Maybe Maps?

Hello, is it really Friday (afternoon) and where has the week gone. I have been so busy, preparing for two specail visitors who arrived this afternoon, designing maps, and, in between coping with a migrane headache!

I am just surfacing, and about time too as the deadline is looming for the live Wallpapered brief set by ABSPD with the theme Maps. I have a few ideas but am only just putting them into production. It is not an easy brief but no excuses for not doing a good job... not even a migrane headache!

So I am sharing a couple of pattern ideas with you inspired by maps which I am currently working on. These "maybe" my final pieces as I feel I am getting closer to what I imagined my pattern to look like. Although I hope I can improve on the colour palette as I am not happy with that yet.

Just to wish you all a happy weekend. I will be back on Monday with another Dream Designs post so please take time to pop in a have a look who it is and what her Dream Design is!

Dream Design 6 - Simi Gauba

Today I am very pleased to welcome Simi Gauba, a surface designer who lives in Sweden. She has chosen a pattern which shows off her lovely design skills and has outlined her dream application for it.

Here is my design called 'Karan'. It is a mix of my indian heritage and my own rendition of colors and motifs I grew up with. I think I saw my mum wear a lot of similar motifs in her clothing and that's where it originates from-happy memories.

Dream Product for the pattern : Cushion/Pillow for the living room.
Dream Company to sell the product to : Åhlens or Indiska in Sweden.

I absolutely love Simi's style and I admire her work tremendously. I find that she has good taste and a great colour sense. The pattern Simi has chosen as her Dream Design is very rich, warm and colourful and I could easily imagine it both on silky fabrics or thick upholstery fabrics. The pattern is part of a collection which I believe she is still working on and I can't wait to see the whole collection when it is finished. She also has some very modern designs which I also enjoy as they have a great contemporary and innovative feel to them. 

Her greatest achievement yet is 'Having won the Print and Pattern Scholarship back in April 2012 to get a place in the fab course ABSPD run by Rachael Taylor and Beth Nicholls'. 

I recommend a close look at her blog here it is full of her lovely work and interesting posts about design which she declares to 'celebrate' and that it 'makes her extremely happy'... well that makes two of us then!

Doodleboard 'Swirls'

I absolutely love my doodleboard which has found its way into my garage! It may not seem the perfect place but I am getting used to it and I am sure that it will become a permanent feature from now on.

Already on my 4th sheet of A1 paper I am noticing a difference between the things I draw in my sketchbook and the things I draw whilst standing in front of my doodleboard! For one thing the drawings are bigger and bolder and I just draw anything that comes into my head, mainly patterns, shapes and motifs. I use black pens and I sometimes stick bits of paper onto the sheet beforehand (with a computer it can be so tempting and simple to add lots of different colours to the designs immediately), with just a pen and paper I concentrate mainly on the marks I make.

I have already identified lots of elements which could easily be elaborated further to create individual patterns. Although I have a busy schedule I am eager to develop and finish a pattern which has originated from my doodleboard. Until then I'll leave you with a couple of swirly bits and some flowers from my 4th doodle sheet!

Dream Design 5 - Esther Cox

Today I wish to share a great design and 'Dream' with you from Esther Cox who is a Surface Pattern Designer and Illustrator based in Brighton, UK. She tells us in her own words...

I adore 1950s design; its futuristic structures, craft influences and whimsical style. This pattern sums that up for me. I adore the ceramics too and I would love to see my work on the likes of Poole, Portmeirion or even Marimekko! What I enjoyed about deconstructing this pattern to create the plate design was that the elements so quickly became reminiscent of an olive, cocktail stick, canape... That seems to suit the whimsical inspiration and its intended purpose.

If I could say something about Esther's work it would definately be abstract with a large dose of whimsical personality! There is also a strong retro influence but this reoccurs in a refreshing and sometimes 'sparkly' way. I enjoy all her patterns with light backgrounds, it is so nice to pick out the elements one by one and it emphasises her illustrative style. She designs some pretty cool seedpods which are hard to identify but beautiful original creations in their own right! Her work lends itself perfectly to ceramics but I could visualise it on many other homeware products too. 

Reading her blog I discovered she comes from a very creative and talented family so it must be in her genes to create such wonderful and original patterns. Please take time to visit her blog here which is full of interesting articles, her surface pattern designs, illustration and all things sewn. LOVELY!

I will be back next week with another Dream Design feature, remember if you would like to take part just email me at niceandfancy@libero.it