The sixth edition of the UPPERCASE Surface Pattern Design Guide will feature the best in up-and-coming and seasoned surface pattern designers. By being part of the guide, your work will be exposed to an engaged and active readership of art and design buyers, potential clients, collaborators and consumers. The Surface Pattern Design Guides are kept as reference for years!

UPPERCASE has partnered with some great companies who are offering some excellent opportunities for licensing, learning and consultation. It's a great way to get your foot in the door—art buyers and art directors of the companies listed will be reviewing the top 100 submissions as well as your portfolio and instagram links and will have access to all submissions should they wish.

The entry fee is $40 (USD). 

All entrants will receive a discount code for 20% off in the UPPERCASE shop (expires March 1, 2025). The code can be used on subscriptions, back issues and books.

Please read the details and submission form in its entirety so that you understand what is required. Take your time in gathering your submission, uploading and submitting. You can save it as a draft on your computer before paying.

→ 100 artists will be included in the Guide.

→ Please submit new and/or recent work from your portfolio. If you were published in a previous edition of the Guide, you are welcome to submit new work. 

→ The entry fee is to cover the hosting and administration costs of this submission system and will also be pooled as payments to artists selected for UPPERCASE projects such as the SPDG6 cover and a patterned paper bonus for subscribers. 

→ 5% of the entry fee goes towards sustainability initiatives

→ Read the submission form in its entirety so that you understand what is required. Then take your time in gathering your submission, uploading and submitting. You can save it as a draft before paying.

→ Once you've submitted, you cannot edit your submission or change the work submitted. 

→ No refunds on entry fees.

→ The form closes on January 20. Do not wait until the last minute to upload.

→ Please note that if you are selected or contacted by one of the participating opportunity companies, you are under no obligation to pursue a contract. All negotiations, contracts and licensing details are between the companies listed and the artist—UPPERCASE is simply the method of making the match! 

→ To be eligible for the fabric licensing opportunity, you must not currently have—or have had—a fabric licensing deal. It's ok if you sell your designs on Spoonflower or other print-on-demand platforms. Licensing and contract details are between the artist and the company. The scope, size and release date of this arrangement are to be determined by the fabric company.

→ Include 6-9 images of your recent best pattern designs or pattern illustrations (the designs themselves—no product mockups). They should be jpgs cropped square, 4 inches wide at 300dpi. RGB or CMYK is fine, but note that the magazine is printed in CMYK and there may be a colour shift when converting from RBG. No names, logos or watermarks on the image files, please. Three patterns will be chosen for publication so consider how everything will look together. Please submit colourways or patterns that work well with one another but show the breadth of your style and abilities. 

→ AI-generated artwork of any kind and AI-assisted pattern-making is not permitted.

→ By submitting to the entry form, you acknowledge that the work submitted is your own and you are not infringing on the rights of any other artist or company. You allow UPPERCASE to publish your work in print in issue #65 and in various digital promotions of the Guide. Your email will also be added to the UPPERCASE general email list. You can opt-out at any time.