Graphic Design with Elena

✨ My English-speaking Stock Club opens on October 25!

I’ve been talking about it for a while, and now I can finally share the date. ❤️

For several years, I’ve been running a private stock contributor club for my Russian-speaking community.

And on October 25, I’m opening the English version.

Before the launch, I want to show you what this club is really about.

Over the next days, I’ll share:

🎁 one full stock topic from the club for free
so you can see how I research niches, trends, references and ideas for stock contributors

💬 reviews from current club members

🎨 portfolios and works created by club members

✨ and a closer look at what happens inside the club every month

My goal is not just to give you random ideas.

I want to help you build a stronger stock portfolio with:

evergreen topics + seasonal content + current trends

so you always have a clear answer to the question:

“What should I create next?”

📅 October 25 = doors open.

And yes, I’m preparing a special Founding Member offer for those who join us at the very beginning. 👀

I’ll share the details soon. ❤️

5 days ago |[YT] | 25

Graphic Design with Elena

What do cakes, lace, Valentine’s Day, invitations and vintage frames have in common?

More than you might think!
Tomorrow, I’ll show you how I connect completely different stock topics and turn one idea into another… and another… and another.
Because sometimes you don’t need to search for a brand-new idea.
You just need to look at the one you already have differently.

New video tomorrow!
And yes… there will be LOTS of examples from stock marketplaces. 🔥
See you tomorrow)

Elena)

2 weeks ago |[YT] | 21

Graphic Design with Elena

Tomorrow, we’re having a STOCK DAY on my Telegram t.me/graphic_design_with_Elena.

And the idea actually came from this message I received from a member of my Russian-speaking Stock Club (screenshot in the post) ❤️

She started with just 12 hand-painted bakery illustrations and turned them into 149 stock files.

But this isn’t really about creating 149 files.

What I love most about her message is how one idea led to another.

She started with bakery.
Then came lace.
Then Valentine’s Day.
Then invitations…

And suddenly, several completely different stock topics became connected.

This is exactly what I want to show you tomorrow.

We’ll take a few stock niches that may seem completely different at first and see how we can connect them, reuse elements, develop one idea further and turn it into a much bigger commercial collection.

Because one of the biggest mistakes you can make as a stock contributor is:

Create one illustration = upload it = forget about it = start looking for the next idea.

I prefer a different approach.

One good idea can become 10, 20, 50… or even 149 stock files.

And no, it doesn’t mean uploading 149 almost identical versions 😄

It means learning to think bigger, combine niches and see more commercial possibilities in what you’ve already created.

Tomorrow I’ll show you how I do it.

And I think the message below has already given you a few clues about the topics we’re going to connect 😁

Get your artboards ready! ❤️

P.S. And there’s another reason I’m doing this.

For several years, I’ve been using this approach inside my Russian-speaking Stock Club: combining evergreen niches, seasonal topics and trends, and showing my members not only what to create, but also how to develop one idea into a whole collection.

And this October, I’m finally bringing my Stock Club to my English-speaking community too.

I’ll tell you more very soon.

But first…

Tomorrow: STOCK DAY. 🔥

2 weeks ago |[YT] | 16

Graphic Design with Elena

One of the most important things for a stock portfolio is balance.

I believe it’s useful to work in 3 directions:

🎀 Evergreen topics
🎀 Seasonal and holiday content
🎀 Current visual trends

If your portfolio includes all three, you’re not relying only on one season or one type of content.

And this is exactly how I build the monthly topics inside my Russian-speaking stock club.

Here are just a few examples of topics my club members have already received. All designs in that post are mine and I'm showing how to create them in my club.

🎃 Halloween
A strong seasonal topic with many possible directions: characters, patterns, posters, packaging, invitations, icons and more.

🧧 Chinese New Year
A major seasonal opportunity with huge potential for illustrations, festive graphics, patterns, zodiac themes and commercial designs.

🪔 Diwali
Another important holiday niche with decorative elements, patterns, greeting designs, packaging and festive collections.

🍰 Sweets & Bakery
This is one of my favorite combinations: an evergreen commercial topic influenced by current visual trends.
Desserts, bakery branding, packaging, menus, stickers, patterns and cute illustrations can work all year round.

🖤 Grunge Textures
A great example of an evergreen design resource that also connects with current trends toward more tactile, imperfect and handmade-looking graphics.

So inside the club, I don’t want you to create only for holidays.

I want you to build a portfolio that combines:

evergreen content + seasonal opportunities + trend-based ideas

And every month, I help my members find specific directions inside all three.

This approach will also be part of my new English-speaking stock club.

More soon!

Elena)

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3 weeks ago |[YT] | 35

Graphic Design with Elena

Let me show you what happens inside my Russian-speaking club!
You can take a look here: stepup.design/ru/klub/

✨ Every month, I choose 8 stock topics and niches that contributors can start creating right now.

Not just broad themes like “Christmas” or “Valentine’s Day”, but more specific directions, styles and sub-niches, with references, ideas, fonts and keywords.

