Vicky Wittich: A Story of Passion, Patterns & Perseverance
In her own words, Vicky Wittich, a self-taught surface pattern designer and artist, shares her unique journey from computational linguist to creative entrepreneur. She reveals how her passion for blending traditional and digital media fuels her work, creating beautiful, versatile designs that bring joy and inspiration to others.
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Hello! I'm Vicky Wittich, a self-taught surface pattern designer and artist. My journey into the world of creativity began uniquely as a computational linguist and teacher. This diverse background has fueled my passion for blending traditional drawing and painting techniques with digital media, creating beautiful surface pattern designs and mockups for fellow artists and
designers. Since childhood, I've loved beautifying my surroundings, and it brings me immense joy when others find the world more beautiful through my works. My business, Victory Studio 11, specializes in high-quality surface pattern design and mockup creation. I design eye-catching patterns for fabric, home decor, and wallpaper for both kids and adults, often featuring watercolor florals, cats, birds, and flowers. Traditional historical patterns hold a special place in my creative work. Additionally, I create practical and lovely mockup templates to assist other designers in showcasing their work.
I work from home in the Northern Black Forest, Germany, often surrounded by my three children and two cats. I chose this career path to combine my passion for creative design with my entrepreneurial spirit, seeking geographical and financial independence. Creating unique pattern designs and mockups not only fulfills me creatively but also allows me to share my skills and ideas with the world. The prospect of bringing my designs to life on various products and helping other designers achieve their creative projects drives me to give my best every day.
I can vividly recall the excitement of choosing wallpaper with my mother every time we renovated our home during my childhood. The joy of seeing repeating patterns and unique designs left a lasting impression on me. I remember all the wallpaper and carpets in my parents' house, and I just loved it! The defining moment for me came as an adult and a mother myself. While on maternity leave with my third child, I stumbled upon Teela Cunningham's (@everytuesday) course "Learn Font Making." I was amazed at what you could create with Illustrator and Photoshop! Unfortunately, I broke my hand and had to put my new hobby on hold.
Once my hand healed, I was eager to dive back into creativity. Then, Bonnie Christine's free workshop was recommended to me on Instagram. I took the workshop and immediately fell in love with surface pattern design! I knew right away that it was exactly what my soul had always been searching for and that it was my true calling. This realization led me to 1.5 years of intensive creative learning. I completed Bonnie Christine's renowned course "Immersion" along with other comprehensive courses by well- known surface pattern design experts such as Sarah Watts, Mindy Young (Indy Bloom Design), Erin Kendal, Stacie Bloomfield, Genna Blackburn, and Bärbel Dressler. This journey of learning and discovery is how Victory Studio 11 was born!
As an introvert, one of the biggest challenges I faced was showing myself and my work to the world. Being introverted, I'm proud of my pragmatic nature and the conscious way I spend my mental and physical energy. However, this made it difficult for me to step out of my comfort zone and share my creations publicly.To overcome this hurdle, I relied on two mottos that guide my life: "Do something rather than regret it later" and „Act now! Every step you take holds power!" With these principles in mind, I created a business account on Instagram for my work. By posting regularly and gradually getting used to presenting my work to the world, I was able to overcome my initial hesitation. This consistent effort helped me build confidence and connect with a broader audience.
The Turning Point
A significant turning point in my creative career was completing Sarah Watts' course. This course not only provided me with a solid command of Photoshop as a surface pattern designer but also taught me how to create mockups. Learning to create mockups gave me the confidence to develop my own, significantly influencing my direction of work. This new skill set completed my work as a surface pattern designer. Understanding the needs of surface pattern designers from my own experience allowed me to create mockups that beautifully present patterns. This comprehensive approach has enriched my creative process and broadened my offerings, making my work more versatile and impactful.
On The Creative Process
My creative process is a mix of structured steps and bursts of inspiration. I draw ideas from all around me — nature, animals, books, architecture, and everyday moments. Mood boards are my go-to for visualizing themes and colors, helping me to gather and organize my thoughts. I start by brainstorming and sketching out rough concepts, then I pick the best ones to refine. Once I have a solid sketch, I move on to digitizing it using Procreate, Photoshop, or Adobe Illustrator. This is where I work on creating seamless patterns, often going through a lot of trial and error until it feels just right.
