How I found out about Surface Pattern Design

by ALEXANDRIA CHEN January 15, 2021

Hi there! I want to share a little about myself and how I got into surface pattern design.

I am a fashion designer by training. For my graduation collection during my school days, I created a menswear and womenswear collection titled 'The Magic Garden'. I screen printing and embroidered my own floral motifs onto the fabric. When designing corporate uniforms, I created repeat prints for clients as well as for corporate gifts. Even as I created my womenswear label later, I incorporated digital prints onto the garments. Prints has always been a part of my life.

Yet, I never considered myself a surface pattern designer then. In fact I never knew this term existed until June last year. (2020)

I had completed my 2nd 100-day challenge, challenging myself to create an illustration every day. It wasn't easy, in the beginning I couldn't keep up and missed days, but as my momentum grew, I found that it's something I really enjoyed doing. One day, I found the hashtag (surfacepatterndesigner) when searching for pattern hashtags and after some research, I decided this was what I wanted to pursue.

I bought Bonnie Christine's Pattern making course on CreativeLive and created my first repeat pattern - a simple hexagon pattern that repeated perfectly. Then I learnt how to create more colour ways.

I wanted to get on my surface pattern making path as fast as I could, so I signed up for Stacie Bloomfield's Leverage Your Art Course where she talked about the business side of surface pattern design. This opened my eyes to the different possibilities that surface pattern design could bring.

I signed up for Stacie's Creative Powerhouse Society Annual Membership because I wanted a peer group to grow with and be accountable to. My group members have been wonderful. It's especially inspiring to exchange experiences, to see them set big goals and evaluate if I'm thinking too small, but most of all to see that we all face the doubts and challenges, and be able yo get the support from each other. Really appreciate them.

I'm quite frankly just figuring it out step by step, taking Skillshare courses and honing my design skills. I'm not quite sure where this path will lead, but I know it will definitely be an exciting and fulfilling journey.

XO
Alex