Boho hippy retro chic

I’ve recently been converting my hand drawn patterns into vector versions, as demonstrated here:

Hand drawn boho mandala pattern in marker and pastel pencil

And the vector version of it as a seamless repeating pattern:

Inverted

Here’s an inverted version of the lino textured concentric circle pattern.

It’s my definition of inverted because the white on blue version came first but it could be argued that this is the positive version really.

I do love the scanned lino print texture. I sat and printed multiple versions of an uncut A4 lino sheet to get an authentic and convincing effect.

Fabric design – Lino rings turquoise

I’ve had a blogging hiatus but definitely not a creative one. The last few months I’ve been mainly focusing on pattern designs. I’ve opened a shop on Spoonflower with my first ten uploaded designs at https://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/quirkymundo

Lino textured concentric circle pattern design in blue and white

It’s what happens when you cross a vector pattern with a scanned lino print texture and a nice blue colour.

Separating styles?

One thing I’ve struggled with in recent years is the fact that I like working in different media and styles. I draw, paint, doodle, scan, retouch and vector away to my heart’s content but that doesn’t create a consistent style. Is this a problem I wonder?

I sometimes go fully old-school with acrylic paint on canvas.

Doughnut still life painting - acrylic on canvas — Doughnut still life painting – acrylic on canvas

Doughnut still life - mixed media gouache and pastel — Doughnut still life – mixed media gouache and pastel

One thing that has always been drummed into me is that it’s OK to have a versatility of styles as a graphic designer but not such a good idea as an illustrator. I’m considering stepping back from the process of finding a ‘signature’ style and allowing the natural variety back into my work. A lovely friend has suggest that becoming a stock illustrator / designer may be a way to accommodate this idea. The more I think about it, the more I like it. Hmmm…

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Pinky bluey patterny

Of all the patterns I’ve drawn recently I think this one is my favourite. It’s hand-drawn and was composed as I went – no photoshop involved other than to clean up the scan. I also learned an important lesson about keeping my scanner dust-free as it took absolutely ages to clean up. I’m now the proud owner of some cleaning wipes for exactly that purpose.

Lots of circles

I remember way back when I was doing a BTEC in Graphic design I did a project that needed a design for a Windsor and Newton Gouache box. I painstakingly painted a complicated circles pattern using said gouache. 27 years later and I’m back to drawing circles.

I was so happy with the result of that project that it was the turning point that convinced me that the graphic design option was going to work out. Which it did, for many years, until it didn’t any more. In hindsight I think it was actually the circle pattern that I was happy with, more than the graphic design elements that surrounded it.

Hindsight it a wonderful thing and all that… 😉

Colour charts and schemes

I have spent lots of time making colour charts for my different brands of markers. I find this oddly relaxing.

I also spend huge amounts of time working out colour schemes for my patterns. Here’s an example:

My happy place

I’m fortunate enough to have a small room set aside to work on my creative projects. Many a happy hour is spent tucked away in there with my mountains of markers, paints, pencils etc. My cat often comes to curl up on the windowsill to the left of my desk and keeps me company until she gets bored and decides I need a break. Then she’ll start stealing pens or munching on my kneecaps to make me pay attention to her. It’s more charming than it sounds.

The beginning

I wish I had photographs of my early pattern doodles done as a kid. There were hundreds of them but I can’t remember what became of them. I do have piles of doodles from the last 10 or so years.

I’ve doodled during long journeys, I’ve doodled in cafes, I’ve doodled between calls in call centres and while pupils completed exercises when I was a TEFL teacher. About the only time I didn’t doodle was when I was a graphic designer – which is partly why I’m not any more 🙂

So many years and so many doodles yet I never really did anything with any of them. I considered training as a tattoo artist but I’m not sure I could make needles and blood my friends.

Many wise proverbs speak of doing something you love and that comes naturally to you. Check and check. And so here I am…

It’s all for the love of pattern, colour and style.