How to Make Digital Designs for Print on Demand

Illustration Tips for Starting a Print on Demand Business

Created byKerry Kirkpatrick

Last updated 1/2025

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

How to brainstorm new ideas
Design simple illustrations in Procreate
Add text in Canva and prepare the illustration for print on demand
Upload designs to Redbubble
Promote these print on demand products online

Course content

3 sections • 16 lectures • 47m total length

Introduction1:29
Learn to create your first print on demand design for Redbubble, exploring brainstorming, iterating ideas, time-saving tips, design styles, ethics, copyright considerations, and promotion strategies.
About the Instructor0:52
Karey Kirkpatrick, a digital artist with 26 years in character design and storytelling, shares the skills she will teach for creating print-on-demand digital designs.
Setting Expectations0:32
Explore brainstorming and idea generation for digital designs, skip drawing-focused content, and proceed to section three for brainstorming tips before starting the design process.
Tools Needed For this Course0:21
Prepare for the course by securing a Redbubble seller account, an iPad with Procreate, Canva Pro, and the downloadable documents, plus scraps of paper for design ideas.

Introduction to this Section0:30
Learn how to create digital designs for print on demand, upload them to Redbubble, and select products to offer.
Sketching in Procreate4:10
Create a new inches-based canvas, set width and height, sketch a hot air balloon on multiple layers with blue at 50 percent opacity, and add clouds, birds, and a sun.
Line Art Tips and Tricks in Procreate7:27
Ink your Procreate line art on a new layer with black, thick lines for emphasis, then vary weight and use layer management for a clean design.
Adding Color in Procreate6:35
Learn how to add color in Procreate using layers, reference layers, and color palettes. The lesson covers dragging colors, filling inside lines, and creating cohesive color concepts across design elements.
Exporting Your Files from Procreate for use in Canva0:34
Export your Procreate illustration as a PNG using the toolbox option, then save it to your iPad files or photos for seamless use in Canva.
Starting a New Canva File and Importing your Design1:12
Open a new Canva file and switch to inches, then upload your design, drag it into the workspace, position it, enlarge it, and crop to leave space for text.
Editing and Adding Text to the File in Canva3:02
Create text in Canva by adding headings, trying fonts, and adjusting size to fit mood - bold, whimsical, or handwritten. Copy/paste, mix fonts, and center elements for print-on-demand designs.
Exporting Your File for Redbubble8:42
Export your design with a transparent background, upload to Redbubble, optimize the title and tags, adjust placement on multiple products, and publish to share links.

What is Important to You?0:49
Identify what matters to you by listing themes, colors, objects, ideas, or social movements, and use the downloadable worksheet to develop your design inspirations while avoiding unlicensed fan art.
What is Already Out There?0:52
Explore researching current designs on Redbubble to identify repeating patterns, sayings, and elements. Organize ideas into avoid and for consideration sections to generate fresh digital print-on-demand concepts.
Coming Up with Original Ideas7:23
Develop unique print on demand designs by turning topics into original rib cage motifs, exploring variations, typography, and trend-aware, cross-cultural text to reach diverse audiences.
Popular Topics and Interests that are Not Owned by Anyone3:26
Discover how to create original print-on-demand designs that respect copyrights, navigate fan art and permissions, and explore topics like cryptids and gardening within active design communities.

Requirements

Some art skills are recommended
Basic computer skills are required
Have access to Canva Pro
Have access to an iPad and the Procreate app
Have a Redbubble seller's account

Description

This course will show you the step-by-step process of coming up with ideas, illustrating a design, selecting fonts for text, and uploading files to the print on demand service. First, we will go over ways to select topics, brainstorm ideas, and make a unique product. Then, the basics of illustration in Procreate will be covered, including tips for fast illustration. After the illustration is created, tips on selecting fonts and coming up with various sayings and phrases will be shared. Finally, you will learn how to prepare the file for upload and how to customize the file for each product type. Overall, this course will guide you through the planning, designing, and implementation process of creating a print-on-demand business. This course will also go over the importance of using text, phrases, and humor to drive sales.

Procreate, Canva, and Redbubble are all affordable tools, which makes it convenient for small businesses and beginners in design for production. It should be noted that while Canva is a free tool, they do have a version called Canva Pro. Canva Pro tools will be used during this course, so it is recommended that you have this subscription. They do have free trials available, which you can take advantage of to see if you like the program.

Who this course is for:

Designers looking to make passive income using print on demand services
Content creators looking to sell merch for their brand

How to Make Digital Designs for Print on Demand

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction4 lectures • 3min

Creating Your First Design From Sketch to Uploaded Product on Redbubble8 lectures • 32min

Brainstorming for Purposeful Designs4 lectures • 13min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: