Pattern Development - White Floral Holiday

 

The holiday season brings with it so much inspiration, from the vibrant greens of winter foliage to the deep reds of berries and the soft whites of snow. I wanted to capture that festive, cozy feeling with hand-painted watercolor motifs that come together in a beautiful botanical pattern.

I started with simple watercolor paintings of holiday botanicals, removed the background in Procreate, and then opened them in Photoshop to create the repeat pattern.

Follow along in this 1 minute video as I work through the process of arranging the motifs. I’m considering color, scale, shape, and flow.

TIP: After I finished the video, I added a slight stippled texture in the ground. Textural backgrounds help watercolor motifs to blend with the ground color rather than appearing to sit on top of a flat ground.

If you struggle to create great watercolor pattern designs, let me know the areas that trip you up. I will try to address them in future posts.

Start by downloading this #freebie, 5 Tips for Watercolor Pattern Design. This PDF download will help you get started making great designs with watercolor motifs.

 
 

Do you want to use Watercolor but don't think you can?

 

Do you think watercolor is too challenging to work with, can’t get the water ratio right, everything gets muddy? I have the solution!

Join me for a tutorial on painting with watercolor using watercolor brush pens. You will love the results!

Find the tutorial HERE.

Not familiar with Watercolor Brush Pens? I’ve used a few brands. They are all fun and have different aspects I like about them. Check my page janethilddesign/links-page for all the art supplies I love.

For this lesson, I’m using Arteza Brush Pens, Generals Chalk Pencils, and a random black brush marker. I bought mine in Japan but others are available in art and craft supply stores. You just need a sharp tip and dark black ink.

If you post about using brush pens or show the art you’ve made from this lesson, please tag me @janethilddesign. I’d love to see what you create!

 
 

Texture for Blenders

 

Hey there, plaid enthusiasts! Today, we are taking another look at the world of plaids and check patterns, affectionately known as Blender prints. So, grab your cup of creativity and let's explore!

Butterfly Trellis and Summer Plaid

Plaids and checks go with the hero print like the peanut butter and jelly of fabric - they just belong together!

I am a Textile Designer. For many years, I’ve designed woven fabrics for upholstery and wallcovering. With the explosion of digital printing in all markets, printed designs have become ubiquitous. Digital printing lets us create almost any design and lets me focus on watercolor patterns. But weaving is in my blood, I love a good weave texture! My friend Jen @manderleymakes, a quilt designer who runs the super fun membership, The Secret Society of Mystery Makers (don’t you love that name?!), tells me woven fabrics are trending for quilting. If you don’t have the resources for woven fabric, printed weave textures are the next best thing!

Rose & Blooms and Floating Square Twill

I’ve used a twill texture in several blender patterns. It adds that little special something that sets it apart from plain solid graphic patterns.

Blender prints offer endless possibilities for creative expression. They are so versatile and are often big sellers. These designs are timeless. For centuries, plaids and checks have been adding a classic charm to everything from clothing to home decor.

If your hero designs are watercolor like many of mine, or have an abundance of detail, a very graphic check can seem too flat. Weave textures are a great option to balance the simple blender with the dimension of the hero.

Little Roses and Gingham Check Twill

Last week I posted a tutorial, Create a Plaid with a Woven Texture using Adobe Illustrator. If you haven’t seen it yet, sign in HERE to try my technique. Find a PDF download of tips. too.

All the fabrics shown here are available in my Spoonflower shop.

Here are some Top Tips for adding weave textures to your patterns

  • Weave textures shouldn’t be scaled up or they become a pattern instead of a texture.

  • Weave textures that are too small will disappear in printing.

  • Find the best scale for the texture and use it for all design sizes.

  • Weave textures blend two colors of your pattern. Use color theory to keep from seeing muddy colors.

  • Try strong contrast and subtle contrast. They both work beautifully!

Until next time, happy creating! ✨🎨