Watch Me Design a Pattern Collection: Creative Struggles & Mindfulness | Di Ujdi | Skillshare
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Watch Me Design a Pattern Collection: Creative Struggles & Mindfulness

teacher avatar Di Ujdi, Illustrator & Art Explorer

Watch this class and thousands more

Get unlimited access to every class
Taught by industry leaders & working professionals
Topics include illustration, design, photography, and more

Watch this class and thousands more

Get unlimited access to every class
Taught by industry leaders & working professionals
Topics include illustration, design, photography, and more

Lessons in This Class

    • 1.

      Welcome

      1:37

    • 2.

      How to Watch

      1:46

    • 3.

      Project

      0:49

    • 4.

      Sketchbook Session

      8:26

    • 5.

      Sketchbook Assessment

      5:49

    • 6.

      Style Exploration

      12:13

    • 7.

      Pattern Elements

      7:55

    • 8.

      Photoshop Tips

      10:13

    • 9.

      Seamless Repeats

      21:13

    • 10.

      Final Takeaway

      1:34

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About This Class

This is not an ordinary surface pattern design class. I turned my workspace into a filming studio so I could document the entire process of designing a full pattern collection from start to finish.

In the age of perfection and seemingly quick results, I’m inviting you behind the scenes, where together, we can embrace our flaws and become more mindful of the creation process.

In this class:

  • You’ll see me working on the pattern collection idea, story, and sketches
  • I’ll walk you through my process of planning and structuring a pattern collection.
  • I’ll be brave to share my internal doubts, struggles and abandoned project ideas.
  • I’ll show you how I’m figuring things out as I go until the collection is completed.
  • You’ll see the entire creation process of 8 different pattern designs from start to finish.

I hope by sharing my experience, I can help you become more mindful when navigating this project on your own.

To keep it factual, when the lessons start in the upper right corner, you’ll see the information about real-time it took me to complete that milestone.

At the end of each lesson, I’ll provide takeaways and recommendations on what you can work on.

And finally, the narration you’ll hear is based on the creative process diary I kept each day of the filming.

This class is best suited for intermediate levels or beginners who already know how to create pattern repeats.

Meet Your Teacher

Teacher Profile Image

Di Ujdi

Illustrator & Art Explorer

Top Teacher


Hey! I'm Nina, even though most people know me by my artistic name Di Ujdi. I'm an illustrator and surface pattern designer.

With a big love for all things floral and natural, I enjoy depicting the world in a colorful, fun, and naive way. As an artist, I'm known for stylized illustrations and bold floral patterns. Besides spending time reimagining the world and finding new color palettes, I'm also proud to be a Skillshare top teacher and share my knowledge and passion with others.

I was instantly drawn to Skillshare and its wonderful community. My biggest wish is to get to know more of you, share what I learned, and continue learning.

I hope I can encourage you and help you out on your creative journey.


