Illustrated Pattern Design

Begin the course by getting to know Ana, who tells you about her beginnings and how patterns for her were the ideal point of contact between her two passions: illustration and design.

She shares some of her influences and explains the course's project: creating a collection of patterns based on a classic tale to apply to different digital print media.

Start molding your idea, identifying what you need to illustrate (characters, main and secondary objects, etc.) in order to translate a story into a pattern. Then collect references such as images or shapes that you like, and look at the materials needed for the course, as well as their characteristics.

It's time to draw! Do a rough sketch of each element until you find the desired shape for the pattern, then add color using gouache: first taking care of the larger fills then defining the shapes with lines and some graphics.

Ana shows you how to transfer analog illustrations to the digital world, getting them prepped for adding patterns in Adobe Photoshop. She also shows you how to make some basic adjustments.

Learn more about Rapports, units of repetition with which you can build endless amounts of images. Ana guides you in thinking of the collection in terms of coordinates, distinguishing constants and variables that make up the system, then she shares some tips for reading levels and cohesion.

Finally, find out how to apply the patterns to a range of different pieces, both mockups and files for printing.