Create With Purpose

Designing with direction is one of the most powerful ways to grow as a surface pattern designer. Instead of creating in a vacuum, licensing briefs give you the opportunity to practice designing with purpose. You’ll learn how to think like an art director, consider the customer, and imagine how your work will come to life on real products.

When you design with briefs, you also expand your vision beyond fabric. Surface patterns are everywhere; on stationery, home décor, wallpaper, packaging, and so much more. Each licensing brief reminds you that your art has the potential to live in countless industries.

What is a Licensing Brief?

A licensing brief is essentially a roadmap that outlines what a company is looking for in design submissions. It’s professional practice for pitching your work and a direct way to understand how real art directors approach projects.

A typical licensing brief includes:

• Company Overview: Information about the brand, its customer base, and the products they create, so you know exactly who you’re designing for.

• Project Details: Specific design guidelines, preferred styles, themes, and the types of products your pattern could appear on.

• Submission Information: File requirements and instructions for presenting your work in a professional way.

When you work with licensing briefs, you’re learning how to meet industry standards while also bringing your unique style to the table.

Benefits of Working With Licensing Briefs

Licensing briefs are career-building opportunities. Here’s how they help jumpstart your surface pattern design business:

1. Adds Structure and Deadlines
   Creatives thrive with freedom, but deadlines are what help us take action. Licensing briefs keep you on track with structured projects, giving you real-world practice working within a timeline.
2. Builds a Professional-Grade Portfolio
   When you complete briefs regularly, you’ll naturally build a portfolio that reflects industry needs. Instead of random pieces, your portfolio begins to show focused, polished work that resonates with the companies you dream of pitching.
3. Increases Confidence and Clarity
   Many designers wonder, “Is getting your art patterns licensed hard?” The truth is that it becomes easier when you practice. Licensing briefs help you build confidence by simulating the real process of working with companies. With every submission, you’ll gain more clarity about how to pitch your work and what it looks like to license your art.

How Pattern+ Helps You Practice Licensing Your Work

Inside Pattern+ Membership, members receive a new licensing brief every month based on real-world opportunities from dream companies. Not only do you get to practice, but you also have the opportunity to submit your work for licensing consideration to real companies looking to license work. This means your art could be seen, licensed, and produced through the creative brief opportunities in Pattern+.

Licensing your work can feel overwhelming at first, but with consistent practice, it becomes second nature. Monthly licensing briefs give you the clarity, structure, and direction to grow as a designer and pitch your work with confidence.

If you’ve been wondering how to start licensing for surface pattern designers, Pattern+ is here to guide you. It’s the bridge between creating for fun and building a thriving, licensed business.

✨ Ready to take your next step? Explore Pattern+ Membership  and start working with monthly licensing briefs that will transform your portfolio and career.