PS - don't be ... See full profile

Level: Intermediate

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Transcripts

1. Welcome: Hey, welcome. What you're about to watch is not an ordinary class. I turned my workspace into filming studio so I could document the entire process of designing a full pattern collection from start to finish in the age of perfection and seemingly quick results. I'm inviting you behind the scenes, where together we can embrace our flaws and become more mindful of the creation process. If we haven't met before, my name is Nina and I'm also known as OT. I'm an illustrator and pattern designer based in Belgrade, Serbia. I spend time creating art that gets licensed for various products like books, magazines, calendars, greeting cards, cosmetic bags, packaging, and fabrics. Beautiful. Final projects, like the ones you're seeing, are just the tip of the iceberg and what lies beneath will be revealed. In this class, you'll see me working on initial ideas, sketches and the collection story. I'll walk you through my process of selecting, planning, and structuring a pattern collection. I'll be brave to share my internal doubts, struggles, and abandon project ideas and show you how I'm figuring things out as I go. Finally, you'll see the entire creation process of eight different pattern designs. I guess this class really has it all. Okay, let's get started. 2. How to Watch: This class is best suited for intermediate levels or beginners who already know how to create pattern repeats. The tools I'll be using are procreate and Photoshop. But I will not go into the technical aspects of how I'm using them. If you want to learn more about my process with in depth step by step explanations, you can watch my classes. Key principles for making outstanding patterns and storytelling and pattern design illustrate a narrative pattern. If you know how to create patterns but haven't made pattern collections before my class create and license your first fabric collection will give you a clear understanding of what pattern collections are and how to start building one. This class, besides being focused on the practical side of making a pattern collection, is also a documentary experiment. Just like you, I'm a pattern designer tackling this new big project by myself. The process is never perfect. It's a long road with many crossroads, missing signposts and rocky terrain. But finding your own way can teach you a lot about yourself and how you approach any creative work. I hope by sharing my experience, I can help you become more mindful when navigating this project on your own to keep it factual when the lessons start. In the upper right corner, you'll see the information about real time it took me to complete that milestone. At the end of each lesson, I'll provide takeaways and recommendations on which you can work on. Finally, the narration you'll hear is based on the creative process diary I kept each day of the filming. 3. Project: The project for this class is to design a full pattern collection. We will take it one step at a time. We'll tackle this big project together by planning. Being committed, showing up, embracing imperfections, and trusting ourselves. No matter how messy it gets, it might take some time. But once you finish, go to the Project and Resources section of the class and click the Create Project button. You can share the sketches, the story, and how it all evolved into finished project. You can also share what you've learned or struggled with and ask for advice. I'll be here patiently waiting for your beautiful pattern collections, and I can't wait to cheer you on towards licensing them. Now grab a sketchbook and a pen and let's start. 4. Sketchbook Session: Hey, welcome to my work studio. The light is on and I'm currently setting up the cameras. At this point in time, I'm not sure where this documentary pattern collection project will lead me, and that's okay. I've done this before. I've made pattern collections and licensed them, but I haven't shared the entire process with you. I've talked about the importance of embracing imperfections, but I haven't invited you to see it all unfolding and hear my internal thoughts. Just the day before, I was sitting on my balcony looking at a beautiful message I received last summer while on Skiathos, beautiful Greek island. It captured perfectly the feeling of letting myself become one with nature. It reads, Hi Nina. Have you melted into the sea. Dissolved into 1 billion grains of sand, evolved into a beautiful coral structure colonizing the shore, burst into cloud of gulls, energized into rays of pure sunlight. I had to visualize this message, this ode to the summertime, I started sketching. I never really thought about sand before. It's not something one tends to think about, a beach full of sand, warm sand slipping through my fingers. All these grains of sand look alike. But what if they're magnified? Then I could discover something I'd never seen before. Beautiful rocks, coral particles, and undeveloped shells. I explored coral structures and there are other worldly shapes. It's as if going underwater is visiting another planet. Next was capturing water, mesmerizing movement, only visible because of the light and sand beneath, or maybe a foam that creates these cell like structures. I was letting myself sketch freely and explore any concept that came to mind. I sketched birds without looking at any reference. I played with their ever changing shapes while in movement. I wondered about air currents and the sun. I researched corals and learned more about polyps. I loved this idea. A colony of polyps is formed by a process called budding, where the original polyp grows copies