Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to be a surface designer.
I was born in Medellín, Colombia, and now I split my time between Ottawa and Medellín. I graduated in Communications and Project Management and worked for non-profits and the government. While I loved the social impact of my work, I knew I had to do something creative. So, I quit my job, sold my car, and went to Argentina to study an advertising course. I soon realized I didn't enjoy advertising at all, so I spent most of my time drawing around the city instead.
Someone saw the illustrations I was uploading to a blog and hired me to create my first illustrations—a set design for a TV show! That's when I realized I could get paid for drawing. From there, I struggled to find new clients, so I started making my own products to sell at craft shows and stores. Later, I moved to Canada and began focusing on building my licensing portfolio and pitching to companies. In 2015, I landed my first licensing deal, and I haven't stopped since!
Who or what influences your art?
I take most of my inspiration from nature and animals. I also love cute things and bright colors.
What mediums do you use to create your art?
I love working in many mediums: pencil sketches, murals, polymer clay sculptures, and traditional watercolors. However, most of my art is now created on the iPad in Procreate. It's a more straightforward process—digital watercolors are faster to create, don't require scanning, and make client edits easier.
For all my digital art, I use my own digital watercolor brushes, which you can get for free when you join my newsletter here: https://www.artbysandramejia.com/freebies.
You have licensed your artwork with some bigger companies. Do you approach these companies on your own, or are you represented by an agent?
I've found some clients on my own by submitting my portfolio through emails I found on their websites. I've also met art directors at the Blueprint trade shows in NY (where I used to exhibit before the pandemic), been referred by art directors I'd previously worked with, and had companies find my work online. At some points, I've also worked with agents.
You don't need an agent to find clients, but if you go solo, you have to be intentional about researching prospective clients, getting your work in front of them, and developing thick skin to handle rejections and unanswered emails
You also teach classes and have many on Skillshare. How did you get started with posting classes on the Skillshare platform?
I started as a student and posted a project that won a contest, and it gained lots of visibility on the platform. So I got an email from Skillshare inviting me to teach a class.
Teaching has always been something I loved—I even helped my dad grade tests when I was a kid! He was a university professor, and his stories inspired me. At first, I was hesitant to teach online and in English because of my accent, but I decided to give it a shot, and it was so successful that I haven't stopped since then! Reading student's reviews and seeing what they create fills my heart with happiness and keeps me going!
Now I'm still a Skillshare Top Teacher, but I've also started creating classes to offer on my own.
You also offer a mentorship service. Tell us a little about how that works.
Every month, I work with a few artists to help them develop their portfolios, focus on their artistic goals, or answer questions about the industry. It's easy to think art licensing is the only or easiest way to monetize art, but that's not true. Together, we explore different paths based on their expectations, skills, and portfolios.
Sometimes, I assign homework for them to develop new pieces or repurpose existing ones. It's all asynchronous—we message back and forth on Telegram, WhatsApp, or iMessage instead of scheduling Zoom calls. This way, we communicate several times during the month instead of just once and this makes the process more productive for both of us.
How often do you send art directors new work, and do you feel that frequently sending new designs helps you get noticed?
At the start of my career, I sent portfolios to art directors more frequently than I do now. These days, I mostly send art to existing clients or for specific opportunities.
If you're building relationships with new clients, I recommend sending new work every 2–3 months—unless they tell you otherwise. Some companies have submission timelines or guidelines on their websites, so it's very important to follow those. The key is sending work that fits their product line and aesthetic to make the best impression and to make sure that it's actually something that the art directors can use on their product lines.
When you're consistent, they'll start to recognize your art, and one day, you might get an email saying they'd like to work with you!
Would you like to share any advice for designers who are just starting in surface design?
This is an amazing career! Creating art that goes on products and then seeing those products sold in stores is one of the best feelings in the world! But this doesn't happen in the blink of an eye, and not everyone's path is the same. So don't give up if something isn't working. If this is your dream, you need to keep at it, but you have to do it with a business mindset. Don't spread yourself too thin trying to do everything at once. Develop your skills constantly, focus on one thing and become awesome at it. Pick one marketing channel or platform to focus on based on where your ideal clients are, so they can get to know you and your art, and show up consistently. Don't take rejections personally, and don't compare your art to others. If you keep working hard, getting your art out there, and improving your skills, you'll find clients.
You have to stay focused and put in many hours of work. Lots of people sell the idea that art licensing is an easy way to make tons of money fast, but I don't think that's true. It's definitely not the only way to make money with art, and it's not an easy or fast avenue. So if you've tried to get licenses and failed, it's not that you're not good enough. It might be that it's not the right strategy for you, that you need to hone your skills a bit more, that you have to present your work differently, or that you're targeting the wrong companies.
I expand on this advice and the methodology I use to find my target markets in this Youtube video: https://youtu.be/NMMZxcsknh8
What's next for you in your artistic endeavors? Are there any other companies or designers you'd like to collaborate with?
There are so many brands and designers I'd love to work with! While I'm still creating artwork available for licensing, right now I'm mainly focused on creating bespoke designs for brands and developing my online classes.
Be sure to sign up for my newsletter—I have a new class coming next year to help you build your entire marketing and communication strategy in a way that feels natural and non-salesy!
Sign up for my email newsletter to get news and freebies, including my Watercolors for Procreate brush set!→ https://www.artbysandramejia.com/freebies
Instagram→ https://www.instagram.com/artbysandramejia
Website→ https://www.artbysandramejia.com
Skillshare→ https://skl.sh/SandraMejia
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