Intro to Surface Design

Are you planning to enter our cover design contest this year? Are you new to surface design? We’ve got a few tips to help you get started!

KNOW DESIGN PRINCIPLES

Before you begin drafting your design, refresh on a few basic design principles so you have them in mind while you work. Consider how scale, composition, and symmetry can affect the overall feel of your pattern. Review color theory and keep in mind what your color choices can communicate. The repetition of your pattern and your conscious use of negative space can make a difference in how pleasing your pattern is—you want people to have a positive response to your design so they’ll vote for it! :)

GET INSPIRATION

Try to think outside the box when you’re gathering inspiration. Instead of just filling up a Pinterest board of work from other surface designers, try going for a walk outside and observing shapes, composition, and pattern there. Or take a trip (virtual or physical) to a museum to study other art mediums such as painting, sculpture, collage, stitching, dyeing, or printing. You may find textures or motifs you want to incorporate into your design. You can also find inspiration trying a new activity, such as pottery, knitting, or even a craft with your kids. The point is: try something new to inspire a fresh design!

KNOW TRENDS

Since this is a contest, you’ll want to be aware of what kinds of designs are most likely to win. Something interesting and new for you may not necessarily be what’s trending right now, so it’s worth doing some research to find the perfect intersection of popular and fresh. The good news is: surface design is everywhere, so it will be pretty easy to identify trends! You can look at just about any current textile to take note of what kinds of patterns are trending—clothing, bedding, curtains, pillows, bags, shoes, etc. Look through websites of popular clothing retailers to see patterns what patterns are featured on their best-selling items. Visit a fabric store to see what designs and textures are new. Observe what are people wearing, especially those with good taste. Investigate current home decor trends as well. Since a planner will live in a space or complement an ensemble, people will want their planner to match or complement their aesthetic.

CHOOSE YOUR MEDIUM

Play to your strengths when you choose which medium (or mediums) you’ll use to create your design. If you’ve got strong skills with painting or drawing, make your design in that format and then scan it in to your computer when you’re done. There may be some helpful ways you can add some finishing touches or clean up the scan using Photoshop or InDesign, so it might be worth doing a short class or tutorial on these programs.

If you don’t feel like you have any particular artistic strength, try out a few mediums to see what feels best for you. It could also be helpful in this circumstance to learn some basics in Adobe or Procreate to expedite and streamline your design process.

PICK A PALETTE, START SIMPLE, AND PLAY!

Once you’ve done your research, start sketching! Keep your design simple at first so you can easily analyze if it’s working before it becomes too complicated. You may also want to pick a color palette early on because it can quickly change the feel of your design. Don’t feel married to your color choices if you decide they aren’t working—you can always swap out colors or start with a fresh palette. Be conscious of the relationship between your pattern and your palette. A busier pattern might feel more balanced with less colors while a simpler pattern may feel more lively with more colors. Whatever you do, keep the process light and do plenty of experimenting and playing!

At the end of the day, the most important point here is that these are suggestions. Consider them, keep what’s helpful, and then make your design your own! Authenticity always leads to the best designs.

We can’t wait to see what you make!