1 Metre Painting Pattern, Playing it Big!

A few rambling thoughts..

 It's no secret that I would love to design a pattern that would look great on fabric. In fact it has been over a year in the thinking! I have messed around with a many ideas and tried different techniques- some dreadful and some I quite like (black and white Itchycoo motif) What I have realised (even if it has taken me a year to do so) is the only thing that sets me apart from most of the rest ( the majority of which is perfectly generated by computer) is the irregularity and imperfection of my painting / dotty style. So as much as I try to simplify and change it - the complexity of it - is exactly what makes it. I have also realised that it isn't going to work if I think of it as pattern. It almost has to have the importance to stand alone as a painting. It is as if there is something inside me that thinks or feels that I am wasting time on a design or something if it can't not be sold or used as it is. This feeling is exaggerated in the thought of why use a flimsy bit of paper when you can use canvas. It's almost like I have a mental block, or just don't feel it - (be bothered unless it's for real) - or that it has a purpose for itself. Then there's the size - I work well when it's big - it just look more impressive. I'd like to say I have more space to play with, but I still need to learn to open it up. 

 After a day sketching I feel a little lost - it's hard to see what's what. The easiest way to get out of the mess is by starting to paint. The block / base colour separates the shapes and helps to see what's going on. So as you can see in this pencil work - one thing I will never learn is - less is more!!!! When will I stop cramming it all in. However just by starting to paint I can see a lot of the picture will be scrapped, maybe as much as a third of it as I almost quite like just what has been done already. Butterflies and birds? Maybe one or the other - inked? The pond will go on the left. The irises too - sorry Iris. It is different, odd and slightly awkward to be using white space, a blank background as usually this would always be painted in. It will be painted in but in white - although I may not be able to help myself and add a few dots! This is with the thought that is can be lifted and used within a repeat pattern. 

 And here are the A4 scribble sketches

enough - just get onto the real thing