Here are three individual's whose thoughts I subscribe to:
Bob Lefsetz 
Fred Wilson
Seth Godin

5 steps for getting started.

Moving forward I am going to try to only create SVG images for things I use in web and in EE. Scaling without pixelating makes a huge difference.

I followed this tutorial to make the zig zag pattern in Adobe Illustrator. I exported the image and then filled it with the Bucket tool using colors picked from a photograph.

Last week I saw this tweet from Keri-Lee Beasley. I favorited it and then  I forwarded it to my email so I could remember to check back on it. This week (and the next couple of weeks) I am going to check them all out and see if there are any ideas that transfer across design tools (it looks like there are).