Essential Surface Pattern Design Resources #5 Jump, Trust, Repeat by Jessica Swift

Hello!

©Jessica Swift - image from her website

I'm writing this post with a big smile on my face, having just received an email from Jessica Swift agreeing to take part in my Studio Tuesday feature. I'm a huge fan of Jessica's work - her patterns are original, quirky and so wonderfully colourful.  She also paints, she writes and has a lovely website and blog.

©Jessica Swift - image from her website

Jump Trust Repeat is aimed at anyone who wants to really make a go at being a full time artist. Part One is all about Jessica's personal journey from leaving college as a fine art graduate through to her present day position as a successful artist and surface pattern designer. Part Two talks about the practical aspects of getting a business up and running and finally Part Three brings together the experiences of other successful artist and designers - most of whom you will be familiar with in surface pattern design circles.
Jessica is generously honest when talking about her journey. She is joyful about her successes and reflects openly on things that didn't go so well. Her admittance to problems is incredibly endearing. I really liked how she told the story about when she was having her rain boots manufactured and was sent two left boots, she still looked for ways around photographing them so that they looked like a proper pair. It's sharing this kind of information that tells you that it is a real, normal person, just like you or me,  behind these ventures; human, vulnerable, hopeful, hardworking and ambitious. This really does help you to believe that if you are willing to commit to and work towards making it happen, then you can. 

©Jessica Swift - image from her website

There's lots of information about attending trade shows and licensing deals. It's the stuff you'd like to just ask someone straight out but probably wouldn't: how much it costs, how to prepare, what kind of royalties to expect from licensing deals and so on. There's also a lovely little section on how Jessica works - showing the two different ways she designs patterns - straight onto the computer or drawing and scanning. I found this to be really helpful as was her advice on putting collections together.
Compared to books you can buy electronically in the Kindle store or on iBooks, Jump, Trust, Repeat may seem quite expensive at first glance but I would say it's easily worth it - it's an investment. I've spent so much time with this book - reading and rereading it - it's not just instruction, it's a true inspiration. What you are paying for is years of experience honestly documented, lots of positive encouragement and great advice. Whenever I feel I'm getting a bit lost, I refer back to this book for a hit of inspiration and to get me back on track. It's also very beautifully designed, but that's hardly a surprise when it's been designed by Jessica. 

©Jessica Swift - image from her website

Read more about Jump, Trust, Repeat here. Incidentally I've also used Jessica's Goal and Intention Kit and The Declaration of You and they're all fabulous too.
Thanks for reading and look out for Jessica on my Studio Tuesday feature in the coming weeks,
Frankie x

©Jessica Swift - image from her website