Design Studio Live 2027

Where Good Designers Become Unforgettable

An entire year of workshops tailored to make you the designer whose work stands out, is purchased, and is exceptional.

Alumni & Current Member/Student Early Bird Offer
Price goes up to regular price  ·  Midnight MT, September 7, 2026
Enroll
52 live workshops
52 Live
Workshops
Seven tools in one year
7 Tools,
One Year
Lifetime access
Lifetime
Access
Designs that actually sell
Designs That
Actually Sell
Become a premier designer
Become a
Premier Designer

Become the Best Designer At What You Make…

…by having the skills and flexibility that the others don't. Make your work unforgettable.

Design Studio Live 2027 is your ticket to taking your design work to the next level. If you have ever wondered why you haven't gotten that contract, gotten that deal, or have few views on Etsy, it is almost inevitably because you are making lots of “good” stuff but not the “best” stuff. Each workshop in 2027 is a live, step-by-step design build. You show up, follow along, and you leave with the knowledge of how to create something new, create something faster, or in a new medium.

By the end of the year you'll have built things you can actually use, actually sell, and that actually look incredible. Plus you will have created reusable systems, brushes, templates, and libraries you keep forever.

This is your moment to explore how to become an unforgettable designer and level up.

See the full 2027 roadmap ↓
Finished 2027 design project

This is for you if...

Design Studio Live is built to work at every level at the same time. The same workshop takes a beginner by the hand and hands an advanced designer a technique they didn't have.

Beginners

Beginners

You want to be taken step by step and not left behind. Every workshop starts at the beginning and shows every click.

Hobbyists ready to sell

Hobbyists ready to sell

You make beautiful things for yourself and you're ready to make work that's actually worth selling.

Intermediate designers

Intermediate designers

You can use the tools. What you want now are the techniques that separate competent work from unforgettable work.

Advanced designers

Advanced designers

You want speed, reusable systems, and a sharper eye, plus a year of techniques you haven't tried yet.

Future UAD students

Future UAD students

You're planning to apply to the University of Arts & Design business program and want direct preparation for it.

Anyone tired of blending in

Anyone tired of blending in

You've been wondering why your products aren't selling. It's time to stand out.

The 2027 Roadmap

Your Map To Success

52 workshops, 4 bonus workshops, a 3 day paid event (free for you), and a series of design skills to help you become the best in this field.

The Design Studio Live 2027 workshop map with all 52 weeks and 4 bonus releases

Every member gets this map as a 20″ × 30″ printable download. Print it, pin it up, and check off all 52 workshops as you go.

What You Get

Everything included in 2027.

  • 52 live step-by-step workshops One every week, all year long
  • Seven tools in one year Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Procreate, Premiere Pro, watercolor, and color theory
  • Taught by Dr. Carina Gardner With select sessions led by members of her team
  • Every level, every session Beginner through advanced, so you never outgrow it
  • Assets you keep forever Reusable systems, brushes, templates, and libraries
  • Lifetime access PDFs with password-protected videos, delivered at the end of 2027
Bonuses

And then some.

  • Four bonus workshops before the year begins Released September through December 2026
  • Design Studio Live 3 Day Event Three days together, included with your enrollment
  • Private Discord community The people building alongside you all year
  • Virtual conference sessions With the University in January, May, and September 2027
  • The Design Your Life Podcast Included with your membership
  • Direct preparation for the University of Arts & Design Groundwork for the UAD business program
Your Instructor
Dr. Carina Gardner
Dr. Carina Gardner
Designer · Creative Director · University President

Carina holds a Ph.D. in Design from the University of Minnesota and has spent over 17 years licensing her art and patterns including dishware, jewelry, prints, clocks, sewing patterns, and seasonal décor sold through Nordstrom, Riley Blake Designs, Silhouette, and 500+ independent boutiques and museums across the U.S.

She previously served as Creative Director for Carta Bella Scrapbook Paper and founded the children’s brand Mini Lou, carried by Nordstrom and Peek Clothing. She is the founder of Design Suite and the University of Arts & Design.

Through the Make and Design Podcast, Carina has spent years teaching hobbyists and crafters how to build a real design business. Get ready for a magical, fun-filled year in Design Studio Live!

Some sessions throughout the year are led by members of Carina’s team, each brought in for the tool or technique they know best.

Lifetime access. Yours to keep.

Design Studio Live is lifetime access. At the end of 2027 you receive PDFs with password-protected videos for the entire year, so every workshop, template, and library you built stays with you, long after the live year is over.

Enrollment

Lock in the lowest price

Design Studio Live 2027 is $6,997 $2,997 for everyone at the Virtual Conference. Every payment plan is discounted too. At midnight on September 7, 2026, all four go to full price.

