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
Posts filed in: Creative Inspiration
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
Asking Artists: What Does Your Creative Workspace Look Like? – Part 1
You can learn a lot about an artist just by looking at their creative workspace. You’ll see everything from their preferred tools to the ambience that helps them get into a creative mindset. Artists from the Threadless Artist Shops Community recently gave us a glimpse into their own personal workspaces and discussed some of the items that are essential to their creative process. Each workspace you’ll see is wildly different from the last. Some artists create from their own techRead more
Top 10 Trending Keywords in the Marketplace This Summer
If you started your own Artist Shop with the goal of growing your art business, the Threadless Marketplace will help you get discovered. One way to attract new customers is by creating designs around search terms that are currently trending. To help you with this strategy, we’ve gathered a list of trending keywords this summer that are popular in the Marketplace. Before we dive in, here are a few things you should know about the Threadless Marketplace: ✩ It’s curatedRead more
10 Artist Spotlights That’ll Inspire You to Make More Art
Artists inspire artists. On the Threadless Blog, we regularly feature interviews with extraordinary members of our global artist community, from comic book illustrators to photographers to stop-motion animators. These Artist Spotlights often provide a glimpse into each subject’s creative process and how they accomplish their artistic feats. These conversations may help put your goals into perspective, or maybe even inspire you to try an entirely different form of art. At the very least, they’re interesting reads! Here’s a list ofRead more
Get Your Art Featured for Mental Health Awareness Month
If anyone has ever told you a graphic tee can’t make a meaningful difference in the world, they’re flat-out wrong. Since 2020, artists on our platform have used their designs to help raise more than $900,000 for charity through Threadless Causes. Those funds have gone to nonprofits doing critical work around the world, from delivering humanitarian aid to fighting systemic racism. With Mental Health Awareness Month coming up in May, artists have a unique opportunity to support mental health organizationsRead more