of itself. Very similar to making pattern elements. Finally, I explore the movement and flow of a growing coral. At that point, I decided to stop what I was doing, so I could set up a filming studio and invite you in on this whole process. And here we are. This is all I have so far. Inspiration, a good concept, initial sketches, and a lot of enthusiasm to start working on this project. I'll continue this sketch book session by doing more research to gather inspiration, find reference images, and dive deeper into the subject. I often feel like a scientist doing this. My mind is curious and I can't wait to see what I can discover. The most beautiful part of creating is discovering, knowing more about the living world that surrounds you, Being astonished by its diversity, being moved by its ability to evolve in many different forms. Then becoming a sponge that takes in all this visual information, stores it in memory, and creates something new. I enjoy this part of the work. It can go on for hours on end. It simply draws me in. It's as if I'm a child seeing all of this for the first time. I always thought of it as a privilege to be able to do this for my work. To stare at natural specimens, observe their details and shapes, and wonder about the creation of life. I take visual notes in my sketchbook. I never merely copy what I see. I observe the structure, the construction of shapes, the movement, and the flow. In other words, I take in all this visual information and I process it through the lens of my own creative preferences. I reimagine it and recreate it in my own language and style, but sometimes the boundary between what you see and what you want to create becomes. Or you get overwhelmed by all this information. There are so many possibilities and your own language and style can get influenced and carried away. But what you're seeing, you can get lost in the process. It's good to be mindful of it and recognize it when it happens. Maybe it's time to turn off the inspiration, turn off the stream of influence, and tell yourself that what you've seen so far is already a part of you. And you can now be quiet in your own thoughts and surroundings. Instead of creating from the outside, you can focus on creating from within just you and your sketchbook. Maybe something related to the subject to keep you company. I almost forgot about the fossil I found. It's a sea star on top of a crop from an ancient Pennonian sea that no longer exists. It's up to 10 million years old. Can you imagine that I'm drawing a life form that existed even before the first hominence. That perspective makes you wonder about what truly matters in life. Now back to the subject at this point, I'm not thinking about how the final collection will look like. I know from experience that it would put a lot of pressure on me to create something perfect. It would lead me to state of overthinking. All I know is that I'm working on a collection about the sea now. I just want to explore, have fun, and see what I can create when I'm not under pressure. I want to be mindful of the process without thinking about time and ultimate goals. I want to forget about the outside world and spend this time with myself. I want to quiet my thoughts about what others would think, how good I am, or where I stand in comparison, because none of that matters. I'm on my own path being a child, again, being an explorer, and this sketch book is becoming my treasure trove. The best way to start any big project, in this case a pattern collection, is to get inspired and create a collection concept. The concept will always stay present in your mind and it will create a base for this micro universe you're about to make. You have that grab a sketch book, research, take visual notes of your inspiration, and then take a deep breath and try turning off the outside so you can focus on your own thoughts and ideas. Sometimes our own language and style might not be that strong. Sometimes we can't rationally explain what we want to create and how. But if we keep on sketching and being mindful of this process, all of that will reveal itself. This practice will help you better understand where your interest is, what is important to you, and how you want to express that visually. 6. Style Exploration: In the beginning, there's always uncertainty. I wonder how these linear sketches will develop into final pattern illustrations. But as long as I'm curious, there's nothing to fear. I'm embrace all the possibilities and outcomes. I start by exploring the style and color palettes. I want to experiment and see what brings me joy to work with colors, have the ability to unite the prints, tell stories, and most importantly, evoke feelings. This collection is about the sea and summertime. It's also about seeing the world through the eyes of a child as if you're seeing it for the first time. I want to find a way of capturing those precious moments of curiosity and happiness. It seems like as adults we lose the ability of that pure excitement. We learned what everything is, we classified it, and stop questioning the world surrounding us. Grains of sand all look alike. They're nothing more than a uniform surface covering the beach. Tiny fragments amongst billions of other tiny fragments. I guess we could say the same about our lives if we zoom out and look at it as one tiny occurrence next to numerous sater occurrences that happen in the span of 4.5 billion years. But here we are, living this precious life at this exact moment. Just like that, I'll magnify these grains of sand and discover the value that's been hidden and disguised. I'll see the overlooked natural beauty and richness. And I'll visualize that in this pattern