MOYO Magazine / / Christmas Gift Guide!

We are excited to bring you the downloadable MOYO Festive Gift Guide. Packed full of unique gift ideas from talented designers, we hope this guide gives you ideas for presents to delight this holiday season. From pretty Christmas tree baubles to gorgeous gift wrap, you are sure to find something just perfect for friends and loved ones. The products come from around the world and all the featured designers are members of the MOYO Directory, or alumni of The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design.

This special downloadable version is a gorgeous selection of our favourite products that have been sent in. All of the entries are being featured on the Make it in Design blog here until Tuesday 17th December. Below are just a few of the beautiful pages inside the guide.

To download the gift guide simply go here. If you are on an iPad click here to view the magazine on Issu.com. If you want to download this guide or any of our MOYO magazines, here are some simple guidelines to help you: Downloading MOYO.

Please feel free to share this page and link to the Gift Guide on your blog, in your newsletters and tell all your friends about it. Wishing you all a wonderful festive season, from the Make it in Design team!

MOYO Directory / / Giveaway!

It's giveaway time! We are loving seeing all the new designer profiles going up on the new MOYO Directory, and want to encourage you to make the most of all the features the site offers by beautifying your profile even further. To do this, we are offering a giveaway of these delicious prizes: 

* A gorgeous tote bag from the Rachael Taylor collection (see below)

* Two fat quarter bundles of Phyllida Coroneo's gorgeous Enchanted Forest fabric collection, courtesy of Dashwood Studios (see above)

* A copy of Marie Perkins' new book 'Print & Pattern Kids'

* Some patterned washi tape from Japan

The prize will go to the person whose MOYO Directory profile we love the most, in terms of the effort that has gone into making it beautiful, and the variety of images shared to really make the portfolio stand out. The winner will be chosen on Friday 27 September 2013 so be sure to get working on your profile between now and then! (And if you haven't signed up yet, what are you waiting for? Click here to join and start sharing your work with the world!)

   

A bit more about the MOYO Directory:
The MOYO Directory is a visually striking, easy to navigate, highly customisable directory, which allows you to create your own profile, upload unlimited portfolio images and receive direct enquiries from potential clients etc. Ultimately it will be a fantastic place to showcase your designs, attract work and get noticed even more. It will be a fantastic complement to your existing website, and we aim to make it the most popular designer directory available. Access it anywhere – on your PC, tablet or phone – to find designers on the go.

It is a one-stop-shop for companies looking to hire talent or find freelancers so you need to part of it! Showcase your work, share your social media links and network with other designers – all for less than the cost of a single advert on any leading design blog. Let it complement your existing website, or if your website isn’t ready yet, your personal profile and portfolio area will be the perfect substitute.

We aim for the MOYO Directory to become the go-to resource for companies seeking designers to work with, either freelance or for licensing/selling designs.

Features include:
* Quickly and easily customise your own MOYO profile
* Upload unlimited portfolio albums
* Get great value marketing for your business
* Complement or replace your existing website
* Find other designers near you Find out more here 

DEADLINE: This giveaway will close at 12 noon GMT on Friday 27 September 2013. We will only consider MOYO Directory profiles posted at that point.

THE SMALL PRINT: There will be one winner who will be announced on this blog shortly after the deadline. The competition is open to anyone over 18 anywhere in the world. There is no cash alternative. Our decision on the winners is final and no correspondence will be entered into. By entering you agree for your email address to be added to the mailing lists of Do What You Love and Rachael Taylor Designs but you can unsubscribe at any time.

Launching the brand new MOYO Directory!

It is hard to believe that it is two years since Beth Kempton & I released The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design into the world! Since then, we have helped thousands of budding designers develop their pattern designs skills, build their brand & monetise their designs. They have had some incredible successes - winning national design contests, landing multiple clients, launching their own labels, being featured in industry books & magazines & so on. But then we realised there was something missing... a go-to place for potential clients to find surface pattern designers just like them. So we created the MOYO Directory - the online home of surface pattern designers. Over the coming months we will be heavily promoting this to the key players in industry - buyers, studios, trade show organisers etc - to help bring even more attention to the work of the featured designers.

(Image shows Rachael's MOYO Directory profile)

And we would love to have YOU join our directory! Are you a surface pattern designer, illustrator, graphic designer, mixed media artist or other kind of artist or designer? Then this is for you! The MOYO Directory is a visually striking, easy to navigate, highly customisable directory, which allows you to create your own profile, upload unlimited portfolio images & receive direct enquiries from potential clients etc. Ultimately it will be a fantastic place to showcase your designs, attract work & get noticed even more. It will be a fantastic complement to your existing website, and we aim to make it the most popular designer directory available. Access it anywhere – on your PC, tablet or phone – to find designers on the go.

