flashback: 5/75

My career as a surface designer started when my use of silkscreen as an art medium coincided with the Pattern and Decoration art movement. Back then, I had NO IDEA I'd be designing underwear prints 30 years later!

These are the oldest examples of my silkscreen work that I could find in the house. (There are older ones out in the garage but they're extremely buried. Until I get an intern, I can't get to them. Harhar). They are from the "1st Series" set. Hmmm, maybe they ARE the first of this patterny-type genre.

I had a very different color aesthetic then

Looking at these confirmed my idea of taking all this abstract work and turning them into repeats. I fooled around changing the colorway on the 3rd:

also rotated it
this is my current color crush: lt blue/royal/red
doesn't quite make it
looks like a flag

I'm going to stay with the original colors and make it patchworky with a grid of patterned boxes. Stay tuned!

California Tartan scarf

I have become a seller on Cargoh (a curated Etsy)
While uploading some of my map prints from 2003:

I got an idea to turn the design concept into a printed scarf
Here's the scarf art:

I had to recreate the tartan - I'd done the original repeat on what was then called U4ia, using the weave program. As you can see up top, it's not a perfect square and I didn't like what happened when I put it on the bias.

this really is the official state tartan of California. I kid you not!

Here's where you can purchase the scarf on Cargoh*
I will add a product photo after I get my sample from Spoonflower
(and buy a machine to merrow the hem!)

*the print quality on the silk was not up to my standards. project in redesign phase

Shopping: The Whole 9 Yards, Portland, OR

funny!

The Whole 9 Yards has a great selection of fabrics for home decor. In the back, there are some wild combinations arranged on the display racks. (Sorry, no photos!).
They also have some unusual trims:

pink bling balls

girlie tulle as a trim: make a skirt for Barbie with it!

print design: good find

Isn't this print adorable?

It's on a vintage apron that I recently rediscovered. I had never really studied the print. I'm going to digitize it at work today. Borderline "work" appropriate.

Illustrator Blends

some samples:

this one has blend going from outside edges into middles

this one has clusters of radiating lines masked by individual flower petals

cupcake print on spoonflower

Here's where you can find it on Spoonflower

cupcake print

I'm working up a print that I'll post on Spoonflower to get some yardage for my Opening Reception outfit. Thinking silk crepe de chine ground.
Taking printout (and file) home to think on it. I'll post the link when it goes live.

Happy Socks

here's what I got

eye candy 
link here