jelly mould shapes

painting with acrylic on ply-wood today, i was experimenting with shapes that i have always been attracted to, which also can be extracted from my jelly moulds. i was painting these compositions looking directly at the moulds. i have also been trying to keep a restricted colour palette, keeping in mind future screen-print possibilities.

more collection pattern

these are my vintage copper-coloured, jelly moulds that i accumulated from the local opp-shops. i have always liked these as a little series and, of course, for their patterns.
today i was playing around on photoshop again and just by simplifying the shapes with a filter, i am really excited about the new ideas this has generated.

my collection

simplified in olive green (from my canister colourway)

two more colours

below is a collage that i was playing around with, combining shapes from my ceramic collection and jelly moulds.

i loved the colours in this one so much that it became my new header!!!

texture texture texture

found about 10 rolls of this vinyl wallpaper at the opp-shop last week thinking it might be interesting to draw and collage with. it has a really rough, textured surface which i also thought could be fun to screen-print onto. unsure of if i'd really use that much of it, i only bought 2 rolls. now that i have finally unwrapped it and done a few quick samples using pen, paint and both soft and oil pastels, i am quite excited about it. am definitely going back to buy the rest tomorrow!!

drawing from collection

today i have been playing around on photoshop with some shapes and colour taken directly from photos of my suitcase and ceramic collections. Also a bit of drawing and collage to playfully get me back into generating ideas for pattern.

more pattern inspiration

pretty colours and patterns of lichen on a wall in japan last year.

circular shapes on rocks at the beach in tasmania late last year.

colour

i have been thinking about using my collections as direct inspiration for developing a colour palette. i really love the huge variety of colour you can isolate from an image.

new inspiration

have been a little quiet lately on the blog front. perhaps all the easter excitement and, of course, uni holiday's!!
well - have been thinking about my concept a lot lately and came to the conclusion that my "everyday" is a tad broad and needed to narrow this down a bit. i have also realised that i have been getting way too ahead of myself and, therefore...very lost.
so, back to the drawing board!! i am a bit of a collector and my lecturers at uni are always telling me to look at my collections as inspiration. although i have to an extent, i have realised that i have been missing something that has been right in front of me the whole time. after taking a few detail shots of two of my collections, my next step is to draw and play around with these shapes and colours to try and develop something fresh and exciting.

sample run and new labels

today i printed a very small run to make a bag sample. when i got home, my new labels had arrived in the mail - just in time to put on! it was a complete coincidence that the label colour was the same as the print. very pleased!

turning 30

twas my birthday last week - the BIG 3-oh!! the only way to really celebrate is with vodka jelly shots...yum. so much fun to make as well!

i got very, very spoilt for my birthday. was especially excited about these brooches from my lovely bf. i am finally a proud owner of my very own betty jo design after wanting one for about 2 years now. and, of course, lost in the woods. am still a bit shattered about losing my fav pink and white bird brooch at a smelly night club one big night out. i wore it everywhere! to have a new one...wow! the gorgeous little tree is by oak. so very spoilt!!

lucienne love

lucienne day deserves a whole little ode of her own! i am in constant awe of her colours and compositions. she was definitely a pioneer of her time!

inspiration

today it was quite cold and miserable at uni and the library became my friend! i am a huge fan of twentieth century design - especially british and scandinavian textile designers of the 50's.

here is a little ode to one of my favourite books, twentieth century pattern design by lesley jackson. it is just beautiful!

warm bloggy feeling

this mornings lovely comment by joyce from pattern and perspective felt like my initiation into the blog world and the warm fuzzy feeling that comes from connecting with other creative types. thank you joyce!