From Sketch to Submission: A Peek Inside My Latest Pattern Design

Pink Berries Pattern Design - Shabya Reid Art

There’s something really special about seeing a design move from a simple idea… to something you can actually hold in your hands.

This week, I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes look at one of my newest patterns — a soft, cheerful berry design that I recently submitted for the Golden Coil planner cover competition.

What started as a few simple sketches has now turned into a full mockup, and I wanted to bring you along for the journey.

The Beginning: Sketching the Idea

Like most of my designs, this one started with a feeling.

I knew I wanted something that felt feminine, playful, and full of quiet joy — something that could brighten someone’s everyday routine. I began sketching simple berry shapes, focusing on soft curves, balance, and movement.

At this stage, there’s no pressure for perfection. It’s just about exploring ideas and letting the design take shape naturally.

Building the Pattern

From there, I brought the sketches into my digital workflow and started refining the repeat.

I played with spacing, scale, and direction — making sure the pattern felt full without being overwhelming. The goal was to create something textural and engaging, but still clean and easy on the eyes.

The color palette came together in a way that felt very true to my brand: soft pink berries, olive-toned stems, and creamy details layered over a warm, neutral base.

It’s a mix of bold and soft… structured and playful.

The Submission

When I came across the Golden Coil planner cover design competition, it felt like the perfect opportunity to share this piece.

Their prompt called for something full-page, colorful, feminine, and inspiring — and this design naturally fit that direction. It was already part of my Spring/Summer collection in progress, so submitting it felt like offering a little sneak peek into what I’ve been creating behind the scenes. Here’s the link the contest blog post - https://blog.goldencoil.com/all-posts/2026/2/27/design-contest-2026.

Seeing It Come to Life

One of my favorite parts of the process is creating mockups.

Seeing the pattern applied to a real product — like this planner cover — brings everything to life in a completely different way. It shifts from being just a design… to something functional, something tangible, something someone could use every day.

And that’s always the goal.

More Than a Competition

Whether this design is selected or not, I’m really proud of how it turned out.

Every piece I create is part of a bigger story — a growing collection, a developing style, and a creative journey that I’m excited to keep sharing.

And if this design made you smile, even for a moment, then it’s already done something meaningful.

If you’d like to see more behind-the-scenes of my pattern collections, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter below for exclusive updates, creative inspiration, and free digital goodies each month.

XOXO,

Shabya