Revisiting an Old Design: A Lesson in Growth
The pattern on the left was created in 2019. The pattern on the right was created in 2026 using inspiration from the original 2019 pattern.
I’ve been creating and uploading designs to Spoonflower for many years now. When I first started, I had just learned how to create repeating patterns. I was enthusiastic, curious, and honestly pretty proud of what I was making.
At the time, I thought my designs were great.
Fast forward to 2026 after years of practice, study, and learning about the surface pattern design industry (which I did not even realize was a real industry when I started). When I look back at some of those early designs, I sometimes cringe a little.
From my current perspective the line work on those older designs is a little sloppy, the colors feel chaotic, and I occasionally catch myself thinking, “Yikes. No wonder that design never sold.”
But here’s the funny part. I still love those designs.
Every piece of artwork I create becomes a small snapshot of a moment in time. When I look at an older pattern I can often remember what inspired it, where I was when I drew the motifs for it, and sometimes even details like the weather that day or what I was wearing while I worked on it. It is hard to explain, but I know many artists understand that feeling.
Because of that, I don't throw away those old designs. Instead, I treat them as rough drafts.
When I come across one of my older “yikes” designs, I see it as a starting point. I redraw the motifs using my current style, refine the layout, and rethink the colors. Sometimes I keep the spirit of the original design. Other times it evolves into something completely new.
Recently I did this with an older dachshund collection, and the updated designs performed far better than the originals ever did. The new versions started selling quickly while the original versions had only sold once or twice over the years. Regardless, I left the old designs in my shop. They had sold before, which means someone out there liked them enough to buy them.
That brings me to my newest updated collection.
From Rough Draft to Refined: Camping Adventure
The original Camping Adventure pattern with the teal background was created in 2019, about three years into my Spoonflower journey.
At the time I loved the concept. It had camping gear, forest motifs, and little outdoor adventure elements scattered throughout the design. Looking at it now, it is not terrible, but it definitely feels like an early draft.
Recently, with warmer weather approaching, I felt inspired to revisit the idea and give the collection a fresh direction. The new version leans more into a lakeside camping theme. I redrew several of the original motifs and added new ones to expand the story of the design.
The updated collection feels cleaner, more cohesive, and more intentional. The color palette is more aligned with current trends, and the designs work well for things like kids adventure themed bedrooms, camping inspired decor, and apparel fabrics.
Most importantly, the design reflects the skills and experience I have developed over the past several years.
You can see the updated Outdoor Camping Adventure collection here:
https://www.spoonflower.com/collections/302600
A Simple Exercise for Designers
If you have been designing for a few years and want to see how much you have grown, try this exercise.
Go back and find a collection you created five or more years ago.
Pick one design from that collection and redraw the motifs using your current style and skill level. Then rebuild the pattern from scratch. Adjust the layout. Refine the color palette. Add new elements if it makes sense.
When you are finished, compare the new version with the old one.
I promise you will see progress.
Growth as an artist often happens slowly. It is easy to feel like you are standing still because the improvements happen little by little. Looking back at older work is one of the best ways to see just how far you have come.
Sometimes those old designs are not failures.
They are simply the rough drafts that led you to where you are now.