Welcome!
On most Wednesdays, check this blog for a strategy, process, or reflection for illustration with the iPad app ProCreate or Affinity Designer. This Wednesday Wrap Up includes art work for three Spoonflower design challenges– all with the similar rose botanicals as motifs.
The Challenges and The Palettes
Two of the design challenges included palettes for Pantone’s Color of the Year: Mocha Mousse.
The first challenge, Pantone Color of the Year on Wallpaper, included a specific color palette for wallpaper. I created a Procreate palette of those hex codes, which you can download here: Mocha Mousse Wallpaper Procreate Palette. Designs were displayed as wallpaper.
The second challenge for the Mocha Mousse included a similar, but different palette for fabric, which you can download my hex code Procreate fabric palette here. Designs were displayed as upholstered chair.
The third challenge did not include a palette and emphasized wallpaper again in bold, large-scale designs for accent walls. I choose to stick with the wallpaper palette for the Mocha Mouse and continue with the same motif style.
First Challenge: Wallpaper / Mocha Mousse
I wrote about this challenge in December. I chose a simple outline strategy, using four of the required colors, emphasizing the mousse color of the year. I drew roses, rose buds, and butterflies within a circular, symmetrical frame of dots and partial circles. Its simplicity highlights the mousse in an openness that elevates the design to elegance. The more I look at it, the more I love the design. There’s enough variety in the rose motifs to offset the symmetry of the circular elements. Those symmetrical partial circles could be coffee beans, cacao, the top of a serving of mousse, or petals of a delicate rose. It’s delicate and pleasant. Click here for a look.
I described it as hand drawn florals in neutral, monochromatic mocha hues with
simple lines, dots, roses for an elegant look.
The dominant color is mocha mousse as required, but is not the background. I do not like dark background wallpapers so I seldom create that style. When you look at the winners, though, you’ll see the background is dark.
I was still sick during this project, so that influenced my choice of creating something light and airy. I placed 1,139 out of 1,458 entries. I’m considering trying a version that inverts the colors so the mocha is the cream whereas the motif would be cream colored instead of the mocha.
Second Challenge: Fabric / Mocha Mousse
The upholstered chair is the display for entries in the second challenge. I continued my rose motif as suggested by the directions, creating the bouquet in a diamond pattern that repeated nicely for large-scale fabric design. I used only four of the colors, this time with the mocha mousse as the background. I have to say that the palette has grown on me– I rather like its subtle and natural tones, especially in the fabric palette. You can see I included the blue tone as leaves so the roses would be highlighted.
I described it as block print roses in mocha mousse background and colors of subtle contrasts in diamond pattern perfect for fabric and upholstery; neutral elegance. And I really would love to buy that chair!
I enjoyed creating the look of the block print with roses and butterflies as main motifs.
Third Challenge: Accent Wall Wallpaper
The last challenge I just entered is for accent wallpaper— to draw attention to one wall. Although the idea is for something bold and one suggestion was painterly botanicals, I decided my bold was the block print bottles, which are filled with botanicals– a repeat of the block print rose motif in the other two designs. My palette includes three colors from the first challenge palette.
I described it as botanical block print roses in bottles and outline in mocha mousse monochrome as a diamond pattern perfect for accent wallpaper; neutral elegance with bold charm.
I really wasn’t sure of the overall pattern except it would be a diamond repeat. As the botanical bottles and their outlined counterparts emerged, I sensed a need for some boundary, and so played with possible lines of leaves of different kinds until I decided on the tear drop leaf line. To keep with the hand drawn effect of block printing, I added in the broken lines for stripes.
As you can see I created two different botanical rose bottles, and then filled other diamonds with the original outline of those two rose motifs. The other diamonds have broken lines for stripes, in the light pink for alternating stripes and mostly mocha mousse for the rest. The diamonds are a leaf/droplet brush, which required a bit of manipulation to create a nice edging.
As the piece finalized, I appreciated the decisions made and really like the pattern with hints of bold, definitely hand drawn, and a focus on the block print with just enough elaboration in the diamonds and stripes to keep that focus.
The Neutral Natural Mocha Collection
The three designs really started to grow on me, so I added them to their own collection, the Neutral Natural Mocha Collection. I plan to add a few secondary designs to complete the collection.
A Note about Brushes:
I mostly used the native brush, Studio Pen, for strokes and erasure. Jennifer Nichols’s Jens Petals Ornament brush provided the basic line for the diamond, with a bit of manipulation at the ends for a nice meshing of the lines and diamonds. The stripes were a manipulation of Brenda Bakker’s Graphic Stripe brush. I so thank these artist teachers for their generous sharing of their knowledge and brushes for other artists, like myself, to grow and learn together. Find these artist gems here:
Jennifer Nichols of Leila and Po– with Creative Journey Community
I am an affiliate to Jennifer Nichols Creative Journey Membership only. The link I share for the membership is the only link that earns me a bit.
Brenda Bakker — also known as DekWebbel
Thanks for stopping by!
So if you’ve been hesitant to share your art– go for it! Start a shop. Enter the Spoonflower Design Challenges. The more you design, the better your art develops, along with your confidence. We were all beginners once! If you have any questions, just ask! I’d be glad to help with what I know. Find time to make art every day!
You’re welcome to follow this blog for art inspiration. We can share with #warmup4art to enjoy our work together! I look forward to your sharing and find me at @42Sheri, on Mastodon Sheri42, on Flickr teach.eagle Sheri 42.
I wonder, if I draw a line... 