2. Getting started: Finding Inpiration

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Finding something to be inspired by may come easy to some but that may not be the case for many too.

Here are some things in my mind when I first started designing for my shop. I still like to think about them when coming up with designs 

Contents:

  • Focus and Concepts

  • What do you enjoy?

  • Who is your Target Audience?

  • Drawing Applications


1. Ask yourself. What theme or ideas do you want to focus on? 

Like I mentioned in my Introduction, my shop is mainly BTS-focused. I was personally inspired after going to their LOVE YOURSELF World Tour in 2018. That is also my first time coming in contact with others who sold enamel pins. This is how I got interested to give designing enamel pins a try!

You can find inspiration for a design by considering what you like and what concepts you want to go for. Your shop doesn't have to be restricted to one theme or concept too! Here are some concepts you can consider for your first or next design:
  • Symbolic/Realistic
  • Simple/Complex
  • Cute/Serious 
  • Day/Night
  • Light/Dark
  • Scenery/People
  • Text/Textless
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2. What do you enjoy? Are you inspired by anything right now?

Things I enjoy and is inspired by:
  • Kpop
  • Music
  • Anime 
  • Pictures of people or things
  • Movies
  • Books

An example of my thought process would be:


The cover of the anime movie Your Name + BTS Festa 2019 photoshoot picture =


Tada! The initial design and revising did take me around 15 hours total, so don't be discouraged if your design is also taking a while. Then there's me waiting a few months before actually taking it into production. 

It all depends on the inspiration process and the complexity of the design, but all in all, everyone works at their own pace and that is completely okay!

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3. Consider who your target audience is.

If you are going to sell your pins, you'll also need to consider whether there is a market and audience out there for you. Because my pins are mostly BTS-themed, my audience would be BTS fans, ARMYs.

Ask yourself:
  1. What audience are you catering towards?
  2. What would they be interested in?
  3. Which social media platforms are your audience on the most?
  4. Would the design or concept be a problem with different groups of people?
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4. What apps to use to make a design?

Literally, any drawing app would be fine!

I use IbisPaint X because I've been drawing on this app for a long time already so naturally. You can try out different apps and see which one you work with the best.


 Other applications I've heard of others used include:

  • Procreate (one-time purchase)
  • Adobe Illustrator (subscription)
  • Medibang (free)

Note: From personal experience, manus likes it when your design files with preserved layers, and even more when they are .ai or vector files. I used to send them in png, but now I send mine in PSD (Preserved Layers) to my manu.



There is the option to just send in a sketch to your manu but here are some reasons why you shouldn't:
  • Some manus might charge you or only do it after you pay for production. 
  • You want your audience to see a close to finished and presentable mockup of your design before production (the more presentable, the more interest).
  • The mockup from the manu's artist may not turn out the same as you imagined. Then you'd need to go back and forth with the manu representative who is talking to you, manu artist, and you.
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If you have any additional questions for me please feel free to comment below, dm me via Instagram or Twitter @teataekl, or email me at teataekookie@gmail.com

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