illustration. When I make it simple, using just a few colors and textured lines for details, the outcome is too subtle. Grains of sand lose their importance. My message is not clear. This design is no longer a hero print. When I use various vibrant colors to enhance the idea of creating sparkling precious gems, I'm closer to what I'm looking for, but it's somehow too much. It's not really my style. I want to tone it down and let the natural beauty shine through. I start again trying to find a balance between these two ideas. Then after a few long days, it all begins falling into place and I, the one creating it, start falling in love with my own creation. Now I know for sure that's the one. But what happened before? And in between, you just saw a linear process, one sketch becoming a finished illustration. Well, in reality, it was all utterly chaotic. I switched from one sketch to another, then another one, then back to the first one, and so on and so on. A pretty messy process to watch and follow, but that's how I work. Nothing bad about it. It's just not gentle at times to get lost and found over and over again. But it feels like while reinventing this collection, I'm also reinventing myself. When it gets hard, I tend to see it as a game to play. I set out the traps and then I resolve them. Some sketches make my life easy, Like these tiny coral polyps created as genetic replicas of each other. Simple friendly concepts that reveal themselves without much effort. I color the shapes to gentle movement of water, only visible when the light touches the surface. Sand, water and light become one entity. I think about a warm rays of early morning sun appearing on the horizon. You can't really look at it for a long time, You just get a glimpse. But I can close my eyes, breathe in and out. I can feel the colors flicker and change within me. Other sketches are expected to be something they're not and never could be, but they are an important part of the process. Sketching these sea stars and imagining them dancing at the bottom of the sea while looking at my fossil, brought me so much joy and excitement to work on this collection. Once they developed into this beautiful illustration, it was hard to let go. But in the back of my mind, I knew they could never be the leading hero print of this collection, not even a secondary print. They need their own time and place to shine. I move it aside and start working on another idea. Seashells are the treasure of the sea. I place one in the center of the assemblem. I adorn it with a lush crown of algae spreading around two sea stars as a little homage to my previous artwork. It's not yet a hero print, but it will most certainly lead me there. Some sketches look like they have nothing to offer, just a gathering of messy lines. An ugly sketch many of us might be ashamed of, but the beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We often forget how imaginative we are. Even when we observe the clouds in the sky. We have the ability to transform them and create new images and meanings. Instead of shaky contours, I see gulls in flight circling the sky above the sea. With each flap of the wing, their silhouette changes and their forms morph into different shapes, creating a playful composition. Other sketches trigger me episodes of existential crisis. Lines turn into lakes of quicksand from afar. They look solid, nothing to worry about. Just a little desolate looking place. I must cross to get to the other side. I'm confidently walking and all of a sudden I lose my ground. Gravity is pulling me down and I'm starting to sink. My body is trapped and the overpowering thoughts are squeezing me in. The more I resist and push against it, the more I sink, the more I fail and get frustrated, the more I lock myself in. But did you know that you can never actually drown in a quick sand, you might only get stuck halfway in. The only question is how to get out. Do you raise its existence? Do you fight it back? Do you accept it for what? It is just a mixture of fine sand and water trapped inside the same water that can lift you up once you calm your thoughts and fill your lungs with air and then you can gently wiggle yourself out. Quicksand is nothing more than a self made trap. I start on you just to ease my mind and find more solid ground to walk on. I'm back at the beginning looking through the sketchbook treasure trove of ideas. It fills me with the joy of creating again, but something is still missing from this collection. The leading hero print is constantly on my mind, will this be the one? I don't believe it but I want to try. I'm also reproaching myself for not listening to my own advice. The easiest way to create a collection is to start from the most complex print and develop Otters accordingly. But it's okay. The process is never uniform and it can take its course from time to time. I feel the pressure of cameras being on filming, what seems to be a disaster unfolding. So I write in my diary a little note, it goes like this. I'll give myself time to fail as long as I need. I'm just testing, experimenting, and observing a skill that comes with time and experience. The most precious one, you know the ins and outs of the process in your soul. You are curious, devoted, patient. You show up and continue where you left off. In that way, every so called failure is your success. Another road sign that leads you in the right direction the next day brings that long awaited resolution. It's been quietly hiding for all this time now. I'm incredibly happy to see it evolving in front of my eyes. I'm the one creating it, but I'm also presently observing everything that is happening. Seaweeds upwards and pulsate in different