The MOYO Directory is a one-stop-shop for companies looking to hire talent or find freelancers so you need to part of it! Showcase your work, share your social media links & network with other designers – all for less than the cost of a single advert on any leading design blog. Let it complement your existing website, or if your website isn’t ready yet, your personal profile & portfolio area will be the perfect substitute. We aim for the MOYO Directory to become the go-to resource for companies seeking designers to work with, either freelance or for licensing/selling designs. Features of the MOYO Directory:

• Quickly and easily customise your own MOYO profile
• Upload unlimited portfolio albums
• Get great value marketing for your business
• Complement or replace your existing website
• Find other designers near you

It’s very easy to get going in just a few simple steps:

(1) Visit www.moyodirectory.com

(2) Watch the short introductory video

(3) Sign up

(4) Create your profile

(Image shows Suzanne Washington’s MOYO Directory profile)

(5) Upload your portfolio images – you can have as many albums and upload as many images as you like

(Image shows Jessica Swift’s MOYO profile)

(6) Share your unique URL on social media, on your blog and in your newsletter mailings etc (Hint: There is an option to search by ‘Most Loved’ so be sure to get all your followers to your profile!)

And it’s not just for surface pattern designers – you can be listed as a illustrator, mixed media artist, graphic designer etc, and really stand out from others in your field.

What are you waiting for? Check it out and sign up now!

MOYO Issue 5 is here / / The Anniversary Special!

MOYO Magazine is one year old, and we are celebrating with our biggest ever issue: Issue 5 - the Anniversary Special! Since we first dreamt up the concept when on a plane back from a trade show in Paris, we have loved developing, designing and publishing our very own online magazine dedicated to surface pattern design. We are hugely grateful to all our contributors, and to all our readers (over one million views in our first year!), and hope that you continue to find MOYO inspiring and valuable. Every issue we pack in a wide variety of content, from industry interviews and advice through to design briefs and trend information. And in this bumper 100+ page Anniversary Special we have really gone to town. Inside Issue 5 (which is completely free) you can find:

• An exclusive interview with internationally acclaimed designer Clarissa Hulse
• Insight into greetings from industry giant Hallmark
• A DIY Celebration guide (make your party personal!)
• The UKTI Guide to Exporting
• Unveiling of our brand new directory site the MOYO Directory!

PLUS: A sneak peek behind the scenes at our weddings!

This is the party issue, and you are invited! Check out the latest issue of MOYO here.

SHARE THE LOVE!

MOYO is completely free and we want to delight as many people as possible with the wonderful world of surface pattern design. Please feel free to share the magazine on your blog/social media and tell your friends about it!

ABSPD Alumni / / Mel Smith

So many of our ABSPD Alumni have been up to great & exciting things & we love sharing their fantastic news! In the run up to the next series of M2 of the e-course we will be sharing some of our alumni successes! Which you can also see more of in our Success Stories Facebook album!

Mel Smith is another of our very successful alumni! Having spent a few years freelancing & working in  a small greetings card company, Mel is now working on her own projects. Her designs have been sold in John Lewis & several other stores nationwide. She is currently running a Kickstarter project to raise money to create an eco-friendly, patterned notebook collection. She is also attending Top Drawer/Home 2014 where she plans to fully launch her brand 'Mel Smith Designs' with a selection of lampshades, cushions, kitchen textiles as well as her notebooks.

She has also recently launched a licensed collection with Keka Cases & has designed cute wedding stationery for a friend.

We wish Mel good luck with launching at Top Drawer/Home 2014! You can visit her on her website, blog, Facebook or Twitter.

If you are interested in ‘The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design (the e-course)’ we are thrilled to announce we are running a new series (starting on August 19th 2013) Register here. Also, don’t miss out on our next run of Module 2 ‘Creating Your Professional identity’ which is running 19th August 2013! Brought to you by Rachael Taylor and Beth Kempton.

Rachael on Twitter: @rachtdesign Beth on Twitter: @DoWhatYouLoveXx

You can also read some magic words from some our past students who have gone on to achieve some amazing things!

ABSPD Alumni / / Wendy Kendall

So many of our ABSPD Alumni have been up to great & exciting things & we love sharing their fantastic news! In the run up to the next series of M2 of the e-course we will be sharing some of our alumni successes! Which you can also see more of in our Success Stories Facebook album!

Wendy Kendall is a freelance surface pattern designer based in the UK. Since graduating with degree in print design she has gone on to work as a bedding/nursery designer for UK manfacturers. Her 10 years of experience within the interiors industry has given her trend & design knowledge that has been invaluable to her surface pattern designs. "I have a simplistic, graphic, clean design approach that mixes playful patterns/textures with quirky handrawn outlines. I love the use of bold colours against bright whites and I particularly enjoy creating designs for children".

Wendy (as well as Phyllida) has produced a wonderful fabric collection with Dashwood Studio. A UK based textile company, Dashwood studio are an up & coming company who "specialise in producing beautiful, design-led fabric collections for today's quilt and home-sewing communtities". They are "passionate about what we do" & love "collaborating with the best design talent the UK has to offer". Wendy's 'Petite Street' collection has all around appeal & mixes illustrative hand-drawn styles with a graphic approach, with use of 'strikingly modern colour palettes'. We love how her collection comes together & her use of colour is perfect for crafting with!

