Create best-selling art that flies off the shelves
Learn how to make art that buyers actually want so you can turn your creativity into a sustainable income stream.
Unlock the exact framework I use to create art with commercial appeal that has sold on over a million products worldwide.
Your purchase is fully secured with a risk-free 14-day money back guarantee if you decide this course isn't a good fit for you.
Learn from an artist whose work has been licensed on over a million products — for brands including:
You're a talented artist. So why isn't your art selling?
Tell me if this sounds familiar:
🎨 You create artwork you love, but when you put it out into the world... no one’s buying.
🤔 You feel like you're guessing every time you try to decide what to make next. You're tired of throwing spaghetti at the wall, hoping something sticks.
📦 You've uploaded designs to print-on-demand sites or pitched your portfolio, only to feel like your work is getting passed over in favor of other art that's not even as good as yours.
😮💨 You scroll through the Instagram feeds of artists you admire, thinking, "What do they know that I don't?" You’re frustrated, feeling like there's a secret formula you haven't cracked yet.
⏳ You put so much time and love into every piece you make, and it stings when that work doesn't translate into income you can count on.
I've heard from countless artists who make genuinely beautiful work …but can't figure out why it's not selling.
If that's you, you are absolutely not alone.
And the good news is: this is a learnable skill.
Hi, I'm Cat! 👋 And I used to be right there with you.
Early in my career, I was making a massive amount of art. But I had no idea how to make art that sold. I was creating whatever I felt like that day, with no idea who I was making it for, what products it could live on, or why someone would choose it over anything else. I loved creating, but it was a slow grow to get my art in the hands of the right customers.
I was putting in real time and energy and getting almost nothing back for it.
Everything changed when I figured out the four things that every bestselling piece of art has in common.
And once I started creating with those four components in mind, my art sales exploded. 💥
Now, my artwork has sold on over a million products worldwide in stores like Target, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, HomeGoods, and more. I've turned that skill into a full-time career that gives me the time and location freedom to live and create anywhere in the world.
And now, I'm sharing my exact framework with you.
Introducing…
Design to Shine™
Create Best-Selling Art That Flies Off the Shelves ✨
Get ready to learn the simple, four-pillar framework that will instantly transform your art into a top-seller.
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Design to Shine™ is a business strategy class that teaches you the exact steps I've used for over a decade to create art that sells.
Whether it’s through licensing deals, on print-on-demand, at markets, in retail stores, and beyond.
This is not a drawing tutorial. There are no step-by-step painting demos here. Design to Shine™ is about the business thinking behind commercially successful art. It’s the strategy that most artists never learn, but that makes all the difference.
• • •
This isn't about selling out or chasing trends.
It's about making strategic art in your unique style so the work you love to make is also the work that sells.
Here's what you'll learn inside Design to Shine:
✓ How to identify and leverage your unique artistic style so buyers recognize your work instantly and keep coming back for more
✓ How to identify your target audience and think like your customer so your art speaks directly to the people most likely to purchase it
✓ How to design with a destination in mind. Whether that's a greeting card, a tote bag, wallpaper, or a licensed product in a major retail store
✓ How to read trends and filter them through your own artistic voice so your work stays authentic and commercially strong at the same time
✓ How to combine all four pillars into a one-sentence design brief. The same tool professional commercial artists use every single time they sit down to create
✓ How to use that brief to produce a finished, market-ready portfolio piece you can actually sell or pitch
Making marketable art can feel like a mystery, but I'm here to pull back the curtain and show you my proven process.
By the end of Design to Shine™, you'll have a clear, repeatable framework for creating art that sells so that your business can thrive and support the lifestyle you want to live!
You're protected with a risk-free 14-day money back guarantee.
Imagine what your art business could look like when you know how to make work that sells...
🎯 Walking into Target and seeing your designs on actual products on the shelves
💫 Finally getting a "yes" from the licensing partner or retailer you've been dreaming of working with
😍 Opening your print-on-demand dashboard to see that your favorite piece is still selling even months after you uploaded it
🧑🎨 Feeling confident when you sit down to make new art because you know exactly what to create and why it'll resonate
📈 Having a professional portfolio that instantly shows art directors that you can do more than make good art – you’re also a savvy businessperson.
🌴 Building a body of work that generates income while you sleep, travel, or create your next piece
This all actually happened to me, and now it’s time to make it a reality for you!
What's Inside the Class
Your four-pillar roadmap to creating art that sells
Design to Shine™ is built around four core lessons. Each one is dedicated to a pillar of the framework. By the time you reach the final lesson, you'll have everything you need to put it all together into a finished, pitch-ready piece.
🎨 What Makes Art a Best-Seller?
Before diving into the four pillars, I’ll pull back the curtain on the real reason most art doesn't sell (good news: it's not a talent problem). This lesson shows you the simple shift in my approach to creating art that changed everything.
🛍️ Designing with a Destination
The artists who earn the most don't create whatever inspires them and hope it lands somewhere. They design with a specific product in mind before they ever pick up a brush. This lesson teaches you how to think about format, composition, and design decisions through the lens of where your art will actually live.
💃 Style that Sells
Your style is your artistic fingerprint, and when you use it strategically, it becomes one of your most powerful selling tools. In this lesson, you'll learn how to identify the hallmarks of your own style (even if you work in multiple mediums), why having a distinctive voice is what makes buyers come back, and how to use your style as the filter you run every creative decision through.
☀️ Trends that Matter
Trends aren't about chasing what's popular and losing your artistic voice. They're about creating work that's relevant to what your audience is already excited about and then making it completely, unmistakably yours. You’ll learn the difference between timely trends and evergreen ones, and how to filter any trend through your own style so your work stays authentic and commercially strong at the same time.
