Finding your inspiration and designs in the cookie world can be daunting! So where do you even begin? I have a few things that I do to help me design cookies – a lot of which have evolved over the years. First, I recommend going on Instagram and following cookie accounts that you love. There are hundreds of thousands of cookiers – all with their own unique style. If you don’t have instagram (that would be crazy), Pinterest also works. You have less accounts to follow on there but there are still plenty of cookie artists sharing their work. You want to make sure that your cookies aren’t exact copies of others. I mean… that should go without saying! But truly – copying is never ok. If you have a client that wants “this exact set” – the best way to go about it is to either let them know you can’t do the exact same thing, but can do something similar OR reach out to the original artist and ask for permission. Inspiration can come from anywhere, not just instagram. If your client is planning a party, wedding, shower etc.. ask them for the invite and the colors they’re using. Then build from there! You can browse etsy for clipart, pngs and svgs – purchase them and use them in your designs as well. Get creative! Decorating truly is the best part – it’s what makes custom cookies so popular! When I started out I hand drew all my designs. I did this for a good year and a half before I transitioned to using Canva to create my designs. I like being able to share my designs with my clients to get approval before starting their orders. Some cookiers don’t offer this – but I’m a people pleaser and I want to make sure my clients get exactly what they’re paying for. This step is entirely up to you. I’ve reached a point in cookie decorating that my clients (for the most part) give me free reign on the design. They trust me because of my previous work and ability to produce time and time again. This is something that also takes time, so be patient!
Example:
Here’s an example of how I like to plan out a design, step by step.
Here’s how I put together some designs from the top graph:
And here’s what the set will “look like” once it’s done:
Design is the best part. This is where you truly get to flex your creative mind. With just a few simple steps you’re well on your way to making cute little treats of love! Art in edible form =)
