WATCH OUT: I've Been Crafting

.......... Okay so it's not as bad as it sounds, I made one cushion using a Spoonflower Fabric that I bought way back in 2011, after entering (and losing) a 2012 Calendar competition. I had no intentions for the 18x21 inch piece of fabric, but I wanted it. 

So its been here since NOVEMBER just sitting nice and folded on my desk waiting to be used.  I had a spare rare afternoon free with my eldest daughter and decided to make a cushion. So off we went to YouTube and sourced a simple video for an envelope cushion, you can find the tutorial it HERE. 

Heres a visual step-by-step of how me and my not so  little lady made a cushion:

Items Needed:

1 Pillow/Cushion ( mine was 16 x 16 inches)
1 Piece of fabric 2 inch larger than Cushion (18x18 inches)
1 piece of fabric 4 inches longer and 1 inch wider (17x22 inches)
Scissors Tape Measure, Pins, Sewing Machine, Thread

Step one: Measure fabric and Cut to size

Step Two - Iron Fabric Smooth 

Step 3 - Cut larger piece of fabric in half (to make two 17x11 inch pieces).

Step 4 - Fold one length edge over 1/2 inch and iron flat, repeat to create seamless line

Step 5 -Repeat on second piece of fabric

Step 6 - Sew both Creases straight down to fix them in place.

Step 7 - Lay front of cushion fabric (18x18 inch) face up on hard surface

Step 8 - Lay one piece of back on top, rough edges on outside.

Step 9- Repeat step 8 ensuring back layers overlap.

Step 10 - Tack in place

Step 11 - SEW!! 

Step 12: Turn fabric out and ensure corners are firmly pressed out

 (possibly cut edges on inside).

Step 13: Insert cushion

Step 14- Admire your Botch job handy work.

Simples. 

Until Next Time. 

Passion For Pattern Bloghop

If you are on the Passion for Pattern blog-hop today, you’ve probably just joined in from the wonderful blog of Cara Holland. After you have read my post, please make sure to visit Sarah Paris , she has some FABULOUS work to show you. If you have only just found the hop, pop on over to Claire’s blog where you can start from the beginning and join in the fun!

Today I am going to give you a preview of some ABSPD work that I have been creating as part of Module 3. Find out more information about the course HERE.

This Collection was created via a Mini Exercise to create a collection that didn't include Florals, Which is one of my two favourite things to draw. The other being Geometrics, so naturally I began creating. It all started with one design, and then 3 co-ordinates: 
:a simplified design
       :a simplified colour way
       :a simple border pattern 
Once I had completed the task I simply kept on going, creating 9 fabulous pieces, which I am sharing with you for the very First time. I hope to license/sell this collection, at some point in the near future.

Here it is:

This Design Will Hopefully become part of a Tea Towel Collection:

Thanks For Visiting, please feel free to visit my Portfolio page for more Designs available for License.

Thanks For Visiting.

x Jen x

One of THEM posts

Its 'One of them' posts, where its just a concoction of lots of things to share. Hope you don't mind. 

My Zazzle shop has had a facelift, and several NEW items added from my 'Pretty Paradise' Collection:

©JLW Illustration 2012

©JLW Illustration 2012

I have also had an amazing Blog Feature over at MARIA JOSE's blog. Here are a few snapshots of what she has been up to:

Mini Interview:

Maria Recreated my nail art designs on her own nails:

Images ©Majo BV2012

And here are the Original Designs:

©JLW Illustration 2012

And here is a  Giftwrap Collection for an ABSPD exercise:

©JLW Illustration 2012

  ..... And Finally  

Here are a few Christmas Greeting's Idea's that I have been working on:

All Images shows are ©JLW Illustration 2012 unless otherwise stated. 

©JLW Illustration 2012

See you later in the week, and thanks for stopping by. 

An update on me

Hello all, as you may be aware, I've been focusing on showcasing the work of my fellow ABSPD (The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design) students, and have neglected to share any tidbits of my own work.

