Design and Shine

By Rachelle Holowko

What's Design and Shine about?

Design and Shine will bring you conversations about the creative design process, being a successful creative entrepreneur, stepping into the mindset of a successful designer and all things pattern design.

Hosted by Rachelle Holowko who is a surface pattern designer, artist, educator and leader of a beautiful global community of designers and creatives.

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Design and Shine episodes:

12.25.2023
End of The Year Reflections
As 2023 comes to a close, I reflect back on the huge changes that I made in my business this year in this final podcast episode before I take an extended summer break at the beach with my family and...
12.12.2023
Surviving To Thriving As An Independent Creative
When I left full-time employment as a surface pattern designer, I could not understand why I found it so incredibly difficult to design with the same confidence and ease as I did for my clients... Despite years of design experience and confidence working...
11.28.2023
How Your Hidden Limiting Beliefs May Be Sabotaging Your Creative Success
Recently, my family and I invited a new member into the family - a PUPPY!!! His name is Juno. And while it's been a LOT of fun these last few weeks getting to know him, it hasn't been as much fun training him not to wee...
11.14.2023
How Nurturing Self-Compassion Inspires Creativity
While our creativity is a beautiful expression of our own personal unique gifts and ideas, it can also carry with it a lot of things that can end up hindering our progress... Things like criticism, self-doubt, and perfectionism. So in...
10.30.2023
Staying Persistent Despite Failure And Rejection
If you love what you're creating but you're facing a lot of failures, rejections, resistance, and you're hearing ''no thank-you'' so often, you may start to wonder how you're going to keep going... How are you going to stay persistent if you're...
10.16.2023
How Gratitude Can Help You Thrive As A Creative
I believe many creatives underestimate how helpful gratitude can be toward helping them reach success... It's a simple mindset shift that can make a BIG difference - if you know how to use it in how you approach your creative...
09.19.2023
The 3 Different Learning Styles
Are you a Visual, Auditory, or Kinesthetic learner? Not sure what those are? Listen to this episode of The Design & Shine podcast to find out! I dive into what these 3 different learning styles mean and share how to...
09.19.2023
How Understanding Your Subconscious Mind Can Help You Become a Successful Creative
I used to struggle to show up online in the way that I knew I needed to for my business... I consciously knew I needed to create videos, take selfies, and be visible to my audience... But subconsciously, the idea of showing...
09.05.2023
What To Do If You Worry Your Creative Work Isn't Unique Enough
Do you worry that your creative work is just not all that unique? And do you worry that it'll never stand out and allow you to have the thriving creative career that you dream about?
08.22.2023
The Importance of Embracing Imperfection
Are you putting a lot of pressure on yourself to make things PERFECT? Many creatives I know get stuck on trying to make even the smallest design details perfect. It slows down their progress as a creative designer and as...
08.07.2023
How to Overcome Procrastination
In this episode, we unravel what procrastination really is, revealing its surprising connection to fear. I'll explain how procrastination might be rooted in your apprehensions about failure, judgment, or even success. I share practical strategies to conquer procrastination: break tasks...
07.24.2023
Compassion and Resilience
If you'd like to unlock your true creative potential and build a thriving creative business, you may be surprised to learn just how important it is to develop compassion and resilience. As creatives, we're often quite sensitive people, so expressing...
07.10.2023
Why It's Not Enough To Just Know Your Limiting Beliefs
If you want true and lasting change in your life, it's not enough just to know what your limiting beliefs are... You also need to how to change them so that you make the changes in your life that you...
06.26.2023
How To Get Into Creative Flow When You're Feeling Uninspired
Recently a student of mine came to me and said she was feeling uninspired and having a hard time knowing how to get started designing. It wasn't that she didn't want to do the work, but that when she sat...
06.12.2023
The Amazing Advantages of Being In a Creative Flow State
Imagine if you could STOP overthinking your creative design work... No more being critical of your work... No more stopping and starting over... Just intuitive creativity that makes time feel like it has stopped and your artistic output flow... Sounds...
05.29.2023
Life-Changing Beliefs Successful Designers Have - And How To Learn Them!
There's a specific difference in thinking between surface pattern designers who get stuck and those who thrive... One way of thinking will keep you playing small, while the other will help you to grow as an artist, elevate your design process,...
05.16.2023
How to Charge What Your Worth as a Surface Pattern Designer
If you struggle with pricing your surface pattern design work you are not alone! It can be one of the hardest things to do when you are just getting started as a surface pattern designer, which is why pricing is...
05.01.2023
Is The Surface Pattern Design Market Oversaturated?
Are you worried that the surface pattern design market may be too oversaturated? This is a common concern that many of my surface pattern design students have, so I've shared my thoughts about it on this episode of The Design...
04.17.2023
Creating a Surface Pattern Design Business With Your Own Rules
No matter what kind of creative business owner you are, whether you are a surface pattern design business owner or not, you're often told there are certain ways you need to do things... And though you want to be successful...
08.02.2022
Social Media Captions For Pattern Designers
In this episode of the Design and Shine podcast, I welcome back Christine Rice, who is a social media manager for online businesses and she also runs a fantastic small Facebook group called marketing for creative and unconventional women. Christine...
07.19.2022
The importance of an email list for surface pattern designers
In this episode of Design and Shine, we are going to be talking about something that is important to think about doing as you’re growing your surface pattern design business and that is creating an email list. Learn what...
07.05.2022
Questions to ask yourself if your pattern designs aren't selling
On this episode of the Design and Shine podcast, we are going to be talking about some things to think about if you are not selling your designs. So if you’ve been working hard, you’ve been creating lots of designs...
06.21.2022
How to use Instagram for surface pattern designers
In this episode of the Design and Shine podcast, I talk to Christine Rice, who is a social media manager for online businesses and she also runs a fantastic small Facebook group called marketing for creative and unconventional women. Christine...
06.07.2022
Creating work life balance for surface pattern designers
