Creating Your Dream Passion Project

Have you ever seen a passion project and thought, “I wish I could do something like that!”

Guess what? You ARE 100% capable.  

When I first heard about passion projects I had all these ideas for brands that I wanted to create. But I had no idea where to start. Like you’re probably doing right now, I googled for HOURS. I decided once I mastered the process, I’d teach others how to do it for themselves. So, here we are! 

What is a graphic design passion project? 

It’s essentially a “fake” project that you create with the goal of honing your own skills and attracting new clients in that industry/style.

Why every designer needs to create a passion project

Passion projects can be highly influential in booking your ideal clients. If your portfolio doesn’t already have several projects that will attract your ideal client, this is a great way to demonstrate your capabilities. The idea is to showcase the type of work you want to book. 

I will forever be sharing my latest speculative project, Orenson Salt Co., because of how different it is from the work I traditionally do. I had so much fun using my creativity and continue to get compliments about how bold and chic it is!

How to design a passion project

Almost every designer I’ve talked with so far said that the initial phases of designing their passion project was overwhelming.

To help alleviate some of that stress, I created a Passion Project Plan for you! It includes a webinar recording, the slide deck from my presentation, a bonus Q&A, and four essential downloadable resources to get you started on your own passion project journey.

Here are the topics you’ll learn: 

• What is a passion project?
• How to plan your project
• Getting started with your project
• Presenting your passion project
  

What fellow designers are saying:

“I have done passion projects before, but AnnaKate is inspiring me with her insights and resources to take them to the next level. She’s not holding back and freely shares fantastic advice. So even if you think you know what makes a good passion project, you’ll get a ton of inspiration out of this!” – Sara Gisabella

“Thanks so much for putting the webinar together. I found it super helpful and inspiring to see what’s possible! I’ve been meaning to do a project that I can print and photograph myself but have been putting it off for ages. Your generous resource is giving me all the tools I need to start on my project and get sh*t done. AnnaKate was extremely informative and transparent throughout her whole process and I feel equipped with what I need to get started!” – Carol Fan, Lokyee Studio

“I have created passion projects in the past to grow my portfolio and expand my skill set but felt they lacked a strong foundational base. The Passion Project Plan webinar training was the exact solution I needed! It’s extremely helpful because AnnaKate listed out the exact plan for starting a passion project based on the goals, the target audience, resources and budget available, etc. The biggest takeaway of this webinar for me was the Strategy for Passion Projects resource. It is a great starting point to create passion projects that are intentional and not just pretty designs. I definitely feel prepared to apply all these points on my next passion project!” – Pralika Alvares

“I have spent the first 2.5 years of my business taking on whatever project came in the door. This has left me with work examples I am not proud of and don’t want to share in fear that it will attract similar work. I have known I need to create passion projects but have been intimidated by the process. This webinar melted away any hesitation, and I’m now ready to jump in!” – Rylin Lindahl

“Incredible resources/prompts to consider. I feel so much more organized and prepared to create an elevated passion project.” – Aubrey Fite