From Doodle to Product: How I Design My Products
If you'd asked me a year ago what my product design process looked like, I probably would've shrugged and said "I just draw stuff I like". And honestly, that was kinda it. I'd doodle whenever inspiration struck and send things off to print when I had the money, and hope for the best. It was fun and spontaneous, but not exactly sustainable for building a business.
But as I've started to take Indi Arden more seriously, I've come to realise that if I really want this to work - like really work - I need a plan. I need structure. Even if my brain is a bit chaotic most of the time, giving myself some kind of workflow has helped massively in turning my ideas into intentional, cohesive collections.
Planning comes first
For the latest release, the Berry Bliss Picnic Collection, I finally sat down and thought: What makes sense for my shop? What products do I love designing? What would my customers love?
The answer was: a mix of the familiar and something fresh. So, of course I brought back the classics - stickers, bookmarks and a greeting card - but I also pushed myself into trying new products: another notepad (which turned out so cute) and a notebook (which is still on its way after a little misprint hiccup - oops).
This was the first time I properly mapped things out before designing, and honestly, it made everything feel more intentional. I wasn't just making random buts and hoping they'd stick - I was building a little world, a story.
Designing with depth
My art style is constantly shifting, which is exciting but sometimes makes planning tricky. For Berry Bliss, I tried a new approach - working physically first. I painted the illustrations by hand, then scanned them in to create the final designs. I absolutely loved how this turned out! You can see the brush strokes, the textures, the life in each piece - it makes the collection feel more real, more tangible, like you could reach into the page and grab a strawberry.
This physical first method is something that I'm excited to explore more in future collections. It brings a whole new level of richness to the designs and, most importantly, it makes the process more fun and fulfilling for me.
Building stories, not just products
One of the biggest mindset shifts I've had recently is thinking about my collections as stories, not just random sets of stationery. With Berry Bliss, I wanted to capture that feeling of a sunny day spent with friends, sharing snacks and being outside. I wanted you to feel like you were part of that picnic by just looking at the designs.
And I think that I pulled that off!
There's still a long way to go in streamlining my process and getting more confident in collection planning, but I'm proud of the progress I've made. Giving myself a loose structure, taking time to plan, and allowing space for creativity to naturally evolve has been a total game changer.
Here's to more thoughtful collections, more doodles turned into products and more moments of magic through art.
With love,
Indi
