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 magic of the holidays.
In this post, we’ll explore how six artists in the Threadless Artist Shops community have taken their popular designs and transformed them into festive hits. You’ll see side-by-side comparisons of their original designs and holiday updates, offering inspiration for how you can do the same. Let’s dive into these brilliant examples and uncover holiday design inspiration to help your shop shine this season.
Nathan W. Pyle’s Strange Planet characters deliver the purrrfect gift.
Nathan W. Pyle’s beloved alien characters stay true to their quirky nature in this holiday update. In the original design, the aliens hold cats, but in “Festive Vibrating Creature,” the cats are replaced with holiday gift boxes—one of which reveals a surprise feline visitor. This subtle tweak keeps the humor and charm intact while adding a festive flair.
EduEly’s cute-but-evil baphomet embraces the holiday spirit.
EduEly’s cute baphomet character celebrates the gift of giving in “Hail Santa.” By adding a Santa hat swapping out the original setting for a scene filled with presents, EduEly manages to keep the character’s playful and mischievous vibe while making it holiday-ready.
Rob Sheridan adds a holiday twist to his glitch skull design.
Rob Sheridan shows how small changes can make a big impact. By simply adding a Santa hat to his popular “Glitch Skull” design, the piece transforms into “Glitchmas.” The design remains edgy and on-brand while still signaling that it’s perfect for the holiday season.
Hillary White Rabbit gives her possum an ugly sweater makeover.
In Hillary White Rabbit’s “Trash the Halls,” her beloved possum gets a mistletoe crown and ugly sweater aesthetic while maintaining the artist’s signature playful style. This approach shows how you can add holiday charm while keeping your unique sense of humor intact.
Frogwitch turns her cowboy frog into a holiday delight.
Frogwitch repurposes her popular meme-style design with “Happy Yallidays.” By incorporating string lights and changing the text, she makes the piece feel festive while retaining her recognizable frog cowboy. This is an example of how tweaking the typography can help you match the tone of the season.
Why Adapt Your Designs for the Holidays?
Adapting your bestsellers for the holidays is a smart strategy that leverages the popularity of your existing designs. By giving your customers something familiar with a seasonal twist, you’re creating holiday products that are more likely to resonate with the season. Plus, this approach saves you time—you’re not starting a design from scratch but building on work you’ve already done. Here are a few tips for reinventing your popular designs:
- Start with Your Bestsellers: Look at your shop data to find your most popular designs.
- Add Seasonal Elements: Incorporate festive props, like Santa hats, snowflakes, or holiday lights, that complement your design’s vibe.
- Keep It On-Brand: Don’t stray too far from your style—your fans love your art for a reason.
- Experiment with Humor: Adding a playful holiday twist can make your designs even more engaging.
- Test the Waters: Share sketches or drafts with your followers on social media to gauge interest.
Adapting your signature style for the holidays is a win-win—you maintain your artistic integrity while giving shoppers seasonal options that stand out. Take inspiration from these artists, and start brainstorming ways to add holiday magic to your own designs. Need more ideas? Browse the Threadless marketplace for more holiday design inspiration and make your shop the go-to destination for unique holiday gifts!
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