3 Things Every Successful Doodles Student Does Differently
The students who succeed at creating their first repeating pattern aren't the most talented. They're not the most tech savvy. They're just doing three things differently.
The day I got laid off, I told myself I was going to jump right into the job search and land a job quickly. I had great experience. My resume was stellar.
But the corporate world I'd spent 30 years climbing had essentially told me my time was up. And I heard that message again and again with every job interview that ended in a "no."
As I started to imagine reinventing myself, the fear was right there, sitting on my chest.
When I discovered surface pattern design, something lit up in me. But then came Adobe Illustrator. And I want to be honest with you: I am not tech savvy. I am the woman who used to hand her iPhone to her husband and say, "Here, honey. Can you fix this?" I did that regularly.
But I made a decision. I was going to follow the proven steps. I was going to keep things simple. And I was going to do the work — not watch from the sidelines. And I was not going to let the hard parts make me quit.
That decision changed everything.
The difference between students who finish Doodles Coaching Week with a repeating pattern that works and those who don't isn't talent, age, or tech experience. Here are three REASONS why mindset and method matter more than anything else.
Reason #1: Follow the Steps Exactly — Every Single Time
Here's something you need to understand about Adobe Illustrator: it is a computer program. That sounds obvious. But what it really means is that it is completely, unforgivingly linear.
There is a specific sequence of steps required to build a seamless repeating pattern. Those steps must be followed in the correct order, without skipping, without shortcutting, without improvising. Every. Single. Time.
I teach those steps slowly and deliberately — on purpose. One of my students, Allison, described it this way: "You are so real in your presentation. You don't go too fast, you humbly repeat yourself and you break it down into small, bite-size steps. You instill confidence..." That's not an accident. That's the method.
The students who succeed in Doodles Coaching Week are the ones who lean into the structure rather than fighting it. They slow down. They ask why. They follow the sequence even when it feels unfamiliar, even when they don't fully understand yet why each step matters.
And here's the beautiful thing: when you understand why the steps work the way they do — why Illustrator requires them in that specific order — the process stops feeling like a maze and starts feeling like a map.
Research backs this up. A study published in the Educational Psychologist found that novice learners who received step-by-step instructional guidance significantly outperformed those who tried to problem-solve on their own — because unguided attempts tend to overload working memory before the learner has built enough foundational knowledge to draw from. In other words: the steps aren't a crutch. They're the shortcut.
Another student, Angela, put it beautifully: "This is so WELL done by you Anne, you are so detailed and accessible. I have taken many courses and you are so GOOD! I know I will accomplish this..." She knew she could accomplish it because the steps made it feel possible. That's exactly the point.
If you are in the middle of Doodles Coaching Week right now, this is your reminder: trust the steps. Don't skip. Don't improvise. Follow the sequence, and let the process do what it's designed to do.
And if you haven't joined us yet — it's not too late. We're just getting started, and I would love to have you. You can grab your spot at members.artwithanne.com/doodles and I'll make sure you have everything you need.
Reason #2: Keep the Design Simple So You Can Focus on the Process
I want to tell you something that surprises almost everyone who hears it for the first time.
Your first repeating pattern does not need to be beautiful.
It needs to work.
Here's what happens to so many first-time pattern makers: they sit down to create their design, and immediately their brain starts whispering. It should look more professional. Maybe I should use my best watercolor painting. What if it's not good enough?
And then, while they're up in their heads worrying about the design, they miss a step. Or they get frustrated that their complicated design isn't tiling properly. Or they give up before they ever get to the satisfaction of seeing that first repeat click into place.
This is one of the most common reasons students get stuck — and it has nothing to do with talent or tech ability. It's cognitive overload. When you're trying to learn a complex new process and create something beautiful at the same time, your brain simply runs out of room.
Educational psychologist John Sweller's Cognitive Load Theory explains exactly why this happens. When working memory is overwhelmed — by too much new information, too much complexity, too many competing goals — learning breaks down. The solution isn't to try harder. It's to simplify.
That's why I always say: keep it simple. You can always get fancy later.
