Surface Pattern Design

This is a new term for me – Surface Pattern Design. I was aware, of course, that there were artists and designers creating the patterns and motifs that are printed on manufactured products, but I never thought much past it.

Being a graphic designer, I’ve been using sites like Vistaprint and Printplace for a long time for business cards, brochures, posters and other printed on paper kinds of projects for my clients. But of late I’ve also been using a few that print on fabric – on demand teeshirts for example. I started at Red Bubble. And once you find one of these places you see the huge array of other types of products they offer for printing your designs and artwork. Interesting.

Then I discovered Spoonflower – where you can design and print on rolls of fabric, wallpaper, and other types of larger scale projects. Wow!

When I think of all the artwork I’ve created over the years, most of which I’ve documented in high resolution photography, oooh. I have a few projects around our house that would be fun to customize with my own art. A footstool dearly needs reupholstering – hm! We could use a new shower curtain. HM! And now that we’re talking curtains, how ’bout that living room? WELL!

On researching all this online I came to find out there’s a whole world I’d never really considered. Surface Pattern Design.

I started looking up other artists working in this space, and have found some very inspiring independent artists out there – producing and also teaching about how to work and make a living in this industry. This career is literally a cross section of my two passions – things I’ve been doing for years already. Graphic design plus fine art – it’s just in a different industry.

Well, now we’re talking!