Winter School is a global online design challenge (that takes place across 4 weeks, January to February) offering a host of exciting things including: briefs inspired by future A/W trend reports from the fabulous trend consultants Porter & Brawn, an amazing chance to get your designs printed onto fabric and gift wrap thanks to Fashion Formula, awesome downloads, fun tasks, lovely prizes, the chance to get published across the Make it in Design community and lots of treats along the way too!

There are three tracks – Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. Please feel free to sign up for one or more options, and use this opportunity to stretch yourself, connect with other designers, experience working to a brief, grow your portfolio and even get your work published!

Each year we partner up with trend leaders to bring you cutting edge trend briefs, designed to help you push your creative boundaries and keep up your design momentum over the winter season. We are thrilled to share that our trends in 2020 will be coming from the fab Porter & Brawn!

Early bird offer NOW ON!

One track now only £18 (price after early bird sale £22)

Two tracks now only £30 (price after early bird sale £38)

All three tracks now only £38 (price after early bird sale £49)

Here’s what you get with Winter School:

Two creative briefs (per track) inspired by real A/W 20/21 trends from Porter & Brawn to help you generate new sketches and simple patterns (one brief in weeks 1 & 3)

Two fun beginner design exercises (per track) to get you out and about and having fun (one exercise in weeks 2 & 4)

A chance to see your work come alive on giftwrap and fabric thanks to Fashion Formula who will select 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize winners per track

Two impressive downloadable high resolution papers/textured backgrounds to use in your projects (per track)

Exclusive downloadable wallpapers for your desktop, phone and iPad!

Chances to win a free place on:

Module 1 of The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design (self paced class) worth £139 – BEGINNER TRACK

Module 2 of The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design (self paced class) worth £189 – INTERMEDIATE TRACK

Module 3 of The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design (self paced class)worth £269 – ADVANCED TRACK

Access to our private Winter School Facebook group where you can connect with other designers participating in this cool event

Chance to get your work published on the Make it in Design website and across our social networks.

Please note: Beginners will be able to tackle the briefs either on the computer (Illustrator/Photoshop) or traditionally off the computer. The intermediate and advanced creative briefs will be aimed at Illustrator/Photoshop users. Please note that no technical guidance is offered during Winter School.

WHAT does a full brief include?

Here’s a peek at the inside the Winter School briefs from 2019 – these briefs include TONS of visual inspiration and creative prompts to help you really dive into the trends and can be up to 10 pages long. We don’t leave you hanging so don’t worry! Complete beginners through to advanced designers take part – it’s all about how you respond to the trend. All briefs come in a beautiful PDF format and are downloadable, printable, and saveable for later use!

How it works:

(1) On Monday January 20, 2020 you will be able to access and download your first creative brief

– If you want to be included in our online public gallery you will need to submit your work by Sunday February 23, 2020

– The galleries will go live on Monday February 24, 2020 and we will share them widely on social media.

(2) On Monday January 27, 2020 you will be able to access and download your first fun challenge

– Share your pictures anytime before Sunday February 02, 2020 in the private Winter School Facebook group and/ or social media. Spot prizes will be awarded!

(3) On Monday February 03, 2020 you will be able to access and download your second creative brief

– If you want to be included in our online public gallery you will need to submit your work by Sunday February 23, 2020

– The galleries will go live on Monday February 24, 2020 and we will share them widely on social media.

(4) On Monday February 10, 2020 you will be able to access and download your second fun challenge

– Share your pictures anytime before Sunday February 16, 2020 in the private Winter School Facebook group and/ or social media. Spot prizes will be awarded!

(5) On Friday February 28, 2020 we will publish a round up on the Make it in Design BLOG with links to all the galleries and an announcement of all of the prize winners.

(6) On Sunday March 29, 2020 all three Winter School classrooms will close.