onto our courses from over 65 countries around the world, and our classrooms are accessible on-line 24/7, so you can join us from any time zone and fit the course into your busy life. Check out our latest research to see how our alumni rate the course, what they got out of it and why you should join us too! Whether you’re just starting out or are looking to refresh your skills, this is the start of a very exciting journey with new friends in preparation for a successful surface pattern career.
The winner is …
Maxine Bryan
* N.B This prize is one place on Module 1 from The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design and is not transferable and there is no cash alternative.
2) A place on ‘Module 2 – Creating your professional identity (Instant Access Class)
‘Creating your professional identity’ (Module 2) is a five week online course where you will learn how to develop your brand image, design advanced technical repeats in Photoshop and Illustrator, put a collection together and start your own label. You will also learn how to understand and predict trends, how to get noticed and get press, and how to protect your work.
We have welcomed students onto our courses from over 65 countries around the world, and our classrooms are accessible on-line 24/7, so you can join us from any time zone and fit the course into your busy life.
Find out more HERE
The winner is …
Vanessa Holliday
* N.B This prize is one place on Module 2 from The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design and is not transferable and there is no cash alternative.
3) A place on ‘Module 3 – Monetising your designs (Instant Access Class)
‘Monetising your designs‘ (Module 3) is a five week online course where you will learn everything you need to know to monetise your designs!
This course includes the nitty gritty of freelancing, licensing, selling outright, manufacturing and more PLUS you’ll get free access to leading trend forecasting site WGSN, live briefs from real companies AND Rachael Taylor’s little black book of industry contacts!
We have welcomed students onto our courses from over 65 countries around the world, and our classrooms are accessible on-line 24/7, so you can join us from any time zone and fit the course into your busy life. Plus, you can access the classroom for up to six months after the course finishes.
Find out more HERE
The winner is …
Moira Swiatkowski
* N.B This prize is one place on Module 3 from The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design and is not transferable and there is no cash alternative.
See your designs come alive in print courtesy of Fashion Formula
We teamed up again in 2019 with Fashion Formula for Winter School. Fashion Formula is a fun and easy-to-use online platform whereby customers can create their own printed fabric, wallpaper, accessories or gift wrap. This is a fantastic opportunity to see your designs in physical form and Fashion Formula can ship to anywhere in the world!
Along side the chance to win a free place on an upcoming module from The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design per track, Winter School participants were offered the chance to see their designs come alive in print courtesy of Fashion Formula. Find out more about Fashion Formula in our past interview here.
Fashion Formula offered 9 prizes in total, 3 for each track of Winter School based on work submitted to the two trend briefs:
- 1st prize: 3 meters of any fabric from their range and 4 sheets of gift wrap (50 x 70 cm each)
- 2nd prize: 1 meter of any fabric from their range and 2 sheets of gift wrap (50 x 70 cm each)
- 3rd prize: 2 Fat quarters of any fabric ( 65 x 48 cm) and 1 Sheet of gift wrap (50 x 70 cm each)
This is such a fantastic opportunity to see your designs in physical form. Fashion Formula were simply WOWED with the standard of entries and have kindly requested a little longer to make their decision. Hopefully we will have the honour of revealing the winners next week as selected by Fashion Formula.
Thank you so much for your patience and the very best of luck to you all!
The wonderful Porter & Brawn, trend and creative consultants were kind enough to provide this year’s Winter School trends.
Keep an eye out for their TOP PATTERN PICKS from Winter School 2019 announced very soon!
Our brand new members’ club offers beautifully presented creative briefs to inspire you and expand your portfolio, fresh and insightful teaching around colour and colour theory, access to the hot trend reports from WGSN, exclusive industry interviews, plus creative support and advice all on a monthly basis!
Not only that, you’ll get access to fantastic resources and tools to help you stay creative and succeed in design. Members will not only receive a wealth of inspiring content but will join our existing and ever-growing community of like-minded creatives who are eager to support one another, network, collaborate, and build friendships. If you want to live as colourfully as you can, then The Colour Gang is for you!
Want to be a part of our next awesome global design event? Join our waiting list to hear when registration opens for our Summer School 2019!
Coming May 2019
Surface Pattern Design and Cushion Making
An interiors masterclass with Rachael Taylor and Simion Hawtin-Smith
If you have a passion for pattern, interiors, and hands-on projects, then you’ll love this innovative creative course! This collaborative online masterclass will firstly guide you in creating your own surface pattern designs, ready for application on fabric and textiles. With your gorgeous custom fabric in hand, you’ll then craft your very own bespoke cushion for your home.
Presented in a fun and flexible format, this new course will be led by two successful creatives: renowned surface pattern designer, stylist and coach Rachael Taylor + vintage chair enthusiast and upholsterer Simion Hawtin-Smith (as seen on BBC’s Money for Nothing)!
Rachael and Simion are both experts and innovators in design, and with their guidance, you’ll not only learn to create gorgeous surface pattern designs – you’ll also understand how they translate onto fabric, and how to use that fabric to create one of the most popular interior accessories: the throw cushion.
This course is creative, technical and hands-on, and is perfect for anyone who has dreamed of seeing their own designs in the home. Not only that – these cushions (which show YOUR designs in a gorgeous 3D format) are a fantastic way to demonstrate the commercial appeal of your work at a trade show or event!
JOIN THE WAITING LIST
To be the first to hear about when this exciting new course will launch and how you can sign up, join our waiting list HERE!
Coming September 2019
Pattern Creation and Chair Upholstery
An interiors masterclass with Rachael Taylor and Simion Hawtin-Smith
If creating a gorgeous bespoke cushion wasn’t enough, we’re also bringing you a brand new pattern + chair upholstery course, too! Soon your home will be filled with beautiful pieces designed and crafted by YOU. Perfect to take to trade shows, markets, or even up on your online shop, these chairs will bring some extra brightness and creative fun to your life.
This is a great course if you’ve ever had an interest in pattern design, working with fabric, and upholstery in general. With two industry professionals guiding you step by step (in a beautifully shot video format) this is a fun and easy way to gain some super valuable and practical design skills.
JOIN THE WAITING LIST
To be the first to hear about when this exciting new course will launch and how you can sign up, join our waiting list HERE!