In this episode of Design and Shine, we are going to talk about something a little different and that is trying to create work-life balance. Something I get asked a lot is how I manage to juggle work with family...
05.24.2022
Setting Goals for Surface Pattern Designers
In this episode of Design and Shine, we talk about setting goals because it’s a really great way of keeping you on track and moving forwards so you achieve the results you want. We'll look at setting goals in 2...
05.10.2022
Working as a surface pattern designer
In this episode of the Design and Shine podcast, I talk to Australian textile designer and Illustrator Brook Gossen. And she creates really beautiful and colourful artwork and has a really fun and gorgeous brand. Brook didn't start her career...
04.26.2022
Developing your critical design eye
If you want to be a successful designer then one of the most important skills you need to develop is your critical design eye. In this podcast episode, we talk about your critical design eye, why it's so important and...
04.12.2022
Social Media Strategies
In this episode of the Design and Shine podcast, I talk to Christine Rice, who is a social media manager for online businesses and she also runs a fantastic small Facebook group called marketing for creative and unconventional women. Christine...
03.29.2022
Investing in your surface pattern design business
In this podcast episode, I talk about investing in your surface pattern design business. I know it can be challenging for some people so we talk about why it's important, when you should invest and why should invest.
03.15.2022
Creating Pattern Designs with Purpose
In this episode of the Design and Shine podcast, I’m going to be talking to textile designer and creative director Penny Gale who is the founder of Fabriculture, a new, contemporary design brand with the purpose of helping young people...
03.01.2022
Marketing Strategies for Surface Artists
In this podcast episode, I have the pleasure of speaking to Nerida Hansen about marketing strategies for surface artists. Nerida Hansen is the founder and creative director of Nerida Hansen Fabrics. Through her business, she supports and collaborates with independent...
02.15.2022
Simplifying Marketing For Pattern Designers
Do you feel overhelmed by marketing? In this episode of the Design and Shine Podcast, I talk about simplifying marketing for pattern designers. If you're starting out it can be hard hearing about all of the things that you should...
02.01.2022
Create Your Daily Art Practice
If you are wanting to start achieving your pattern design goals then it's really important to set some habits in place and start creating your daily art practice. If you want to be a successful designer and you want to...
09.14.2021
Finding your unique art style
In this episode of Design and Shine, I talk to artist and surface pattern designer Lauren Lesley about finding your unique art style. We cover when you do and don't need to worry about when developing your own style, the...
08.31.2021
My favourite pattern design tools
In this episode, I share some of my favourite tech tools that I use regularly within my surface pattern design business. You can download my Pattern Design Secrets eBook here
08.24.2021
Are these fears or negative beliefs stopping you from being successful?
If you want to be a successful designer then you need to start stepping up and doing the actions that a successful designer would do, starting with your thoughts and beliefs. In this episode, we are going to talk about...
08.10.2021
Fitting in time for designing
If you are wanting to create a successful design business you need to allocate time to business tasks but what happens when those business tasks take over and you no longer feel you have time for the design tasks? In...
08.03.2021
Getting started in surface pattern design with Sheree Coleman
In this podcast episode, I talk to surface pattern designer and illustrator Sheree Coleman. She shares with us how she is transitioning away from full-time work to building her brand Whimsy Kaleidoscope. We discuss how she got started, what led...
07.27.2021
Tips for creating your pattern design portfolio
If you are starting to get your surface pattern design portfolio ready to send to clients and you're not sure what to or what not to include then this podcast episode is for you. I'll be talking through some tips...
07.20.2021
The importance of branding in your design business
It's really important if you want to step up and stand out as a designer that you consider branding within your business. Branding includes the assets you use e.g. fonts, colours and logos etc. but it goes far beyond that....
07.13.2021
The importance of allocating time for business tasks in your surface pattern design business
If you are a surface pattern designer who is wanting to get to the next level and move away from being a hobbyist to a successful designer who is selling their designs consistently with a regular income then you need...
07.06.2021
Licensing, freelancing and running a design practice
In this podcast episode, I interview Elizabeth Silver. Elizabeth Silver is a surface pattern designer who has been working in industry both in full-time roles as well as in her studio practice where she freelances and licenses her work. We...
06.29.2021
Where should I create my website?
Are you ready to start promoting your portfolio but are not sure which website platform would suit you best? In this episode, we talk about a few different options and the pros and cons of each.
06.22.2021
Are you making these common pattern design mistakes?
If you've created a pattern design and can see that it's not quite working but are not sure why then you may be making one of these mistakes. In this episode, I share 5 of the biggest mistakes I see...
06.15.2021
Is a design agent right for you?
If you're a surface pattern designer you may be thinking about getting an agent to represent you. In this episode, we talk about the pros and cons of having an agent.
06.08.2021
Selling your designs
There are lots of different options for you to sell your surface pattern designs. In this episode, I give you an overview of some of the popular ways that you can start selling your designs including licensing, freelancing and passive...
06.01.2021
Getting into the mindset of a successful designer
You may be creating the most beautiful, successful designs in your own unique style but that doesn't mean you will successfully sell your designs. In this episode, we look at mindset and identity and why it's so important in you...
05.25.2021
Creating pattern design collections
Part of your role as a surface pattern designer is creating pattern design collections. In this episode we look at what a collection is and some tips to get you started creating one.
05.18.2021
Tips for creating successful colour palettes
Colour is such an important element within a design and can often be the reason a design is successful or not. People are often drawn to a design because of its use of colour so it's important as a surface...
05.11.2021
Why design development is important for your pattern designs
A really important step in the design process is the design development phase. This is the phase where you're going to explore and develop lots of different potential ideas that you can use within your pattern designs. In this episode,...