I've been mentally preparing for Module 3 (Still open for application's here), so have had little time to do any actual design work done. But I do have a few odd bits to share:

Spoonflower 'Black and White' Typewriter Competition 

I don't usually work in Black and White so naturally I created a colour version:

A design created while trying to loosen myself up in preparation for Mod 3:

Another lovely design created simply to 'loosen up': 

Todays Mod 3 Task, Design a set of Nail art designs: 

ABSPD FEATURED DESIGNER: Carrie Tasman

Welcome back everyone. Today I share the work of Carrie Tasman. Carries creative abilities are amazing. She is an amazing painter and I am in awe of her abilities as a Surface Pattern Designer as well: 

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

I've been a painter for the last 12 years or so. I paint still life and interiors and have always put lots of patterns in my paintings leafing through home design mags for inspiration! I've painted my dogs into my paintings often and this turned into doing commissions, custom paintings of people dogs and cats, which has helped me stay afloat during the last few years as my painting sales dropped a bit in the economy slump. I've been selling my art on the road at outdoor art fairs and I'm also in several galleries on the west coast us. About three years ago I developed what I consider a crafty collage technique with polymer clay, and that's what got me really interested in surface pattern design because I designed all my own stamps and silkscreens to lay down swathes of patterns on the clay. I loved designing my own patterns, and have used some in my paintings too, and realized I found pattern making most satisfying. 

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

This last year I just burned out on the long summers of travel and art shows so my husband and I talked it over, and figured I had enough commission paintings to get me through the summer, so I could take some classes I'd been interested in for a while. I took The Sellable Sketch with Michelle Fifis, which just got me started, and then I found Rachael Taylors course, and they were just ready to begin Module 3, but I signed up anyway, and have been obsessed with designing, sketching and everything pattern since then. I have a background in computer graphics so the computery part is easy and fun for me, and Rachel gave me just enough tech lessons to get me going, plus tons of industry info so I can begin to see how this might work as a profession. It is a perfect combination of my college background in graphic design and my passion for art and painting. 

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

I love bright bold saturated color, I love nature, flowers, damask patterns (which are complicated but fun to do). In my art and design I work from my sketchbooks, same for pattern design. I have these ideas in my sketchbook, which look fun and playful to me, but when I get them into the computer and refine, they come out looking a bit more traditional than is my intention, but with a super modern color palette, so I think I'm still discovering who I am as a designer. More to be revealed.Where do you see your work progressing in the next few years, and what industry would you say you are aiming at?

I am interesting in licensing my design and my art to companies. Initially I thought I was interested in home goods, but once I started putting patterns on things, I can see how they would work on a lot of different products. After my fall art shows and a trip to Paris (so lucky me) I'm going to concentrate on portfolio building and look into tradeshows for fall/winter 13/14. The trade show format is familiar to me, I love talking to people in the business and making connections. Meanwhile, I'm sketching like crazy, and designing while preparing for my art shows! A fun and very busy creative life!

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT TASMAN STUDIO:

http://www.tasmanstudio.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tasman-Studio/134901142375

ABSPD FEATURED DESIGNER - Simi Designs

Hello Ladies and Gents and Welcome to week 3 of my ABSPD Student Showcase. I'm so thrilled that 3 weeks in and I am still showcasing the fabulous work of my Classmates.  Today Is the start of Module 3 of The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design, and I'm thrilled to be joined by most of my Mod 2 classmates. Find out more about the course here. Here is todays ABSPD feature from the fabulous Simi Designs. What I love most about Simi's designs are the earthy aspects. Her cultural background is apparent within her work, and that makes it so much more a pleasure to enjoy her work.  Can you tell me a little bit about your background in Surface Pattern Design?  I post graduated in design from National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi. For the past 13 years I have worked as a textile/product designer for companies around the world. It has been an amazing journey of making mistakes and learning and making some more mistakes; learning and evolving. I would not change any of it as it has made me into the designer, that I am today.  June 2012- Simi Design was born.  What made you apply for the ABSPD course and what have you gained from it so far? ABSPD for me was a blessing. Its had been quite a while that I had been thinking of discovering the designer I am, for me, not for a company but for me. I sent one of favorite patterns to Print and Pattern and applied for the Print and Pattern scholarship....which I won!! I have never really won anything in my life, so having been chosen was a blessing, a real gift and I think as I move forward in life I will remember that day as that day that changed my life.  Can you describe your style and what methods you use to create your designs? I am more of a digital designer, but since ABSPD I have started to paint and sketch a lot. I love the outcome of this process as its totally different from what I am used to seeing. I love charcoal pencils and staedtler calligraphic pens Where do you see your work progressing in the next few years, and what industry would you say you are aiming at?

My work is shaping from my past, from memories of childhood and colors of India, the country that I originally come from. I love Sweden, the country I live in, for its minimal and simplistic design. I think in the years to come, you will see my work being influenced by these two strong cultures.

Professionally my main aim is to build my name as a brand. I have years of practical experience behind me to work with textiles and the paper industry, but this time I would like to be the name behind the designer and not just a barcode.

Blog : http://simidesign.blogspot.se/

Facebook Page : https://www.facebook.com/SimiGaubaDesign