What is a surface pattern designer?
What is a surface pattern designer?
When it comes to creative businesses, surface designer is a popular choice for artistic entrepreneurs. After all, who doesn’t love pretty patterns?
What does it take to be a successful surface pattern designer? In addition to an artistic vision and an eye for detail, surface pattern designers need to be skilled in a variety of software programs, including Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
We also need to have a strong understanding of color theory and compositional techniques. Being a successful surface pattern designer requires passion and determination. After all, the surface design industry is highly competitive.
I am starting out my career as a surface pattern designer. I am love creating a variety of work and combining this work with my graphic design business.
What is surface pattern design?
Surface pattern design is a branch of design that deals with the decoration of surfaces using patterns. It is often used in the fashion, textile, paper, and product industries. Surface pattern designers create original artwork or repeat patterns for fabrics, fashions, textiles, wallpaper, gift wrap, home decor, and stationery.
Their work can be found on products such as towels, bedding, tableware, and carpets. The drawing can be many forms of art, sketch, hand drawn art, watercolor, oil paint, color pencil, gouache, or digital. There are so many options for surface design.
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Some types of surface pattern designs.
Some common ones include:
– Floral patterns
– Geometric patterns
– Animal prints
– Abstract
Pattern designers can focus on a specific area of surface pattern design or create for a variety of products.
How my journey as a surface pattern designer began.
It all started after taking a class with Bonnie Christine, the surface design immersion course, and falling in love with it. This class is a really great way to get started. I found myself working on various projects that involved designing patterns.
After getting used to creating patterns in Adobe Illustrator (which was new for me) I created more than just analog design motifs. I also tried my hand at creating digital designs which allowed me freedom when combining different subject matter.
The design process is more freeing to me than my graphic design work. I think this is because I get to work on design elements freely and use my skills to their fullest. I can use my hand drawn art and produce more art or patterns.
Surface pattern design allows me to use my analog and digital skills, combining them to complete the end design. The other thing is I get to develop and learn new skills.
AS A DESIGNER
As a designer, I need to have a good understanding of color, texture, and form. Looking at just color there are so many options and the color palettes you can select from, they can make or break a design. I also must be able to have visual balance and harmony in my designs.
My years of experience in design, working with small and large corporate clients, being the design director of a firm, and the hard work I have put into my career allows me to have a unique perspective on my surface pattern designs.
I have learned to be an excellent communicator and collaborate with different brands as a surface designer.
Surface pattern design is a growing field with many opportunities for talented and innovative designers. If you have a passion for surface patterns and textile designs, then a career in surface pattern design could be the perfect choice for you too!
ABOUT THE PROCESS
The designer’s process usually starts out by creating sketches of their ideas. These sketches are then converted into digital artwork using computer software.
The final designs are then printed onto fabric or paper using specialized printing techniques. You can read more about my process HERE.
Surface pattern design is a growing field, with many opportunities for designers. If you are interested in pursuing a career in this area, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
*Surface pattern design is very competitive, so it is important to stand out from the crowd, and have unique designs.
*It is important to have a strong portfolio of work that showcases your skills and talent.
*Surface pattern designers need to be able to work well under pressure and to deadlines.
Things I dream to happen with my art as an artist:
*Fabric collection, being a fabric designer is one of the first things that drew me into surface design
*Having a signature style
*The end product – all the products I will see my art on. I look forward to the wide range of products my work will be on. Some of my favorites would be planners/notebooks, comforter sets, pillows, wall art, and home decor.
My favorite design tools and some of the necessary tools.
I share more of my favorites in this blog post:
- My moleskin and Leuchtturm sketchbooks
- Rapidograph pens
- Sennelier watercolors
- Liquitex gouache
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
Things I love about this work, it really is my true passion:
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- The process
- The many inspiring ideas
- Being a professional designer
- The flexibility and my daily life as a designer
- Combining analog and digital mediums
- The beautiful patterns I create
- The Community
Good things about this direction:
Another good thing about this direction in my career is the range of income streams and the ways to get paid, a flat fee or a licensing fee are just two of them.
There is a range of other ways to sell your designs – print on demand, fabric shops, physical products, retail stores, in-person workshops, and online workshops, these are great examples and a great place to start your research.
There are so many types of design and potential clients out there.
HOW I CREATE:
I create in a few ways but I typically use watercolor/gouache, scan, and bring it into the computer. From there I then create further, enhance, and play in Photoshop. Once that work is done and the motif(s) are finished I will either make my patterns in Photoshop or I will bring them into Illustrator.
If I do the latter then I will image trace using ‘high fidelity and that way my designs are vectorized. It does make my file quite large so sometimes I have to work within a few files to finish the design. I talk about my process in several posts but check out this one post.
LOOKING FORWARD:
I look forward to this next stage in my creative career. I am forever thankful I came across the textile designer, Bonnie Christine, and her Immersion Course. That website is HERE.
It is a lot of work but I absolutely love it! I am addicted to creating repeat patterns, it does not matter if it is for a personal project or a commercial project.
You can see more of my work on my portfolio website. I know this is the right path for my life. My love for floral patterns, geometric shapes, textiles, and all things repeating patterns is perfect.
I know there are many designers out there but there is room for all of us. Looking for a unique design or custom work? I am your girl, a freelance surface pattern designer and graphic designer.
MY WORDS OF WISDOM AND ADVICE:
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- Follow many artists. Don’t copy their designs, find the inspiration.
- Search Instagram for other artists, new pattern designer, or textile designer. Give them some love by commenting and following.
- Print your work, evaluate it, learn from it, and improve on it.
- Have a website. Show off your work!
- Look at past work you created, and change it up. Use it in a new way. Make prints of it.
- Focus on one industry. Fashion, textiles, wallpaper, stationary, prints. There are so many.
- If you love drawing then be an artist. Take action.
- Know an artist, visit their studio. In Huntsville? Then visit Lowe Mill and visit more than one studio, there are over 160 working artists there.
- Have a pattern idea – try it out. Print the pattern on fabric, and make something with it.
surface PATTERN DESIGNERS TO FOLLOW:
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- Cat Coq – Instagram: catcoq, Website: catcoq.com
- Elizabeth Silver – Instagram: esilverdesign, Website: elizabethsilver.com
- Elizbeth Olwen – Instagram: elizabetholwen, Website: elizabetholwen.com
- Jess Miller – Instagram: jessmillerdraws, Website: jessmilldraws.com
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WHERE I WORK.
You are always welcome to stop in at the studio, located in Historic Lowe Mill, Studio 120.
I also work out of my home studio, pictured below.
To keep up with the latest pieces and my art journey follow me on social media – INSTAGRAM.
Don’t forget to sign up for my NEWSLETTER to catch updates on my new projects, new prints, new classes, and more!
Happy Creating,
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