What's Design and Shine about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Design and Shine episodes:

End of The Year Reflections

Surviving To Thriving As An Independent Creative

How Your Hidden Limiting Beliefs May Be Sabotaging Your Creative Success

How Nurturing Self-Compassion Inspires Creativity

Staying Persistent Despite Failure And Rejection

How Gratitude Can Help You Thrive As A Creative

The 3 Different Learning Styles

How Understanding Your Subconscious Mind Can Help You Become a Successful Creative

What To Do If You Worry Your Creative Work Isn't Unique Enough

The Importance of Embracing Imperfection

How to Overcome Procrastination

Compassion and Resilience

Why It's Not Enough To Just Know Your Limiting Beliefs

How To Get Into Creative Flow When You're Feeling Uninspired

The Amazing Advantages of Being In a Creative Flow State

Life-Changing Beliefs Successful Designers Have - And How To Learn Them!

How to Charge What Your Worth as a Surface Pattern Designer

Is The Surface Pattern Design Market Oversaturated?

Creating a Surface Pattern Design Business With Your Own Rules

Social Media Captions For Pattern Designers

The importance of an email list for surface pattern designers

Questions to ask yourself if your pattern designs aren't selling

How to use Instagram for surface pattern designers

Creating work life balance for surface pattern designers

Setting Goals for Surface Pattern Designers

Working as a surface pattern designer

Developing your critical design eye

Social Media Strategies

Investing in your surface pattern design business

Creating Pattern Designs with Purpose

Marketing Strategies for Surface Artists

Simplifying Marketing For Pattern Designers

Create Your Daily Art Practice

Finding your unique art style

My favourite pattern design tools

Are these fears or negative beliefs stopping you from being successful?

Fitting in time for designing

Getting started in surface pattern design with Sheree Coleman

Tips for creating your pattern design portfolio

The importance of branding in your design business

The importance of allocating time for business tasks in your surface pattern design business

Licensing, freelancing and running a design practice

Where should I create my website?

Are you making these common pattern design mistakes?

Is a design agent right for you?

Selling your designs

Getting into the mindset of a successful designer

Creating pattern design collections

Tips for creating successful colour palettes

Why design development is important for your pattern designs

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