This week’s Spoonflower challenge was inspired by vintage postcards. I chose my palette from various old Australian surf posters. I also explored under-patterning and adding texture so the final effect has depth. I think it would be a nice piece for a beach bag. Still thinking about doing something to bring out the turtles.
I’ve been wanting to find an excuse to design a pattern for a cycling shirt and this weeks Spoonflower challenge was just perfect. I was really working from what I’d like to wear as a cycling. I enjoyed playing with the colour palette and there’s definitely some more playing around to be done. Maybe the pink as a background or even an additional panel? The maths involved in creating this was daunting at times. I created each of the wheels and cogs in Adobe Illustrator. The mock-up came from Creative Market which is an increasingly valuable design resource for me.
A couple of weeks ago I entered my second Spoonflower competition and was please to get around 90 votes! That’s my best result yet, but it didn’t cut it for the top 60. Onwards and upwards though. I’m going to just keep on trying. This week was Small Scale Summer. It was so perfect for Australia and it taught me a thing or two about scale. Voting starts on 2nd May here
I have loved creating a new pattern for Spoonflower this week. Australian florals are an endless source of inspiration. The’r mad and random, curly and spiky and come in the brightest, loveliest colours.
I also discovered Roostery this week. Cant believe it took me so long. What fantastic resource for creating quick mock-ups and visualising your work win products.
Last week I entered my first Spoonflower challenge. But Whilst I was doing that I generated a whole new collection. It was such a great creativity boost. I’m really pleased with the results. I’ve put the whole collection on my other website.
It’s had a little bit of attention on Spoonflower. The competition is really high though. Fingers crossed!!
It’s been a while since I last wrote a blog post here. I’ve been so busy setting up my business in surface pattern design. There have been some delightful goings on in the children’s picture book area though. This weekend is the first book launch for Grace’s Mystery Seed. I was fortunate enough to meet the author the other day and she is a bundle of enthusiasm, so the lunch should be a lot of fun. This Sunday 24th March 2019 – 2pm, Ford Street Publishing, 162 Hoddle Street, Abbotsford, Melbourne
I had some delightful news today. The short lists for the Speech Pathology Australia Children’s Book Awards 2018 is out. I was delighted to see my name on the 5-8 year olds list for ‘My Super Special Granny’, just a above Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton. Then I looked a little further down and there was my name again! Horray!
A few hours later I looked through the 3 – 5 year olds list and there I am again! Wow, I need a lie down.
I was super excited to receive my first samples from Spoonflower this week.
I also had a lot of fun learning how to adjust colour pallets in Adobe Illustrator, and created some more delicate patterns.
Yesterday I made a major step forward towards seeing my patterns on actual products. It’s been just 6 weeks since I started from scratch with learning how to create patterns on Adobe Illustrator. So far I’ve produced around 26 patterns, including the ones I’ve just recoloured. My absolute favourite in this Gum Blossom print on the sports shorts. Gradually I am seeing a style and your pallet emerging. Yesterday though I discovered Art of Where. A company that does DropShipping. A word I had never come across. Basically they will print my patterns onto products and I can display them in my Etsy shop. So costumers can order them before they are actually made. I’m planning on getting some samples to check the quality, of course.
Now back to making patterns!
It’s been two years since I wrote a blog entry! That’s shocking, but I think it’s taken me that long to start getting to grips with what I really love doing creatively. It’s difficult for me to write a blog. It seems too self indulgent and like blowing my own trumpet. But if that what needs to be done to be part of a creative community and promote my work then I’m going to get into it. And I’ve got work I want to shout about now. I have discover surface pattern design and I love it!
Here’s just a small selection. I’ve opened a Redbubble shop and discovered Spoonflower and Weave Up. It’s certainly related to my children’s book illustration work and all the years of drawing has really helped, but this is what gets me out of bed at the moment.
It started with doing an amazing online course with Bonnie Christine on Creative Live. It was set at exactly the right pace and I learnt a massive amount about using Adobe Illustrator to create surface patterns. And now I can’t stop!
