It’s officially Module two of Praxis and I’m feeling pumped and inspired! Earlier I dug up some old sketchbooks from high school and found some hidden gems I’ve forgotten about. I flipped through a few pages and rediscovered my fashion design sketches and looking back on it has renewed my inspiration and spirit. I’m genuinely happy to have found it because my brain is working its artsy gears again.
I love feeling this starry-eyed, big dreamer inspiration because it unlocked my creative side and I have more energy to tackle projects like the one I’m about to start.
Onwards with the design project. For this month I’ll plan out 30 T-shirt designs and sell it through Society6.com then showcase my marketing skills with social media. I’ll learn as much as I can about marketing, sales, and Photoshop and Illustrator by watching Youtube videos and reading articles.
At the end of the month I’ll have a portfolio of 30 T-shirt designs on Society6.com and sell at least $100 worth of shirts. I’ll also create an Instagram account with all the shirt designs and a link to my Society6.com profile.
My goals are to add new skills to my toolbox like Illustrator and marketing, and improve on my sales skills. This project will signal to my future employer what I’m capable of achieving through self-led learning.
Play-by-Play Breakdown
September 7
- Plan a rough draft of all 30 shirt designs with short descriptions of each then divide them into three collections. So ten shirts per collection.
- Research other successful T-shirt business models.
- Reach out to a mentor and ask for help on sales and marketing.
- Watch tutorials on Youtube about how to design T-shirts in Adobe Illustrator.
September 14
- Sketch at least the first ten designs
- Start working on the designs in Illustrator or Photoshop
- Create a Society6.com account
- Create an Instagram for my business
- Get the first collection done
- Write update summarizing the week and a preview of what I’ll be working on next week.
September 21
- Sketch ten more designs.
- Work on the shirts in Illustrator and Photoshop.
- Upload new designs to Instagram and Society6.com.
- Write preview of next week’s work.
September 28
- Finish up the last collection.
- Upload the rest of the designs to Instagram and Society6.com.
- Write project proposal.
- Submit deliverables.
The biggest challenge I see is getting things done on time and not letting analysis paralysis seize me. Additionally, my motivation tends to drop when I’m under a stifling amount of stress and pressure, but that’s usually caused by external factors like working two jobs.
My most important skill I’ll bring is determination in leading a sizable project on my own. Also, I already have some experience in graphic design so that gives me a head start on this project.