Alumni & Current Member/Student Early Bird Offer
Price goes up to regular price  ·  Midnight MT, September 7, 2026
Best Value
Pay In Full
Regular Price$6,997
$2,997
One-time payment · Lifetime access
Save $4,000 · 57% Off
Design Studio Live 2027
The complete year. All 52 live workshops, all 4 bonus releases, the 3-day event, and lifetime access to everything.
  • 52 live step-by-step workshops
  • 7 tools: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Procreate, Premiere Pro, watercolor, color theory
  • 4 bonus workshops (Sept–Dec 2026)
  • Design Studio Live 3 Day Event
  • Bonus Discord community group
  • Virtual conference sessions in Jan, May & Sept 2027
  • The Design Your Life Podcast
  • Lifetime access & UAD program prep
Enroll for only$2,997$6,997
4 Payments
Regular Price$1,897/mo
$797/mo
4 monthly payments · $3,188 total
Save $4,400 · 58% Off
Design Studio Live 2027
The full program, paid across four months. Same 52 workshops, same bonuses, same lifetime access.
  • 52 live step-by-step workshops
  • 7 tools: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Procreate, Premiere Pro, watercolor, color theory
  • 4 bonus workshops (Sept–Dec 2026)
  • Design Studio Live 3 Day Event
  • Bonus Discord community group
  • Virtual conference sessions in Jan, May & Sept 2027
  • The Design Your Life Podcast
  • Lifetime access & UAD program prep
Enroll for 4 payments of$797$1,897
8 Payments
Regular Price$997/mo
$497/mo
8 monthly payments · $3,976 total
Save $4,000 · 50% Off
Design Studio Live 2027
A smaller monthly payment across eight months, with everything unlocked from day one.
  • 52 live step-by-step workshops
  • 7 tools: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Procreate, Premiere Pro, watercolor, color theory
  • 4 bonus workshops (Sept–Dec 2026)
  • Design Studio Live 3 Day Event
  • Bonus Discord community group
  • Virtual conference sessions in Jan, May & Sept 2027
  • The Design Your Life Podcast
  • Lifetime access & UAD program prep
Enroll for 8 payments of$497$997
12 Payments
Regular Price$697/mo
$357/mo
12 monthly payments · $4,284 total
Save $4,080 · 49% Off
Design Studio Live 2027
The lowest monthly payment, spread across the full year you’re building in.
  • 52 live step-by-step workshops
  • 7 tools: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Procreate, Premiere Pro, watercolor, color theory
  • 4 bonus workshops (Sept–Dec 2026)
  • Design Studio Live 3 Day Event
  • Bonus Discord community group
  • Virtual conference sessions in Jan, May & Sept 2027
  • The Design Your Life Podcast
  • Lifetime access & UAD program prep
Enroll for 12 payments of$357$697

This is the lowest price Design Studio Live 2027 will ever be. At midnight MT on September 7, 2026, enrollment goes to $6,997.

Questions

Frequently asked.

What if I'm a complete beginner?
You're exactly who this was built for. Every workshop is step by step and shows every click, so nobody gets left behind. And because the same session also carries the advanced technique, you won't outgrow it as you improve through the year.
What if I miss a live workshop?
Nothing is lost. Every session is recorded, and at the end of 2027 you receive PDFs with password-protected videos for the entire year. You have lifetime access, so you can work through the year at whatever pace fits your life.
What software do I need?
Across the year we use Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Procreate, and Premiere Pro, plus real watercolor supplies for the painting sessions. You do not need all of them to get value. Most weeks stand alone, and the map tells you exactly which tool each workshop uses so you can plan.
How much time does each workshop take?
Plan on about an hour a week for the live session, plus whatever time you want to spend building your own version. The whole design of the year is that you finish something every single week rather than accumulating a folder of half-done projects.
Is "lifetime access" really lifetime?
Yes. Design Studio Live 2027 is lifetime access. At the end of 2027 you receive PDFs with password-protected videos covering the full year, so the entire program stays with you.
Is there a payment plan?
Three of them. You can pay in full at $2,997, or spread it across 4 payments of $797, 8 payments of $497, or 12 payments of $357. Every plan gives you the exact same thing: all 52 workshops, all bonuses, the 3-day event, and lifetime access, from the day you enroll. All four are Virtual Conference pricing and go to full price at midnight MT on September 7, 2026.
Why does the price go up on September 7?
$2,997 is the Virtual Conference enrollment price because we are giving this price to anyone who is a current student/member or alumni student/member. Carina is not offering this to the public until later, and not at this price. This is her special discount to you as one of her members. Enrolling now locks in the full year, all bonuses, and lifetime access at the conference rate.
Will this prepare me for the University of Arts & Design program?
Yes. Design Studio Live is direct preparation for the UAD business program, and you also get bonus virtual conference sessions with the University in January, May, and September 2027.
Can I get a refund?
No. Since this is a digital product there are no refunds. Inability to make all payments will mean your access will be revoked and you will not receive the lifetime access pass.

A year from now, your work either looks the same, or it looks unforgettable.

I can't wait to see how your work will become unforgettable as you take it from Good to Best during 2027.

Enroll
See you in 2027! XOXO, Carina