💰Audience that Buys
This lesson teaches you how to identify the specific person most likely to buy your work, and how to make creative decisions (color, subject matter, style, mood) that speak directly to them. I’ll walk through real examples from my own portfolio to show exactly how audience awareness shapes every design choice.
🎉 Your Design Brief Formula
This is where it all comes together. You'll combine all four pillars into a single one-sentence design brief. This is the exact tool professional commercial artists use every time they sit down to create. And you’ll use it to produce a finished, market-ready portfolio piece you can actually sell or pitch. This is the most practical tool in your art business toolbox, and I can’t wait to teach it to you!
Bonus: Art Licensing Insider™ ✨
In this bonus lesson, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how art licensing actually works. The deals, the royalties, the product lifecycle, and the specific themes and subjects that have generated the most licensing deals in my portfolio over ten years. If you've ever wondered how to get your art onto products in major retail stores, this is the lesson that shows you exactly how it happens.
The Bonus Bundle
Everything you get when you purchase Design to Shine™
When you grab Design to Shine here on my site, you're not just getting the class. You're getting the full toolkit to implement what you learn.
Here’s what’s included:
✦ Design to Shine Class ✦
(The Core Course $147 Value)
The complete four-pillar framework for creating best-selling art, broken down into 8 videos. Most artists create work they love and then hope it sells. This class flips that.
✦Cat's Trend Research Framework ✦
(Founder's Bonus - $47 Value)
My personal, repeatable system for identifying trends with massive selling power. This PDF walks you through exactly where I look, how I evaluate a trend's longevity, and how I decide which trends actually fit my style. This is the behind-the-scenes process I've never shared anywhere else.
Design Brief Workbook ✦
(Founder's Bonus - $47 Value):
The workbook companion to help you take action on the main takeaway from class. This is what will get your art sold. You’ll also get a list of ready-made design briefs to help you apply what you learn in the class right away.
Art Licensing Insider Bonus Lesson ✦
(Bonus Included - $197 Value)
A behind-the-scenes look at how the art licensing industry actually works. This is the part of Cat's career most people never get to see. You'll learn how royalties work, why Cat went all in on licensing over every other selling model she tried, and what buyers are actually looking for when they browse a portfolio.
Total value: $438
Your price: $147
Is this class also on Skillshare?
Yep! Design to Shine™ is available on Skillshare if you have an active membership. And you are absolutely welcome to watch it there.
The standalone version of the course here on my website is for artists who want more than just the class lessons.
When you purchase here, you get:
Lifetime access with no subscription required. It’s yours to revisit forever
The Bonus Bundle (Trend Research Framework + Design Brief Workbook)
The Art Licensing Insider bonus lesson automatically included
If you're on the fence, Skillshare is a great way to dip your toes in.
But if you already know you want to take your art business seriously, owning it is a great move.
Either way, you’ll be getting valuable industry knowledge that will change the game for your art business. 🤗
Student Love
Hear what artists are saying about my classes!
"As always, I'm impressed by the generous volume of information you share with your students. Thanks again for making me feel like I can finally do this with confidence!"
— Lisa M.
"CatCoq's classes are some of my favorites! Much of the tips she covers are difficult to find from other sources but highly valuable to anyone who wishes to succeed in selling their art. I am so grateful for making her classes clear and approachable!"
– Ingrid W.
"Another excellent course for anyone considering starting their own art licensing brand. A great stepping stone to reflecting on what you want to achieve without overwhelming you."
— Lisa H.
Meet Your Teacher
Hey there! 👋 I'm Cat Coquillette, the artist and educator behind the brand CatCoq.
Back in 2014, I started uploading paintings to print-on-demand sites as a side hustle. That income opened the door to two big dreams: art licensing and travel. I've been living out of a suitcase for nearly a decade, visiting 40+ countries and hosting art retreats around the world. Supported by an art licensing career that started with learning exactly what I'm teaching you in this class.
My artwork has appeared on over a million products worldwide in stores like Target, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, HomeGoods, and Crayola. My online courses have helped half a million students gain the skills and confidence to build their own creative businesses.
I built Design to Shine because I kept seeing talented artists struggle, not because they lacked skill, but because they didn't know how to make art that the market wants. That’s a learnable skill, and I’m excited to teach it to you in Design to Shine. 🤗
I hope you'll join me inside. 🎨
FAQ
Still have questions? Take a look here at the FAQ or reach out anytime to hello@catcoq.com
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Design to Shine is for artists who already have a creative practice and want to take it further commercially. Whether you're brand new to licensing or have been at it for a while without the traction you want, this class will give you a clear framework to work with. All mediums and skill levels are welcome because this framework is about how you think as a commercial artist, not how you make your art.
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Nope! Design to Shine is pure strategy. You’ll learn the business thinking behind commercially successful art that most artists never learn. If you're looking for step-by-step painting or illustration demos, I have
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None specifically! The principles in this class apply across every medium and style. The focus is on how to approach your art from a market perspective, not which tools you use to make it.
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Yep! If you have a Skillshare membership, you can access the core class right here. The standalone version here on my website includes the full Founder's Bonus Bundle and lifetime access with no subscription needed.
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Absolutely. Your purchase is fully protected with a risk-free 14-day money-back guarantee if you decide this course isn't a good fit for you.
Just send me an email (hello@catcoq.com) within the first 14 days of your purchase, and I will refund you every dollar. No hard feelings.
Access to bonuses and the live Q&A will not be available if you request a refund.