Every month, artists in the Threadless community blow us away with their creativity, wit, and storytelling. Our Design Challenges are a chance for Artist Shop owners to push their limits, try something new, and get their work in front of new audiences. Today, we’re spotlighting the most recent Design Challenge winners—and trust us, these designs are worth a round of applause (and maybe a spot in your cart). Check them out and get inspired to join the next round ofRead more
Posts filed in: Creative Inspiration
Stay Ahead in 2025: Graphic Design Trends to Inspire Your Next Creation
As we look ahead to the emerging graphic design trends of 2025, one thing is clear—bold, experimental visuals are taking center stage. Artists are embracing more intricate details, unconventional color palettes, and nostalgic influences to create fresh, eye-catching designs that resonate with today’s audiences. Whether you’re an Artist Shop owner looking to shake up your existing collections or simply want to stay ahead of the trends, now is the perfect time to explore fresh styles that we predict to makeRead more
Holiday Design Inspiration: Transform Your Bestsellers for the Holidays
Throughout the holidays, it’s natural for shoppers to look for designs that resonate with the festive season. But creating holiday-themed art doesn’t mean you need to abandon your signature style or start from scratch. To give you a little holiday design inspiration, we’re going to demonstrate how you can adapt one of your best-selling designs to give it a seasonal twist. This approach lets you maintain the elements that your fans already love about your work while capturing the magicRead more
Developing a Signature Style That Sells: How to Find Your Artistic Voice and Grow
As an artist, your signature style is your visual fingerprint—it’s what makes your art unmistakably yours. Having a signature style not only gives you a unique identity but also helps build a memorable brand that keeps customers coming back for more. A recognizable style increases your art’s appeal within your own Artist Shop, but it also makes you more noticeable to Threadless’s retail partners, potentially opening doors for retail opportunities beyond your shop. (For more on designing for retail, checkRead more
Capturing the Mood: How to Evoke Emotions with Your Color Choices
Color is a powerful tool in the hands of any designer. It can sway thinking, change actions, and cause reactions. For Artist Shop owners, using colors to evoke emotions can transform designs from good to unforgettable. While the scientific exploration of color psychology is still relatively new, and more research is needed to fully understand the mental and physical effects of colors, studies have shown that people generally associate certain colors with specific emotions.1 Understanding these universal associations and theirRead more
2024 Design Forecast: 10 Emerging Trends to Look Out For
As a Artist Shop owner in the ever-evolving landscape of e-commerce, staying ahead of the curve is key to captivating your audience. Understanding and incorporating emerging design trends into your art not only keeps your work fresh but also connects you with the pulse of what shoppers are seeking. In this post, we’re diving into the design trends that we predict will make waves through 2024. Based on our market research, we’ll explore what makes these trends unique and whyRead more
Asking Artists: What’s Your Creative Process Like? – Part 2
In the first installment, we explored the intriguing ways artists transition from the initial spark of an idea to a finished piece in their Artist Shop. The journey from concept to creation is as varied as the artists themselves, and we’re excited to delve further into this artistic exploration. In this continuation, we’re featuring a new group of talented individuals, each with their own unique creative process. Discover how they overcome the daunting blank screen, transform their imaginative concepts intoRead more
Unlocking Opportunities: Officially Licensed Design Challenges at Threadless
Design Challenges not only encourage artists to push their creative boundaries, but also give them chances to win additional earnings and expose their art to Threadless fans around the world. While these challenges typically have general themes, like “hugs” or “goblincore,” our officially licensed Design Challenges are centered around intellectual properties with large fan bases—like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Jurassic Park. Presented in collaboration with our retail and licensing partners, these special challenges unlock opportunities that go well beyondRead more
Get Inspired by Pride-Themed Art from Our Community
June is Pride Month, a time for commemorating the ongoing pursuit of justice for the LGBTQIA+ community. While it’s fun and feels good to show your support throughout this annual celebration, it’s also important to recognize that Pride doesn’t end on July 1st. To help keep the spotlight on issues that still impact LGBTQIA+ people every day, the never-ending Pride Forever Challenge at Threadless calls for artists to make Pride-themed art all year long. Update: the Pride Forever Challenge isRead more
Asking Artists: What’s Your Creative Process Like? – Part 1
Previously for our Asking Artists column, members of our community showed us their workspaces and explained the type of environment that helps them get in a creative mindset. But once they’re comfortable at their workstation, how do they go from staring at a blank screen to adding a completed work of art to their Artist Shop? We recently caught up with artists to learn more about their creative process. Read about their routines and how they work through creative blocks,Read more
Asking Artists: What Does Your Creative Workspace Look Like? – Part 2
Where in your home or studio do you feel your most creative when making art? What items do you always keep close by to make your process easier? What’s something you absolutely can’t work without? Continuing the conversation from Part 1, members of the Threadless Artist Shops Community showed us their creative workspace and talked about their preferences. You’ll notice some recurring themes here—natural light, coffee, pets for moral support. But you’ll also read about unique features like a hidingRead more
Art Trends: The Rise of Artificial Intelligence in Art
Whenever new technology promises to revolutionize the art world, you can sense the anxiety that washes over the art community. Now is one of those times. With the arrival of text-to-image programs such as DALL-E-2 and Midjourney, we’re all currently witnessing the rise of artificial intelligence in art. Many living, breathing artists feel as if their livelihoods are at stake, and understandably so. This is the end of art as we know it. Well…sort of. If it’s any consolation, thereRead more