Pattern Focus
My drawings incorporate lots of patterns and people often ask how I come up with my ideas. Here is an answer to that question.
Apologies if this sheet is a little overwhelming, feel free to print it out and look at it while you draw. I’ve always drawn in a certain style that incorporates many patterns. I find that it comes quite naturally to me, but have discovered that it’s not necessarily simple to think of ideas. I hope that this post will help you.
Don’t worry about making mistakes. I actually love making mistakes as they lead to more interesting outcomes in the drawing.
Think about where the light and dark areas are in your drawing. Use thicker lines (thicker pens) in the shadows and thinner lines or dotted lines in the lighter areas.
My patterns are often inspired by nature, but there are patterns all around you. What about the rug in your living room or the texture of your woollen jumper?
The more you draw, the more certain motifs will feature in your work. I’m a big fan of swirls!
I’d love to see your creations, please message them though. If you liked the class, why not share it with a friend?
If you enjoyed this little lesson and would like to do more, every month I post at least one art class here on Substack. Paid subscribers will receive a bonus printable PDF sheet with extra tips to print out and say goodbye to the screen. It only costs $5 per month or $50 per year (AUD) for this and a bunch of other lovely stuff, why not consider subscribing?
I also teach in person classes around Adelaide (South Australia). Check them out here.
With love and a dose of whimsy,