SURFACE DESIGN IMMERSION
Print & Pattern Revival Workshop: Feb. 11th - 16th (with replays available until Feb. 24th)
Let me be real with you for a second. It feels like there’s a new online art course being advertised every other day, which can feel overwhelming and exhausting to navigate. The constant flood of options can lead to some serious online course fatigue, making it hard to know who to trust. With so much noise, it’s tough to feel confident about where to invest your time, energy, and money. Especially right now when we’re living in such uncertain and frightening times.
Raise your hand if this is a relatable feeling.🙋🏻
Yeah, I hear you. The struggle is so real, but hear me out…
I only recommend teachers whose courses and workshops I’ve personally taken and benefited from. And Bonnie’s teaching? It has had a lasting impact on my life, helping me navigate challenges and fostering a growth mindset that I carry with me every day.
Every year in advance of her Immersion course, Bonnie offers a workshop with some really great information and advice—and it's FREE!
This year, though, it’s even better. Why? Because it's enhanced with hands-on training in addition to entrepreneurial advice. All completely free.
In this FREE workshop, Print & Pattern Revival, you’ll learn:
Day 1: Sketch your first motifs (no drawing skills needed. Just paper, pencil, and play!) ✏️
Day 2: Turn your sketches into digital artwork (even if you’ve never opened Illustrator before!) 💻
Day 3: Build a seamless repeating pattern ✨
Day 4: Place that pattern on a real product 💖
Each afternoon, Bonnie goes LIVE to teach the real-world side of pattern design:
How to go from hobby to income 💸
What licensing actually looks like 🧐
15+ ways surface designers make money 💰
And what’s working in the industry right now 🤓
Replays of both the pre-recorded practical learning videos and the lives will be available until February 24th, so it’s not too late to enroll!
Here's a link where you can sign up for the free workshop. As an affiliate partner, if you click on one of my links and then decide to enroll in Bonnie's Immersion course, I receive a commission for that sale (at no cost to you). That being said, this workshop is 100% free with zero obligation to buy anything and is full of a ton of practical guidance and useful advice all on its own.
And one more thing about the workshop! Once you register and watch the lessons, you’ll have a chance to win some super valuable prizes!
You have until February 24th to enter!
Immersion 2026: Enrollment Open Feb. 17th - 24th
Something is shifting in the design world, and it’s exciting! After years of plain solids and minimalism, pattern is having a moment. Bold prints, hand-drawn motifs, and rich textures are showing up everywhere: fabric, wallpaper, packaging, and even entire interiors.
Vogue is calling it pattern drenching. Colorful accessories are up on Etsy by 3000%. By 2030, the wallpaper market is expected to grow by 28%, digital textile printing is projected to grow by 100% and the home textiles market is projected to grow by 50%.
Brands are scrambling to find fresh, story-driven patterns. This is where Surface Design Immersion comes in. Bonnie Christine’s once-a-year, 8-week online program is for anyone who wants to learn Adobe Illustrator and the complete surface pattern design process, from first sketch to professional portfolio. It combines creative skill-building with real-world insights on sharing, licensing, and growing a design business.
I took Immersion for the first time in its inaugural year, 2018, and at that time, I had already taken a bunch of other surface design and Illustrator courses and, honestly, I wasn't sure how much more I could learn. The answer? A lot, apparently. Eight years later and I'm still a bit boggled by that.😆
And fun fact! I have been a proud member of the support team since 2021, and I’m returning for Immersion 2026!
Something I’m really excited about: This year’s Immersion course is completely reimagined.✨
It’s grounded in analog process.
Aligned with what brands are actually looking for.
And focused on helping you build a creative lifestyle and/or business from your own voice and vision.
Filmed documentary-style in her garden and studio, this course was redesigned from the ground up to meet this exact moment in the industry.
Enrollment is open until February 24th and won’t reopen until 2027.
And Y'ALL. This year's student box is in-cred-i-bllllle!
Every student will get a beautiful 300+ page companion workbook and – my favorite part – a moodboard kit with actual real-life supplies like corkboard, paint and fabric swatches, watercolor paint and paper, and more!!! 🎨🖌✨😱
Can you even believe?! When I first heard this, I legit teared up, y'all. No joke, there were tears in my eyes. 🥹 And every student gets one. Every single one, no matter where you are in the world.
Since taking Immersion, I quit my day job, became a full-time artist, and best of all, signed on as a fabric designer for Riley Blake Designs. I have two fabric collections out so far, with more in the works, and I’m absolutely living my dreams. Immersion has taught me so many amazing technical skills, but most of all, it’s empowered and encouraged me to follow my BIGGEST dreams, and it gave me the tools and confidence I needed to succeed at them.
I consider Bonnie to be my personal mentor, and I don't know if I would be where I am now if I hadn't stumbled across her teaching back in 2015, and eventually taken Immersion.
I want people who may be scared of considering their art dreams viable to have the same experience I had when discovering Bonnie and her courses. I want people to experience the huge confidence boost and the excitement of realizing that maybe their goals are possible after all. Because I believe that with enough determination and drive, they are.
But don’t just take my word for it! You can read many more inspiring student stories HERE.
🥹💕
All of that said, it’s important to me that you have all of the information you need in order to make an informed decision, especially when it comes to such a big investment.
There is a common misconception in the design world that concerns me and it’s that companies only accept vector files. Allow me to bust this myth for you. This simply is not true. You do not have to master Adobe Illustrator in order to become a professional surface designer. It is an incredible tool to have in your toolbox that can open up a wide range of career opportunities, and I personally, way prefer creating repeat patterns in Illustrator over Photoshop and Procreate. Vectors are awesome! But you have options. I really like how surface designer and professional illustrator, Sarah Watts, put it in her recent newsletter:
“The whole point of being an artist is to express your vision, and there are many programs to choose from that fit your vision best.”
Read the rest of Sarah’s thoughts on this HERE (scroll down to the “Spill the Ink” section of her newsletter).
So go forth, my friends, and do your research! Do what you feel is best for you, but also know that if you do want to learn Adobe Illustrator for surface design, Immersion is, hands down, the best of the best! I’m happy to answer any questions you may have!
One final thing…
!BONUS ALERT! 20 randomly selected people who enroll in Immersion through my affiliate link will receive…
…a 1-on-1 coaching call with me! (Valued at $150)*
Sessions will be conducted after Immersion ends, between May 1st - August 1st, to ensure that students are free to focus solely on Immersion as it’s taking place, and avoid overwhelm.
We’ll hop on Zoom, and you can ask me any questions you may have about surface design, pattern making, Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop, pricing work, contracts and licensing, being a fabric designer, teaching on Skillshare, etc. You’ll also have the option to send me work in advance for a portfolio review, and/or we can discuss where you currently are and what steps you can take to further your career and/or creative practice.
Why would a coaching call with me be valuable to you, you may be wondering? Well…
I'm a full-time artist (fabric and caricature art being my main focuses), Skillshare teacher since 2015, and illustrator with years of experience working in the industry. Also, as mentioned above, I’ve been a member of the Immersion support team from 2021 to 2026. My official title is Love Squad Expert & Course Coach, and I’ll be one of 25 (!!!) Guides and Experts supporting students throughout the course this year.
Enrollment open February 17th - 24th, 2026
*If you want this bonus, make sure you sign up with any of my links! Thank you! :D