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I found a bold print of the the Brazilian artist Rafaela Mascaro on Pinterest and had to investigate to see more. And oh boy, is there more! You know I’m drawn to bold and colorful art especially if it includes patterns and that is exactly what these are times 10. Click link above to see more from this versatile artist and click on images to purchase prints.
Here are just a few I enjoyed, out of hundreds of vendors. Click through to see more from the designers.
I so wish I was heading there now. My friend invited me to join her on a trip to Berlin, Vienna and Budapest (happening next week)—but unfortunately I had to bail. I had hip surgery recently and wouldn't be able to handle that flight, let alone be mobile enough for sightseeing! What a bummer. Boo hoo for me.
Anyway, since my grand hopes of viewing any Weiner Werkstätte (Vienna Workshop) art or textiles I could find there have now been dashed, I resorted to an internet search instead. There are many works of art from that company of artists, and the range and scope is incredible—from art, to postcards, to textile and furniture. My eyes are happy.
This is just too cool not to share. Zeitguised, a design company based in Berlin, Germany offers so many captivating things that are different from anything I've ever seen. Check out their website here. It's worth a look around.
Some info on the video below as described on their website:
“Void Season” is a simulated fashion project.
Part dreamlike theatre, part lateral cargo cult hustle, a quick succession of bold garment designs acts as an ersatz runway show. In a minimal set of solid backdrops, radiant colors and oblique choreography second the exquisite design of costumes that have been entirely artificially generated.
A wealth of custom procedural surface detail emphasizes the uncanny rift between the realistic presence of the guises and the abstract vacancy of the digitized human movements.
I find these clips weirdly genius.
It's been a while since I shared a favorite Instagrammer. I just love Ana's colorful, abstract artwork and bold patterns. Her feed, that is filled with vibrant shapes and color as well as wonderful inspirational photography is a joy to peruse.
You can see more of her artwork on her website here. and her Instagram feed here.
All images © Ana Montiel
Are you someone who...
I think lean toward #3 with a little #2 thrown in. I've heard that many people begin painting with a specific color palette in mind and let the colors guide the design. I personally like to design in black and white first. I almost never have a palette in mind until the layout is finished. Once I have the full design in front of me, colors just start appearing in my mind based on the kind of design I have created. I open up my swatch panel and really just start plugging them in as I begin to visual the end result. I never worry about the initial palette because I know I can always change it. Even if I paint something in color, I usually don't think too hard about the colors I put down.
Color can change the vibe of a design so much—I lean towards bold and bright colors, but that's just my personal aesthetic. If I have a client who is requesting a subtler color palette, I have to be able to change that design up to work for them too.
Here are some examples of how different a design can look when the palette is switched up for different uses. Which would you apply for wallpaper?Stationery? A shower curtain? The possibilities and uses are endless!
Eek I love this too much. Sometimes words aren't really necessary. See more on Vogue.com.
Photos: Rachelle Simoneau / Courtesy of Tsumori Chisato
I often visit libraries and used bookstores in search of new inspiration. I found a few great books recently and wanted to share how I get inspired by imagery and designs, and then capture various motifs to make my own. I found this book on Erté by Charles Spencer at the Russian Hill Bookstore and found that it contained a huge amount of inspiration.
While flipping through it, I sat with my sketchbook and noted little details that spoke to me and my aesthetic. Once I have a selection of motifs I like to take a page from my sketchbook like the one here, into Photoshop and start playing with various items to see what I can come up with. I sometimes use individual motifs or combine a few—the possibilities are endless.
Can you tell which ones I used to make the patterns below? With color and scale changes, rotating, reflecting and putting my own spin on things, the designs now feel like mine but I know Erté was my inspiration and that's I nice thought. Because I did these designs in the same hand and used a complimentary color palette, they also feel like they could work as part of a collection.
I hope you have fun finding your own inspiration and putting it to work.
© 2016 Katja Ollendorff
© 2016 Katja Ollendorff
© 2016 Katja Ollendorff
© 2016 Katja Ollendorff
Are you overwhelmed by all the offers, courses, classes, DIY, Must-Do's! out there? I sure am. I have a hard enough time trying to get one thing in front of me done, without getting distracted by ads that scream "Skills You Need to Have ", "You've Got to See This", "You Must Try This!", "Learn How To Make Your Life Exactly What You Want It To Be With Zero Effort And Make A Million Dollars Doing It." Although many of the courses teach valuable lessons, most of them come at a high price.
As a creative person, I'm always up for learning more. I love tutorials, marketing classes, instructional videos. However, I don't like spending money on every single thing I come across. I've found some great free PS tutorials through this site PHLEARN like these here. There are many ways to do the same thing, but I love finding a way that's more efficient. Even if something doesn't pertain exactly to textile design, you can still learn tips and tricks that are transferable.
Here are a few I found pretty interesting. Do you have any favorite free tutorial sites?
http://phlearn.com/how-to-use-step-and-repeat-in-photoshop
http://phlearn.com/how-to-color-an-illustration-in-photoshop
http://phlearn.com/apply-wallpaper-to-walls-in-photoshop
http://phlearn.com/use-refine-edge-tool-photoshop
On the heels of yesterday's CountryLiving feature, I have more Guildery news.
