ABSPD FEATURED DESIGNER: Pink Amaryllis

Hello and welcome to my ABSPD Featured designer week. Showcasing the amazing talent that has emerged from The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design, created by the super talented Beth Nicholls and Rachael Taylor. 

I have shared with you my journey from Module 1 and 2, and I thought it an excellent idea to share some work from the talented classmates I am so happy to have (virtually) met. 

Today I am happy to share the work of Julia Barber, who runs under the name Pink Amaryllis. 

Can you tell me a little bit about your background in Surface Pattern Design?

I studied illustration at college and since graduating 14 years ago I have produced a variety of work that has been used in advertising, for packaging and published in magazines. Over the last few years my illustrations have become more and more decorative and my style progressed naturally  toward pattern. To be honest I had no idea there was actually a specialism 'Surface Pattern Design' until I stumbled across this course. It has been a real eye opener :)

What made you apply for the ABSPD course and what have you gained from it so far?

I had just started experimenting with some simple repeat patterns when I found out about the course. I thought it would be an excellent platform for me to gain an insight into this branch of illustration. I have gained so much from the course so far - it has been jam packed full of information & inspiration (too much at times!) It has re-sparked my love for illustration and design and made me look at things in a new way - I have even started working with pencil and paper again!!

Can you describe your style and what methods you use to create your designs?

My style is similar to the rest of my illustration work - I seem naturally drawn to bright colours and simple shapes. I am often inspired by nature and wildlife, leaves & flowers feature quite a lot in my designs. I also like patterns with a strong design element, bold shapes, limited colour palette and simple repeats - I have a love for retro patterns and the wonderful designs of Orla Kiely. The course has encouraged me to try new motifs and methods and I have been enjoying designing with pen and paper again. This has made some of designs a little more fluid and I'm also beginning to experiment with placement patterns.

Where do you see your work progressing in the next few years, and what industry would you say you are aiming at?

Surface pattern design is very new to me and I only feel that I have scratched the surface. In the future I hope to continue to develop my work and signature style. At the moment most of my work features simple bold repeats and therefore I think it lends itself to homeware, wallpaper etc and possibly gift wrap. Who knows what the future holds though, I shall just continue to enjoy designing and see where it leads me. I am looking forward to the opportunities that lie ahead - Thanks Rachael and Beth!

A Small Selection of her Work: 

If you would like to contact Julia, or see more of her fabulous work, Please click here: 

web - www.juliabarber.co.uk

blog - www.pinkamaryllis.co.uk

facebook - www.facebook.com/pages/Pink-Amaryllis/337378842975687?ref=hl

twitter - www.twitter.com/pink_amaryllis

New Collection - Pretty Paradise

The last few weeks I have spent updating my blog, shops and other social networking sites to ensure all branding is the same, and making sure I have linked everything, to each other. And it has been exhausting.

So I treated myself a few days back to simply designing, sitting back with my Wacom and a brew, drawing for the FUN of it, and boy was it FUN!

This collection currently consists of 6 designs, but I have all intentions of making it a 10 piece that I would like to license/sell hopefully within the stationary/paper sector, but I really think its dual purpose, so open to any offers (I'm not desperate, honestly).

Its the first collection I feel Truly confident about. Its a collection based on designs I love to purchase myself and thoroughly enjoyed designing every single motif and pattern.

Here is a sample of the collection.

Please Email me, if you are interested in seeing the full collection with the possibility for licensing/buying.

And please Tweet this blog, like on FB or share on your own blog. You have my permission.

Thanks.

©JLW Illustration 2012

©JLW Illustration 2012

©JLW Illustration 2012

The Great Big Stitched Postcard Swap 2012

Today I posted my Postcard for the 5th Great Big Stitched Postcard Swap.

The Great Big Stitched Postcard Swap is a quarterly global swap of stitched postcard love, where people across the world make a postcard-sized piece of art using any materials they like.  The only rules are that it needs to include some kind of stitching, and it needs to fit with that quarter’s swap theme.

The theme of Discovery was a challenge to me personally, but I wanted to share what I felt others should discover, after discovering it recently myself.....

The Art of Doodling

To make this postcard possible I used a combination of canvas paper , stitch, and scrap fabric. I sent the fabric through my inkjet printer (not recommended) and printed a quote I found inspiring 'to Doodle is to make spontaneous marks to help you think'.

