Thanks so much for visiting, and for commenting! Wanted to say that ahead of time, just in case. The deadline is breathing down my neck. And of course, the computer decided to act up. I kept getting the error message “scratch disk is full”. Which basically means that Photoshop is out-of-order and closed for repairs. Not a good thing.
I was up until 2:20 am. Trying to get a jump on the day by writing my post. My #3 assignment for Summer School is “somewhere in the middle” as Jonah (sleepless in Seattle) so confidently put it. Paint, scan, clean, add details, place, and post.
I painted more feathers than you see here. Watercolor washes are finicky. Several of my first attempts were not as intense, so I won’t be using them in the final design. They are good, but just don’t fit with these. I still need to add details, and I have the pattern worked out in my head. Here’s hoping it works on paper too.
This week my design time was drastically reduced. I participated in a Creative Live course with Bonnie Christine of Going Home to Roost. Her class was a blast. Really intense. Three full days on Illustrator and surface pattern design. More on that in a bit.
I only had three days to complete my designs for the MIID assignments. I was determined to complete them all, so I had to simplify. K.I.S.S. Keep it simple, stupid.
For the Beginner theme, Tribal Shapes, I came up with this basic repeat. I knew that I would incorporate it in the Tribal Collage for the advanced assignment.
MIID Beginner Brief 2 details
I added lines to mimic a woven fabric, and then I erased them partly for a worn look. I used a second brush to add splotches of color.
Animal Print was the intermediate theme. I felt the need for steed. My original thought was to do some sort of quilted pattern of just hides. But then I thought about those terrible 70’s patchwork purses, and I just couldn’t go that route. I am not sure this is better. Animal prints in general are just not favorites of mine.
Faux horse hide
I added the same texture details, thinking of nubby old blankets, or an old itchy rug. I do like how the details turned out, but they do not translate well on screen, and I am not really sure they are visible in MIID gallery pages. I also completed the required product mock-up for this, and I really like how it looks in use.
Mock up, MIID Intermediate Brief 2
Make It – Advanced
Tribal Collage, the advanced assignment, brought these elements together. I did this pattern in about six hours. Right up against the deadline.
MIID Advanced details
So tell me what you think. Did I take the texture too far, or not far enough?
Design Surface Patterns From Scratch With Bonnie Christine
So amazing! Bonnie is a terrific teacher and she is so generous in sharing all she knows. To anyone interested in learning pattern design, I highly recommend this class. The instruction in Illustrator was geared specifically for pattern design. I have worked in Photoshop, honestly, because learning Illustrator seemed daunting.
Bonnie made it look so easy, she explained each step. I had planned on creating my MIID designs in Illustrator, because I was short on time I stuck with Photoshop. You know, learning curve.
But I am tackling Illustrator this weekend. Bonnie’s assignment is to create a six piece pattern collection. FUN!!
I am painting herbs, to use in a repeating pattern. I may do some potted herbs, as well as loose bunches here and there. Just a start, and I am thinking they look a bit more like pine, and less like rosemary. Onward ho!