It's blue and green forever! Two of my all time favorite colors together in my latest collection Beaufort. I hope you enjoy all the new items that are now available on Guildery.com. You can always search KATJA and you'll find all of my collections in one spot! They recently added some new products such as wrapping paper and table linens. I ordered some paper for the holidays and it is GREAT quality. Go there and get thee some and enjoy!
I stumbled upon this Instagram feed and was immediately taken with the incredible patterns that Alea Toussaint makes out of a variety of objects. Whether it be flowers or peppercorns, pens or sequins—she makes one stop to take a closer look. Just beautiful!
She is a graphic designer and pattern artist based in Minneapolis. If you would like to see more of her work, visit her website here www.aleatoussaint.com
And you can buy prints of her work on Society 6 here.
All images are used with permission of the artist ©2015 Alea Toussaint
I had an amazing time this past weekend at the 2015 West Coast Craft Fair at Fort Mason. There were so many great vendors my eyes were just popping out of my head! I could have really done some damage but I was good, and restrained myself from breaking my bank.
Here are just a few of the 250+ artists, designers and craftspeople who exhibited. There were so many wonderful things but these stalls particularly caught my eye. I met a lot of really nice people and was very inspired by these talented artists. If you missed it this time around, I highly recommend staying on the lookout for the next show. It was by far the most enjoyable one I've been to at the Pavillion.
p.s. please excuse the not great quality iPhone shots - I forgot my camera at home! Also, when you click the images below you will be taken to the sites. Just click the back button to return to the blog.
I love patterns of all kinds, and the stripes that are popping up everywhere are making me very happy. From Ralph Lauren to Dior and Dolce and Gabbana—everyone is showcasing that classic of all classics, in fresh and vibrant colors. My favorite!
Clockwise from top left: Dior, Salvatore Ferragamo, Max Mara, Tommy Hilfiger, Dolce and Gabbana, Ralph Lauren
Images from Vogue.com, photo credit: IndigitalImages
I like to change things up, so I'm always working on something different—experimenting with different mediums and painting techniques. I love to move from design to design, but sometimes I get swept away and need to remember to focus in on the bigger picture—and think about how the design could work as part of a collection.
This has been my focus this week as I go back through my individual designs to see which would be good candidates to elaborate on. I actually really enjoy doing this, I just don't do it enough.
Take a peek at a few collections I have put together. What do you think?
I'm excited that my design Fan Flair, in Delphinium, is in the mix at the NYNOW show. If you happen to be at the show, go take a look at the beautiful array of designs from Guildery. Or see more of my collections and others on the website!
Images from Guildery.com
How cool is this!? My friend Scott Lucas of Just Cook Foods (a super duper delicious spice blend company) created 300 bottles of a Rutherford Valley Cabernet and asked me to design the label. How could I say no!?
I created the artwork for the label and worked in partnership with Jenny Doll, a talented designer who specializes in wine labels. Check out some of her work here Jenny Doll Designs. It was a really fun collaboration.
Back in June I posted a photo of me painting outside at my friends' home. Well this is their backyard, where I did my concepting for the label. It's so fun to see it come full circle. It will be a few months before it will be ready to drink and I can't wait to try it!
I say, just add pink!
I've been busy working on some new collections this weekend. Here's a sneak peek at a developing motif.
I love using a simple black marker like this one by Copic to draw my designs. It makes for easier scanning and cleanup down the road.
It's no surprise that I adore this feed. If you haven't seen it by now, just take a peek and I'm sure that you will love it too! @ihavethisthingwithfloors is the most mesmerizing array of floors, tiles, carpets and ground surfaces and it's really hard to pull myself away once I start looking. Here are just a few of the 300,000+ followers already in love. Use hashtag #ihavethisthingwithfloors and add to the fun.
@lucylaucht
@sincerelyjules
@ihavethisthingwithfloors
@sincerelyjules
@northern_daisy
@marykalhor
@lilfoxx
@olbapolivac
As a designer, I need fuel. Creative fuel. When my tank is empty and I've hit a block, the paint doesn't flow as easily and I know I need a spark to reignite my creativity. That's when I go to my three favorite ways to get inspired:
When I take walks, I love to bring a camera with me. It encourages me to not only see things differently, but to look for things. I will come home with photos of the day and see what I can make with them. Sometimes I'll make a collage of images to create a mood board (or a blog post). Other times I will use the photos and manipulate them to create a pattern. Even just the act of walking, and getting fresh air will clear my head and wipe the slate clean.
Books are another fantastic source of inspiration. You don't have to spend a lot of money on them either. I often make trips to used book stores or the public library and sit on the floor flipping through art reference books—not just on textiles and pattern—but illustration, photography and art. They just open up my mind to different ideas and ways of looking at things. Sometimes I will even snap a picture from the book to remind myself of a color palette, or jot down the name of a designer to investigate further online.
My all-time favorite way to get inspired is to go to a museum. The earlier the better, the fewer crowds the better. I recall a time I went to the Legion of Honor in San Francisco on a Tuesday morning at 9:00AM, and I was the first one in. The hair on my arms kinda stood up. It was the quietest, loveliest experience and just made me feel all kinds of creative!
Removing myself from my workspace is really the key. No matter what I choose to do, I trust that the creativity will come back. I have learned not to panic and accept it as part of the process. I allow myself the time to recharge and it always pays off. Plus, it's pretty fun.
How do you recharge?