Wendy also has fabulous licensed collections with Wallpapered.com, S-Blinds & DENY Designs!

You can find more about Wendy & her work on her website. Read more about her collection with Dashwood Studio on their website. Also connect with Dashwood Studio on their blog.

If you are interested in ‘The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design (the e-course)’ we are thrilled to announce we are running a new series (starting on August 19th 2013) Register here. Also, don’t miss out on our next run of Module 2 ‘Creating Your Professional identity’ which is running 19th August 2013! Brought to you by Rachael Taylor and Beth Kempton.

Rachael on Twitter: @rachtdesign Beth on Twitter: @DoWhatYouLoveXx

You can also read some magic words from some our past students who have gone on to achieve some amazing things!

ABSPD Alumni / / Phyllida Coroneo

So many of our ABSPD Alumni have been up to great & exciting things & we love sharing their fantastic news! In the run up to the next series of M2 of the e-course we will be sharing some of our alumni successes! Which you can also see more of in our Success Stories Facebook album!

Phyllida Coroneo is a UK based surface pattern designer with a background in high fashion. She is well experienced in trend & colour research. She also worked 15 years within the interiors industry for both residential & corporate clients. Her knowledge of colour, trends & markets has led a natural progression towards surface pattern design. "My design reflect my love of colour, nature, fashion and culture. I love to create fashion inspired colour palettes and mix bohemian and vintage style florals with contemporary and ethnic patterns".

Phyllida has gone on to create some amazing design work including her 'Enchanted Forest' Collection with Dashwood Studio. A UK based textile company, Dashwood studio are an up & coming company who "specialise in producing beautiful, design-led fabric collections for today's quilt and home-sewing communtities". They are "passionate about what we do" & love "collaborating with the best design talent the UK has to offer". Collaborating closely with creative director David Sweet, Phyllida has created a beautiful fabric collection. Her 'Enchanted Forest' collection was inspired by childhood memories of Somerset countryside & the children's book series 'The Faraway Tree' by Enid Blyton. Her colours stem from her love of interiors & fashion styling, as well as cultural influences. We absolutely love her use of colour & the magical qualities of her collection.

Phyllida also has a beautiful licensed collection with Keka Cases!

You can find more about Pyllida & her work on her website, Twitter & Facebook. Read more about her collection with Dashwood Studio on their website. Connect with Dashwood Studio on their blog.

 If you are interested in ‘The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design (the e-course)’ we are thrilled to announce we are running a new series (starting on August 19th 2013) Register here. Also, don’t miss out on our next run of Module 2 ‘Creating Your Professional identity’ which is running 19th August 2013! Brought to you by Rachael Taylor and Beth Kempton.

Rachael on Twitter: @rachtdesign Beth on Twitter: @DoWhatYouLoveXx

You can also read some magic words from some our past students who have gone on to achieve some amazing things!

MOYO / / 1 Million Readers!

We are so excited to share the news that our free design magazine MOYO has been viewed by over 1 MILLION people! As we are busy working behind the scenes on our anniversary issue (due out in late August), we just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has helped make MOYO - the world's first magazine dedicated to surface pattern design - such a roaring success! We look forward to bringing you more inspiration, business advice and opportunities to showcase your design work over the coming months. In the meantime, if you have missed any of our previous issues, check them out here:

 

Issue 1

Issue 2

Issue 3: The Fabric Issue!

Issue 4: The Paper Issue!

If you are interested in ‘The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design (the e-course)’ we are thrilled to announce we are running a new series (starting on August 19th 2013) Register here. Also, don’t miss out on our next run of Module 2 ‘Creating Your Professional identity’ which is running 19th August 2013! Brought to you by Rachael Taylor and Beth Kempton.

Rachael on Twitter: @rachtdesign Beth on Twitter: @DoWhatYouLoveXx

You can also read some magic words from some our past students who have gone on to achieve some amazing things!

Issue 4 of MOYO Magazine (The Paper Issue) Is Here!

The fourth issue of MOYO is here and it is all about paper (yum!). Your FREE copy includes:

• 
  
• Behind the scenes with top art agent Lilla Rogers
• An interview with stationery designer Carolyn Gavin
• Papercutting with Mr Yen
• Rachel Hazell on patterns in paper
• Hannah Nunn reports from a wallpaper factory
• MOYO learns to make paper
• …and much more!

We also have design tips, a designer diary, a brief for you and more - see inside for details. Being a team of paper lovers you can only imagine how much fun we had putting this together!

Get your FREE copy of MOYO Issue 4 here!

MOYO is the world’s only online magazine dedicated to surface pattern design. Packed with interviews, design briefs, colour challenges, art reviews, student showcases, design tips, inspiration, trends and more, this free resource is published quarterly. You can see the our back issues here.

MOYO is free and we want to share the wonderful world of surface pattern design with as many people as possible – please help! You can share it on Facebook, Tweet about it (@surfacepatternd #moyomagazine) or email a link to your friends. Please also feel free to blog about it or share it in your newsletter and inspire even more people to dive into the exciting world of surface pattern design!