I then hand-stitched some 'doodles' to complete the design. to finish the postcard I sewed the front and back together and filled it with a thin layer of wadding to create a chunky effect.

Here are a few pictures of the Front and back of my postcard:

I hope you discover the art of Doodling soon enough :-)

Ohh Deer Competition

The lovely people over at OHH DEER are running a competition to design some new Pillows (see Below for more information):

Here are my two entries, I created two contrasting designs, one less suitable for the competition than the other, but I wanted to add my own style to the design: 

Tigerprint Designer Spotlight

So excited to be featured today over at Tigerprint, on their designer spotlight.

Thank you ever so much :-)

Tigerprint Open Day

Okay, So I have been an admirer of the company Tigerprint since early 2009, when my course at University were set a live brief to create a collection of Mothers day or Valentines cards. Looking back, I'm slightly aghast as to how bad they were, but at the time, they were amazing to me.

Regardless of not winning the brief, I have been entering their online competitions regularly since then, and came top 10 on one occasion (Whoop).

They receive requests for work placements so regularly, its slightly overwhelming to see, so I have never taken it upon myself to apply, family and health aside, it was an opportunity I would have loved to take.

Well now I have!!

A few weeks back, while browsing their site (nothing unusual there), I came across an open call for applications to attend an open day. Excitedly I checked out the details to find a mere 10 places would be available. Thats a lot of submissions for so few places.

Just to see the inside of the company, whose morals lie on allowing quality take over quantity and speed, it would be unbelievable. So I thought why not? I'm in a position now where looking for the right career is within my grasp, and where better than the one company I have admired afar for years.

Here are some of the submissions I sent in to them:

Retro Toys Collection

Rain Collection

Valentines Collection

Christmas Collection

Tigerprint Carousel

Last week I found out via Twitter that Tigerprint were accepting designs to be shown on their homepage on a 'carousel'. I took the opportunity for some free publicity and got to work straight away.

You can see my design, alongside many other beautiful designs from my fellow ABSPD mod 2 friends.

here it is:

ABSPD Showcase and Magazine

The end of Module 2 of 'The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design' has come. Once again, I have absorbed an amazing amount of information, and become overwhelmed with the amazing work of   my fellow course mates. You guys are amazing, thank you for allowing me to share in your Journey.

The course is having a Showcase to share with the world a snippet of what we have created during the course, its always fantastic so see my work amongst that of other inspiring people. Another reason to be thankful to Rachael and Beth.

Rachael is also starting an online Magazine, based around the SPD course, featuring past and present students and lots of other exciting information that I dare no share just yet. so Shhhhh!

Here is the collection that I Submitted for both the Showcase and the Magazine.

Greeting card Collection

I have actually sent 12 designs to the printers to be made into Greeting Cards, its Crazy!!

I'm rather excited, and I'm not even sure they will sell, but I'm excited regardless.

:-)

Greeting Card Range

Good morning,

 

This is a short, but sweet post, to showcase a range of Greeting Cards that I will be launching shortly. They will be blank inside, and suitable for many occasions. 

This is my first venture under J.L.W Illustration, so I hope it is a success.

If they sell well, I will be creating a male range within the next month or two. 

****** EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT ******

So Today I found out some amazing information, that could potentially change my life (potentially).

Last month I submitted 6 designs to be considered for a new book called Patternbase . I never dreamed of being chosen, because such a thing doesn't happen to the little people, right?

Wrong!

2 of my designs were selected, alongside several other of my Surface PatternD classmates, Dawn Clarkson, MajoBV, @KathrynPledger, just to name but a few.

A massive thank you goes out to @rachtdesign and Beth at dowhatyoulove for bringing the book submission to our attention, and to Kristie for selecting 2 of my designs.

I look forward to purchasing a copy of the book in the near future.

Blog Feature

Its always nice to see my word showcased anywhere, and today I discovered I was featured over at 'Do What You Love'  a few days back.

Many thanks to Beth and Rachael. x 

Trends and Forcasting

This week and last week we have been looking into and practicing 'Trend Forcasting'. This has opened my eyes massively. Prior to the small amount of insight that I have received, I tended not to follow any trend in-particular. I just drew what I wanted, when I wanted using the colours I wanted (mainly Pinks).

Here's a snippet of some Trend Forcasting that I have attempted over the last week or so:

Modern Chic S/S 2013

1950's Forcasting for S/S 2013

Design Concepts and Product Placements