🎥 Every month, I also publish 4 in-depth video tutorials about stock illustration, trends, Adobe Illustrator, portfolio development, AI and other topics connected with selling design online.

📚 Members already have access to a library of 95+ video tutorials.

🚀 There is also my complete “Stock from Scratch” intensive for beginners who want to understand how stock platforms work and how to start building their portfolio.

💬 And one of the most important parts is the community.

More than 395 designers and stock contributors are already inside my private Russian-speaking club, where we share experience and discuss stock platforms, trends, sales and new ideas.

I also review members’ portfolios and share what could be improved, what niches they could explore and how they can develop their work further.

And now…

I want to create something similar for you in English.

A place where you won’t have to constantly wonder:

“What should I create for stock now?”

“What trends should I pay attention to?”

“What should I upload next?”

I’ll help you find ideas, niches and directions every month.

I’m preparing the English version now.

Soon I’ll tell you more.

4 weeks ago |[YT] | 20

Graphic Design with Elena

I’m thinking about opening my Stock Club in English! Would you join?

1 month ago |[YT] | 13

Graphic Design with Elena

Would you be interested in a Stock Club in English?

I’ve been thinking about this for a while, and I’d really love to hear your opinion.

Some of the designs you saw in today’s video about Sweets & Bakery were actually created for my Stock Club for Russian-speaking designers.

This club has existed for 4 years already, and more than 400 stock contributors have joined it over time.

Inside the club, every month I prepare new commercial topics and ideas for stock marketplaces.

I create:

- visual references and inspiration
- ideas of what to draw
- examples of commercial applications
- seasonal and evergreen stock topics
- design directions and trends
- practical recommendations for Adobe Stock and other marketplaces
- videos, guides, and materials to help members create stronger stock portfolios

I also show how one topic can be developed into a whole collection: individual illustrations, patterns, backgrounds, invitations, branding elements, and other stock products.

The main idea of the club is simple: you don’t have to sit in front of a blank artboard wondering what to create next. I do a lot of the research and preparation, and then you can focus on creating.

And now I’m seriously thinking about creating an English version of my Stock Club too. ❤️

❓So I really want to ask you:

Would you be interested in joining a Stock Club like this in English?

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1 month ago |[YT] | 48

Graphic Design with Elena

What should you create for stock platforms in August and September?

While everyone is still enjoying summer, stock contributors should already be switching their focus to winter and holiday themes.
Buyers start searching for this kind of content well in advance, so August and September is a great time to upload designs that will be in demand throughout autumn and winter.

This month, I would focus on four main directions:

🎄 Christmas and New Year!
Don’t limit yourself to a single Christmas tree or snowflake. Create complete element sets, patterns, greeting cards, invitations, holiday tags, packaging, and social media templates.

🔢 2027 and calendars!
Create interesting compositions with the number 2027, New Year lettering, posters, covers, greeting cards, and calendar grids. You can design calendars in different styles and create several color variations right away.

🏮 Chinese New Year!
Festive backgrounds, red envelopes, lanterns, dragons, fans, coins, flowers, ornaments, greeting cards, and promotional templates for New Year sales can work really well here.

🐐 The 2027 zodiac animal: the Goat!
You can create not only standalone characters, but also greeting cards, invitations, emblems, circular compositions, posters, and designs with Year of the Goat lettering.

✔️ The best things to create right now are:

• invitations and greeting cards
• patterns
• element sets
• packaging and print designs
• social media templates

Try to think not only about what to draw, but also about how a buyer could actually use your design.
Ready-to-use commercial solutions are usually more noticeable and easier for buyers to understand than isolated elements with no clear application.


Elena)

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1 month ago |[YT] | 28

Graphic Design with Elena

On my Telegram, I'm posting stock ideas that need to be drawn now!
Right now, it's numbers 2027.
Come to Telegram so you don't miss the next idea!

All designs in this post are mine!

Telegram is here: t.me/graphic_design_with_Elena

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2 months ago |[YT] | 25

Graphic Design with Elena

Hey, Guys! In new Adobe Illustrator tutorial on YouTube, you'll learn how to create a colorful Italian Summer-inspired T-shirt design from scratch.

We'll design a playful vintage sardine tin illustration inspired by Mediterranean packaging, explore composition, typography, bold color palettes, and prepare the artwork for a professional T-shirt mockup.

In this tutorial you'll learn:

- How to create a sardine tin illustration
- Choosing a vibrant Mediterranean color palette
- Typography for apparel design
- Creating clean vector artwork in Adobe Illustrator
- Presenting your design on a realistic T-shirt mockup on Behance

If you enjoyed this tutorial, don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and leave a comment!

✔️ My Behance project is here www.behance.net/gallery/252905977/Italian-Summer-S…

✔️ YouTube tutorial is here https://youtu.be/dpwDZznvKJE?si=brNL8...


How do you like my design?

Elena)

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2 months ago |[YT] | 101