What's included
4 live meetings
4 in-class hoursHomework
2-4 hours per week. Students will be required to send me images after each class so that I can provide professional feedback.Assessment
Students are assessed on attendance, assignment completion, and whether or not they have a clear, cohesive, usable design at the end of the four-session class.Class Experience
Do you love the patterns you see on the products around you, like school supplies and fabric? Have you always wondered how those patterns were made? Would you like to design your own for fun and learn the skills you'd need to make it something marketable as a designer? Meeting twice for 60-minutes each week for two (2) weeks, students will go from researching and planning patterns to executing a final design that can be uploaded and printed as fabric or used to create a product. This is an analog, pen and paper class. If you want to go further down the rabbit hole, I am developing a class on "Designing Seamless Patterns in Procreate" for iPad users. Surface Pattern Design can be created in any paper-based medium for a variety of uses - designers can build a body of work, by authors who want to embellish their books, sewing enthusiasts can create their own fabric collections, crafters can create their own paper goods and wrapping papers. Students will receive several downloads throughout this four-session course. Please note: There is a one-day break on Thursdays to allow completion of their pattern for Friday.
Learning Goals
Session 1: Drawing Inspiration from Your World
+ Learn how to create a mood board and color palette using analog and digital tools.
+ What makes a good design.
+ How to collect and compose an "element bank" that you can use as a resource.
Session 2: Designing Your Pattern
+ Learn how to build a pattern collection and why it’s important.
+ This week we will discuss composition, balance, and design with a collection in mind.
Session 3: Making Your Pattern Seamless
+ Making your pattern seamless using analog/offline options.
+ Making your pattern seamless using various digital tools.
One day off to allow time for you to submit your work for evaluation.
Session 4: Now what?
+ As a full-time designer and Art Director, each student will be given professional feedback on their patterns.
+ Available options, online and off, that will help you create more and take your designs further into something you can sell or share, and ways to hone and even market your new skills.
+ We will discuss building a brand for students interested in career options.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
This class is meant to teach a trade to work professionally as a surface pattern designer.
Supply List
A SKETCHBOOK, preferably mixed media. You can get a great spiral-bound Canson sketchbook for about 5.00 from Walmart; blue cover with a large XL in black - I use the 5.5" x 8.5" half sheet size. Strathmore also makes a mixed media sketchbook, and Michael's Arts & Crafts has daily 40% off coupons. A PENCIL, optional, mechanical or otherwise. Whatever is comfortable for you. I use a mechanical pencil with blue lead, no erasing! Amazon sells the blue, non-photo blue leads for mechanical pencils in both .5mm and .7mm sizes depending on your needs. You can usually find regular wooden stick pencils in blue lead in the drafting section of your local office supply store. A PEN of your choice, black ink. A black, water-resistant fine line pen works best in case you want to add color later. I use Sakura Micron pens in the 03 (.35mm) and 005 (.20mm) sizes, which can be purchased individually at Michael’s, Walmart, or online on Amazon or Dick Blick. Fine tips and Micron pens are good for detail, but if you like thicker lines .7mm is also good. Stick pens are more reliable and less blotchy than retractable. SCISSORS with a good sharp edge for cutting your sketchbook pages. Watercolor, markers, crayons, colored pencils, watercolor pencils...anything for adding a little color if you want.
1 file available upon enrollment
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Teacher expertise and credentials
Under the name Renmeleon, I’ve been a working illustrator, writer, and designer since 1986. I love pattern / mark-making, so Surface Pattern Design became a way that I could make my work multitask for me. I have taught Surface Pattern Design for several years now and love playing muse to new students who want to learn the craft.
Reviews
Live Group Course
$20
weekly or $80 for 4 classes1x per week, 4 weeks
60 min
Completed by 3 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-18
1-5 learners per class