‘Love Birds’ Surface Design Collection

I’m in the middle of making a new collection, called ‘Love Birds’, which of course will be Valentine/Love themed.

I’m working really hard to make sure this collection has lots of variety, whilst working cohesively together. What I’m really honing in on is the design layouts, the very bones of the design, and finding historical layouts that will help me with this.

I’m sure most pattern designers know of this book:Pattern design : a book for students treating in a practical way of the anatomy, planning & evolution of repeated ornament by Day, Lewis Foreman, 1845-1910

It was published in 1915 I think, and is invaluable in breaking down complex patterns into their component parts, whether that starts with squares, circles or hexagons. And it’s really changing how I design, hopefully for the better!

Here are some very early sketches for my Love Birds collection, I’m hoping to use the 2, 4, 6 method, that is 2 Hero designs, 4 Companion designs, and 6 Blenders.