What Kind of Surface Patterns Do You Want to Create?
Making a Visual Identity Board Can Help You Decide What Kind of Surface Pattern to Create
Do You Have Too Many Ideas or Not Enough?
When starting out as a surface designer, I was bombarded with images, imaginings, crazy ideas and basically I was all over the place.
I have a naturally creative mind and I can really go off with ideas without even trying, so I realized that I needed some structure and help to organize what I wanted to create.
But some of you may not have that problem.
You may need help focusing on what you want to even start with!
That’s okay; a visual identity board can help with this too.
Find Quality Help
By taking courses through the Textile Design Lab, I was introduced to many ways to structure and focus my exuberance, and to help where to start with the creative process.
This was so helpful, but making a visual identity board, was what really helped settle me down!
It was kind of like being given a “time-out” so I could sit in my room and just really think about what I wanted to do.
This can take time, and that’s okay.
Things may change over time, you progress and grow, but what kind of designs speak to you RIGHT NOW?
Take The Time, Answers Come
The result is the image on this post. The adjectives that I came up with are: Cheery, Young, Colorful, Movement, Nature Inspired, Sophisticated and Cute.
Many of my patterns now will follow that identity. It feels natural, and organic, and really ME. Of course, that doesn’t mean I can’t stray away and do other things, of course not!
My goal is: To HAVE FUN – so I will always being doing all kinds of patterns.
You can do this too.
A Visual Identity Board Gives You Guardrails
You start by collecting images that exuded the mood, movement, texture, and quality that you really like, and that deeply resonated with you, coupled with some of your favorite patterns that you have made.
This is very satisfying, and in many ways, comforting because it gives you the guardrails to keep you on track.
By focusing on the moods, textures, patterns that really speak to you, that’s what is important to you right now, so start there.
At the end of the process you’ll now have a board to look at to gain inspiration from, and that guides you to your next pattern or project with a clear visual identity to who you are RIGHT NOW.
If you have never made a visual identity board, and have trouble settling down and finding your true, personal, unique design esthetic – I strongly urge you to make one!
Go For It
Try it out and let me know how it goes! Leave a comment below. I’d love to hear about your journey!
Meanwhile, if I can be of service to collaborate with businesses to put my patterns on your products, let me know, I am a licensing artist and live for collaborations!
Visit my portfolio or contact me to say Hello!
Hilary Rinaldi is a nationally published writer, and an award winning illustrator and designer. She writes about Surface Pattern Design, because she loves being a Surface Designer, and Artist. You can learn more about Hilary on her Meet Me Page. Her goal in writing these posts is to share her love and enthusiasm for the Textile Pattern and Surface Design Industry, to learn as she goes, and MOST importantly – TO HAVE FUN!