colors. Fish move horizontally following the current and get intertwined. When hiding out amongst them appear sea stars, shells, corals, and tiny pot flowers. Together they complete this illustration and unite all the prints. As incredible as it sounds, all these elements were present in some shape or form from the beginning. I just couldn't see them until now. It all makes sense. I figured it out. I'm observing the pattern illustrations next to one another and I'm so proud of myself. Setting up the base of the collection with initial pattern illustrations is the most challenging part of the work. Take as long as you need to experiment, test out, and explore all the possibilities. You don't have to be precise and detailed at the beginning in that way. You can always easily change, adjust, and refine until everything falls into place. This process might get hard at times, but it's also incredibly rewarding. Being present and mindful of the process can help you better understand yourself. It teaches you one important life lesson. The biggest superpower you have is belief in yourself. No matter how ugly and messy it gets, no matter the doubts you have, you just need to keep on showing up and doing the best you can until everything you've been patiently working on starts unfolding in front of your eyes. 7. Pattern Elements: I'm sailing in calm waters. Now, the most challenging part of the work is done, The collection style is established and the base is set. Yet there's still a lot more to come. I'm in the middle of this big project, but before povering through the next steps, I'll allow myself to take a moment and appreciate how far I've come after two weeks of sketching, discovering, thinking, expressing, searching, observing, ordering, coloring, illustrating, rethinking, siding, remaking and selecting. Here I am looking at these eight collection illustrations and thinking the magic that transforms nothing into something does exist. I'm the one creating it. The only thing is real life magic takes time. These eight illustrations are about to become eight repeating patterns. The first step is creating more elements in procreate that all later assemble in Photoshop, I start by working on the most complex pattern, the leading hero print, by looking at the reference image already. Imagine the repeat and plan ahead. The colorful seaweeds will function as the main elements, some pillars that hold the repeat together. This means I only need to create three different algae illustrations. On the other hand, sea creatures will intertwined with the algae and fill the rest of the pattern. This means the more element variations I make, the better. The abundance of life comes in many different sizes and shapes. I want to mimic that. With each stroke, I create a lively ecosystem. Nothing is a mere copy of another. Even the smallest change I make now will create a big difference. Later I vary the angle, size, shape, the rotation. All of this is the key step towards creating a natural flow of this dense design. I do this for every pattern illustration, I observe the reference image. Imagine the repeat and illustrate additional elements. Sand under microscope already looks like the start of a playful tossed repeat. I'm now refining the illustrations I already made. I'm making sure there are no errors. Nevertheless, to build a rich design where the repeat is not obvious, I need to create more elements. I'm now creating a new set of sand illustrations by following the stylistic rules established in the first one. It's a pretty easy thing to do. There's nothing new I need to invent. I'm illustrating lots of playful shapes with textured line details. I'm creating diversity by varying their size, Colors complexity. Unlike hero patterns, secondary and blender prints have simple arrangements and require fewer elements. The central crown of lush seaweed is already complete. Now I'm illustrating a set of different sea shells. When this symmetric design repeats, the central algae will interconnect and spread like a web, while different sea shells will fill the central parts. By the way, if you want to see how I'm making symmetric patterns entirely in procreate, you can later wash my class patterns are forever. I'll leave the link in the class resources. It's one of my most popular classes so far. You don't always have to create additional elements from scratch. Here I'm illustrating new Sea goals on top of the existing ones. Something I would do if I were animating, for example. I don't want them to be completely different. All I need is a set of similar sea goals but in different flying positions. This method allows me to save some time and be more precise. I use the same technique for sun changes illustrations. Sun dots need to be slightly different in the same scale I draw on top of the existing ones to create new ones. Then I can play with different color combinations and color positions when possible, I also re, use elements I made for other prints. For the polyps pattern, I'll use the initial set of illustrations I made, as well as the polyp elements I drew for the leading hero print. Lastly, it's okay to make changes. Nothing is set in stone. New ideas can come spontaneously as you work. I decided I'll make one exchange. This coral print idea be replaced by fish I made for the hero print. It's a better fit for the collection. It's more playful and fun. The sea's melting print will become something entirely different. I like the initial idea, but the style doesn't really fit. It's too dense, soft, and undefined. It just doesn't connect with anything. I need something more solid and open. Here's my new idea in making simple waves will twist. As you can notice, the endings