Experimenting with color palettes is one of my favorite parts. I love playing with colors and adding textures to give the designs more depth. After that, I review my work, seek feedback from peers or mentors, and make any necessary adjustments. When it comes to incorporating surface pattern design into my portfolio, I showcase the patterns in various applications like textiles, wallpaper, home decor, and more to highlight their versatility. I also create cohesive collections that share a common theme or color palette. I make sure to keep my portfolio updated with new work and current trends to stay relevant.
On Creating Mock-Ups
Creating mockups is a key part of my design process and business. I use Adobe Photoshop to transform my surface pattern designs into realistic applications, such as wallpaper, textiles, and home decor, which helps clients envision the final product. I start with high-quality images of objects or surfaces and use smart objects in Photoshop to overlay my patterns, ensuring they look natural and realistic. Manipulating lighting, shadows, and perspectives enhances the visual appeal. I always strive to infuse my mockup templates with style and a special feeling, making them not just visually appealing but emotionally engaging as well.Beyond creating mockups for my portfolio, I also design and sell exclusive mockup templates. This additional service provides other designers with the tools to showcase their own work effectively.
On Marketing
Here I replaced "portfolio" with "website" since I keep my portfolio private. Marketing my work and driving traffic to my website involves a strategic mix of social media, email marketing, collaborations, and search engine optimization. I leverage social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest to showcase my designs and mockups. These visually oriented platforms are ideal for reaching a wide audience. I post regularly, using relevant hashtags and engaging with my followers to build a strong, interactive community around my brand. Even though I don't currently maintain a blog, it's in my plans as I recognize its potential for establishing expertise and improving SEO. For now, I focus on other content marketing strategies. Email marketing is another key component. I send out regular newsletters to keep my subscribers informed about my latest designs, upcoming projects, and special offers. To add value and maintain engagement, I send out a free exclusive mockup every month to my newsletter subscribers. This helps maintain engagement and drives repeat traffic to my website. Collaborations and partnerships with other designers, brands, and influencers are also crucial. These collaborations help me reach new audiences and build credibility within the design community. Since my portfolio is private, I provide access to potential clients and collaborators on request. This exclusivity adds a layer of intrigue and ensures that those viewing my work are genuinely interested.
Tips for incorporating unique mockups into your portfolio:
1. Choose High-Quality Images with a Style You Want to Stand Out With: Select high-resolution images that reflect the style and aesthetic you want to be known for. Whether you photograph objects yourself or source images, the quality and style of your base image are crucial for creating compelling mockups. Think about the emotions you want to evoke and tailor your mockups to convey that special feeling. This personal touch can make your portfolio memorable and distinctive.
2. Master Your Tools: Become proficient with design software like Adobe Photoshop. Understanding how to retouch the background image, use smart objects, manipulate lighting and shadows, and work with layers will allow you to create professional and convincing mockups.
3. Pay Attention to Details: Small details make a big difference in the realism of your mockups. Focus on how patterns wrap around objects, adjust shadows and highlights to match the lighting, and ensure textures are accurately represented. This level of detail can make your mockups stand out.
4. Showcase Versatility: Display your designs on a variety of products to highlight their versatility. Include mockups for textiles, home decor, wallpaper, fashion, and any other relevant applications. This helps potential clients envision how your designs can be used in different contexts.
5. Strive to Expand Your Skills: Continuously seek opportunities to learn and grow. Take online courses, attend workshops, and stay updated with the latest design trends and software features. Expanding your skills will keep your work innovative and help you create even more impressive mock-ups.
To See More
Although I keep my portfolio private and provide access to potential clients and collaborators upon request, you can explore more of my work and follow my creative journey through my website, newsletter and social media platforms.
Visit my website at www.victorystudio11.com to explore both free and paid mockups
Find me on Instagram @victorystudio11, and check out my Pinterest account VictoryStudio11 to gather up inspiration. These platforms and my newsletter showcase my latest designs, projects, and updates.