After many questions from my viewers asking “Can I submit textured vector repeat patterns for sale on microstock websites?”, I decided to conduct an experiment with my new Sunset Adventures Fabric Collection, which was inspired by California sunsets, nature, and our local lake near to where we live. The purples and pinks of the sky and the hills at sunset leave me speechless every time. I wanted to capture that beauty in my patterns…

I also wanted to test if microstock websites and in particular Shutterstock will accept a vector collection of repeat patterns created with textured elements. My style normally has not much texture, but the students of my Pattern It Up course have been asking about adding texture and if it will be accepted. So I took to my new iPad Pro and iPencil to test this for all of you 🙂

First I created my elements on iPad using the Procreate app and iPencil. I really enjoyed the process. It’s really fun to draw using these tools. I liked the texture and colors a lot.

As I have only recently got my iPad Pro, I’ve been learning Procreate app and drawing on iPad from this video:

Create Easy Floral Wreaths in Procreate

It’s the video by the talented designer and teacher, Teela from Every Tuesday Youtube Channel and Website. She has really helpful graphic design and lettering tutorials and I really like her style of artwork, so I wanted to share this awesome resource with you 🙂

After I had my elements, I imported them as a Jpg into my Adobe Illustrator CC and vectorized them using Image Trace tool. After some cleaning up, my elements were ready to be used as vector repeat pattern motifs. The texture changed slightly after turning the raster elements into vector ones, but I still liked the result.

The next step was to create my vector repeat patterns and organize them in a pattern collection. Here is my result:

After I properly prepared and saved all my patterns as vector files ready for microstock and print-on-demand submission for sale, I uploaded the files and waited to get them accepted. I provided reference images (proof that I drew the elements myself) as Shutterstock inspectors often ask for that if you are creating in textured vector style. My experiment worked and all patterns were accepted! Yay!

I also uploaded all my patterns from my Sunset Adventures collection to my Spoonflower shop to be licensed as fabric, gift wrap, and wallpaper there. Since only raster versions of patterns are required to sell on Spoonflower and there is no inspection process, other than you inspect your own designs by purchasing proof swatches, I did not have to submit any reference images there.

My experiment worked! 🙂 This means that you absolutely can create textured patterns as long as:

1. You created the texture yourself / drew your elements yourself. 
2. You keep your vector file size UNDER 15 mb. 

While I will share my exact process with examples of reference images I submitted with my students in my Pattern It Up course, you can definitely get started practicing drawing your elements in Procreate and creating your patterns for sale as long as you prepare and save them correctly, they will be accepted.

But that was not all….

To continue the spirit of an experiment, I also created fabric mockups in Photoshop using my patterns from Sunset Adventure collection. I had lot’s of fun with this process and liked the result of all the patterns together. I used these fabric mockup templates that I purchased from Creative Market: Fabric Factory vol.1: Cotton Mockup and Fabric Stack Mockup Set. These are Photoshop files and I used my JPG pattern versions to create them. Really fun! 🙂 I recommend

To sum up, my experiment showed that textured vector patterns do get accepted to Shutterstock and other microstock agencies as long as you prepare them properly and submit your reference images.

Great news for those of us who like to design with lots of textures 🙂 Right?

Good luck with your own creative experiments this week.

#GrowLoveCreate

Oksancia

In this post I use some of my referral links at no additional cost to you, thank you for your support! I only recommend products that I use, love and hope that you will find them useful too.