Design, Sell, & Shop Fabric, Wallpaper, & Gift Wrap
We’re thrilled to introduce our latest featured designer, Atlanta-based Sarah Marks, also known as Thirdhalfstudios. She has a way of creating playful art with unexpected items and a large dose of imagination. Read our interview with her and find out what keeps her inspired!
[Read more…] about Meet the Designer: Sarah Marks of Thirdhalfstudios
In the newest edition of our Meet the Designer series, today we introduce to you Patricia Donovan (Chickoteria), an artist who captures the vintage designs and color palettes from her home base of Nashville, Tennessee. Keep reading to see what inspires this Spoonflower designer!
As part of our new Meet the Designer series, today we’re introducing you to a designer who captures the vibrant flora and bright palette of her home city of Miami. Judy Quintero (Shopcabin) is a designer and talented painter who balances energetic colors with a laid back watercolor medium. Keep reading to see what inspires this Spoonflower designer!
Today we'd like you to meet designer Kristi Heck as part of our new Meet the Designer series. Hailing from Panama then California, and most recently the great, green rainforest of the Pacific Northwest, Kristi is inspired by her natural environment and uses acrylic paints to create scenes involving friendly creatures, soil, vegetables, and lots of vivid color. She's down to earth in more ways than one–keep reading and get to know what gets Kristi's creative juices flowing.
Where do you currently live? I live in Hood River, Oregon.
My day starts with the little dog whining to be invited on the bed. Once she’s up (sitting on my chest, attempting to lick), the big dog arrives. His warm fuzzy head smells like corn chips. After a quiet moment, I’m up: feed dogs, make coffee, drink coffee with husband, pack lunches, wake kids, get dressed, breakfast kids, walk dogs and kids to school, return with just dogs. Then it’s down to my studio to work…
I fell in love with fabric design when… I turned around. This love (sort of, not really) snuck up on me. Our house is chockfull of textiles: Pendleton wool, reverse appliqué molas by the Guna Yala of Panama, Indian kantha quilts, chunky knits, plush flokati, African Dutch wax block prints, and a crazy variety of patterned throw pillows. I’ve always loved designing with fabrics; I’m brand new to designing actual fabrics. Our family moved to Hood River mid-December 2013, our first winter in about ten years. Time lived in Southern California combined with six years in the Republic of Panama had left us cold. Literally. So I over-dressed and began painting creatures hibernating. Soon, the animals migrated into human beds. Painting their bedding was my favorite part. I thought I’d try designing fabric versus just painting it, but the ability to create a repeat pattern eluded me… I have dozens of horrible designs stashed in file folders titled “Trials” and “Tribulations.” Then I found the class “How to design fabric” at creativebug.com featuring Spoonflower. Click! Apparently, my visual brain required a visual demo, as I later uncovered near-verbatim written instruction in multiple fabric design books I already own!
Creating a fabric collection is an exciting but involved process. From gathering inspiration to getting started with the the hands-on designing process, it takes a lot of work. As a part of our SpoonChallenge: Creating a Fabric Collection with designer Bonnie Christine, we’re sharing exciting interviews with textile design rockstars. Today we take a few minutes to dig into inspiration, daily life, and design with Toronto-based designer Elizabeth Olwen!
Describe your typical day
This is an organic and ever-changing thing… But every day starts with a good cuppa tea and a snuggle with my two cats. I work from home, so I can ease into the day. I spend a good deal of time answering emails and managing the administrative aspect of my business, and on good days, lots of creative work. I could be working on new greeting cards for a client, or developing home decor products, or planning my next Skillshare class, or my favourite, just spending time drawing or developing new patterns with no particular client in mind. I do find that I really like to work on the most creative aspects of my work at night, away from my computer, when I know that work emails have stopped for the day and I can feel most free. I tend to work a lot, because I love what I do, but I’m always actively striving for work/life balance and making time for myself and the people I love.
This month, we’re exploring resources and opportunities for creative business folks. Today we sit down with Emily Sanford, a NYC-based artist who visits the blog to share how she stays inspired and provides tips for budding textile designers.
Emily Sanford started exploring surface design while pursuing her undergraduate degree in ceramics. The opportunity to explore textures and pattern opened her eyes to the world of surface design. Using watercolors as her medium, Emily creates a range of beautiful textiles. Here, Emily shares more about how she started designing textiles, where she hopes to take her surface design career and how she stays inspired.
We’ve launched into week three of our August SpoonChallenge: A Month of Drawing. If you’re just now joining us, it’s not too late to sign up for the SpoonChallenge to receive daily drawing prompts, creative inspiration, and interviews with amazing illustrators and pattern designers. Share what you’re sketching with the hashtag #spoonchallenge on your social media platform of choice, and see what others are drawing. If you’d like to jump in, follow the link after our artist interview to sign up for the SpoonChallenge!
Meet Leah Goren, a Brooklyn-based illustrator and surface pattern designer whose painted ladies, animals and florals feature in commercial artwork, publications, textiles and other goods.
