Designs 15 & 16

I've been playing around with more complex patterns to see what I can come up with.

I should start thinking about a theme and being more cohesive in my designs. See if I can tweak the colours and build a link between them. But in the meantime i'm enjoying  just playing around with whatever ideas pop into my head.

Design 14

I couldn't leave the pattern alone once I posted it. There's something in me that won't let it stay completely clean in style. It looks incomplete, I just want to tweak it. So rather than let it be, I went on and created another design...

Design 13

I managed to find some time over my lunch to come up with a pattern and keep it clean and distress-free...

I just love playing with patterns!!!

Design 12

After a spell of designing in a grunge/distressed style, I've returned to pattern and colour. I've some ideas in my head I'd like to try out and a few techniques on adding texture without distressing which I'll play with when I have the time. For now, here's my latest design...

Design 11

Tried to use the same way of thinking as yesterday, setting out with no particular idea in mind. Proved to be more difficult second time around. I added lots of extras but they began to look too cluttered so started to delete all the layers just back to the ones I liked and stayed with that. Again, I love using white distress areas...

Design 10

I had no plan in mind when I opened a new file up today. I thought I'd just see where it went. I added colour to the background, popped a pattern over the top and then let rip creatively. It seems to have come out as a grungier, artier design which I really like, especially with the white scratches

Design 9

Gone for something a little different this time around. Whilst I was in London, my eye was drawn to the pattern on the seats of some of the tube trains. I googled the design on my return and found this photo...

and I used it to see if I could replicate the design in Photoshop...

I think I managed to capture the main design elements. It was certainly fun trying.

Design 8

A more floral idea, with plenty of texture and distress

Design 7

I'm still favouring the darker, richer colours accented with black and have played around to see if I can create interesting enough texture.

Design 6

Another experiment, this time using a darker, richer colour...

Design 5

Another monochrome design whilst playing around. 

Design 4

Trying to keep my hand in and design in-between everything else on my To Do list today. Hopefully I'm growing, improving, learning along the way...

Design 3

Another design, using a polka dot pattern and vintage images around the border

Design 2

Here's the latest designs, It looks okay as far as placing a border around the design but I'm not sure I've made it work once I added the flowers. I may or may not come back to this design after a pause and see if I can do better.

Beans Means Designs

I cut out a photo of some dried black and white beans and glued it into my inspiration scrapbook a while ago. As I was flicking idly through it for ideas recently,  I paid it attention and thought I'd sketch them, scan the drawing in and see what it would look like as a design...