Start with a basic doodle. A leaf. A simple flower. A little circle with petals. Something you could draw in sixty seconds. Heck — you can even use my doodles. The ones I use during Doodles Coaching Week. Give your brain the gift of a simple design so all of your mental energy can go exactly where it needs to go: into learning and memorizing the steps.
My student Alida said it perfectly: "I like the short — DOABLE — lessons. That feels accessible to me and I would likely have not said Yes without that. Plus it just looks FUN." Doable. That's the word. When you keep the design simple, the whole thing feels doable — and that feeling is what keeps you going when the steps get hard.
Here's the promise on the other side of simple: once you have memorized the steps with a basic design, you can apply them to anything. Your watercolor paintings. Your intricate botanicals. Your hand-lettered artwork. The steps are the same. The design is just a variable.
First, make it work. Then make it yours.
Reason #3: Do the Work — Don't Just Watch from the Sidelines
This is the one I feel most strongly about. So I'm going to be direct with you.
When we're scared of something new — especially technology — there's a very human temptation to hover at the edges. To watch the lessons but not open the program. To tell yourself you'll "try it later." To be present without really being in it.
I understand that feeling completely. I lived it. When I was reinventing myself after that layoff, there were so many moments when the safer, easier choice would have been to stay on the sidelines of my own life. To watch instead of do. To wait until I felt ready.
But here's what I learned: ready is not something you feel first. Ready is something you become by doing.
One of my students, Amelia, shared something that stayed with me: "After taking the Doodles to Dollars and seeing how patiently you help people figure out the blinking program. I have taken classes before where the instructors are so used to the program, they go over too quickly, click and what the heck, I got lost in the dust." She showed up. She did the work. And she found that the support was there to catch her.
Research from the National Training Laboratories confirms what Amelia experienced: active learners — people who practice and do — retain up to 75% of what they learn, compared to just 5% for passive observers. Watching is not the same as learning. Doing is.
And another student, Amy, said something I want every woman reading this to hear: "Anne's Live Workshop gave me the confidence to take learning pattern design off my wish list and make it the priority on my to-do list." Off the wish list. Onto the “I’m doing it” list. That's what showing up does.
Doodles Coaching Week is a live experience. That matters. You have access to me, to the community, to real-time support — for eight days. Every day you sit on the sidelines is a day you miss that window.
So if you're reading this and you're in Doodles right now — embrace the process. Try the steps. Make a messy, imperfect first attempt. That's not failure. That's exactly how it's supposed to start.
And if you haven't joined us yet, the door is still open. Come do this with us. Click here to register: members.artwithanne.com/doodles
The Joy Is on the Other Side
Here's what I want you to hold onto.
The hard part — the unfamiliar program, the steps that feel like too much, the design that won't behave the way you pictured it — that hard part is temporary. It gets easier with every session, every attempt, every small win.
The joy on the other side? That's permanent.
The moment your first repeating pattern tiles correctly on your screen — that moment belongs to you forever. The confidence that comes from doing something you didn't think you could do? That doesn't go away.
I know, because I've lived it. And I've watched thousands of women live it too.
You don't have to be tech savvy. You don't have to be a trained artist. You don't have to be young, or fast, or fearless.
You just have to follow the steps. Keep it simple. And do the work.
That's it. That's the whole secret.
What's the hardest part of learning something new for you — is it the technology, the self-doubt, or something else entirely? Send me an email — I’d love to know.
xo,
Anne
It’s Never Too Late to Create®
Footnotes
Kirschner, Paul A., John Sweller, and Richard E. Clark. "Why Minimal Guidance During Instruction Does Not Work: An Analysis of the Failure of Constructivist, Discovery, Problem-Based, Experiential, and Inquiry-Based Teaching."Educational Psychologist 41, no. 2 (2006): 75–86.
Sweller, John. "Cognitive Load During Problem Solving: Effects on Learning."Cognitive Science 12, no. 2 (1988): 257–285.
National Training Laboratories. "The Learning Pyramid." Bethel, Maine. Referenced in Wyman, Pat. Smarter Six Week Brain Makeover. 2003.
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MEET ANNE
Hi…I’m Anne!
My creative inspiration comes from a lifetime of observation. I grew up in Paris on the Place St. Sulpice and walked to school through the Luxembourg gardens. And that was only the beginning… Learn more by watching the video on my About page.