of the C waves are in the same style as the seaweed illustrated for hero print and for the symmetric print, they have these sharp zigzag lines using the same stylistic approach on different elements throughout. The collection is also one of the very subtle and effective ways in which you can connect the prints together, this new design perfectly with the rest of the collection. And that's it, all the additional illustrations are done. I will open each illustration canvas, export it as a PSD file, and send it to my computer. Now I can start preparing these files in Photoshop. Once you have the collection base, it's time to create more pattern elements. At this point, there's not a lot of uncertainty and the process is pretty straightforward. Lush and dance patterns require an abundance of elements. Make sure to create as much as you need or more illustrate elements in different sizes and shapes. Remember, even a small variation you create now will make a big difference once the pattern is repeated. Other patterns might not require that much. Try to imagine how your design will repeat, so you can roughly plan ahead. You can save some time by drawing on top of the existing elements to create new ones or reusing elements you already made for other prints. Lastly, don't be afraid to make changes at any stage of the process. Sometimes the best ideas will come spontaneously as you're working. 8. Photoshop Tips: This part of the work is something I always struggle with. I know the ins and outs of Photoshop, and I've done this so many times before. That's not the issue. The issue is that I find it incredibly boring and repetitive. Nevertheless, this is still part of the process. There's nothing deep or adventurous about it. It simply needs to be done. I better accept it for what it is and just get on with it. I described the previous chapter as sailing in calm waters. To keep up with the analogy, this one feels like mindless floating and I can't wait to reach the next milestone. I'll now take you through the most important steps of this purely technical part of the work. And show you a few tricks I use to complete these necessary tasks a bit faster and more efficiently. If you want to follow this process with in depth explanations, you can do that by watching these two classes. The first one, key principles for making outstanding patterns, and the second one illustrate a narrative pattern. In the next lesson, I'll talk about the creative aspects of pattern design arrangement. Okay, let's start clicking. The first thing I'm going to do is change the view of the layers panel. The layers are too small, it's hard to see what's going on. I'll click on this burger menu, go to Panel Options, and change the thumbnail size to large and thumbnail contents to layer bounds. Now the elements in the layers are easier to see and I can start organizing them. Next on my to do list is fixing the annoying selection issue that happens when you open appropriate PSD file in a Photoshop. If I select a layer, the selection does not surround the element itself, but instead it selects the entire canvas area. I haven't got a clue this is happening, but it does, and I can't leave it like that because later the pattern file would become a mess option number one. This is the method I used before. I press L for the lasso tool lasso around the element. Press command X to cut it and shift command V to paste it in place. Now when I press V to select it, the selection is around the element and I got rid of that empty space. Anyways, recently after filming this class, by accident, I discovered an easier method which can solve the problem in one click. Here is option number two. I'll select the next layer. Again, the issue is here, the canvas area is selected. Not the element, but if I press E on the keyboard for the Erasor tool and click anywhere outside the element, the selection problem is fixed in an instant. Now I just have to do this for each layer and for each PSD file for eight patterns in total, Which means it's time to switch myself to autopilot mode. I can't help but think about artificial intelligence at this point. Isn't this where we as creatives need help? I don't need AI to do the creative work for me. I need an AI assistant that will do mindless tasks like these. I can do something more valuable. All right, the next step is to make the files tidy and organized. Most of my elements are made out of multiple layers. I group those layers and name the groups. This also takes time, but it's a necessary step forward If you start arranging a complex pattern repeat like this one without making the file organized, you'll get lost. There are simply too many elements and too many layers. I'm talking about this in my class. Key Principles for making Outstanding Patterns, where I'm also showing you how I prepare my final files before sending them to clients. After hours of clicking, fixing, grouping, and naming, it's time to get ready for the pattern repeat tests. I create most of my patterns in the size of 5,400 by 5,400 pixels and 300 DPI. I like working in a slightly bigger hardboard than necessary, because when working with pixels, you can always scale down without losing the quality, which is not the case when scaling up. Before making the final repeat, I create what I call a test pattern. For this, I use smart objects and an indispensable, magnificent pattern preview tool that lets me see the entire repeat while arranging the elements. But to use the tool, all the pattern layers and groups now need to become smart objects, which means more autopilot clicking. Here's an little trick I used to make this part of the work a bit faster. A copy paste the elements, usually just a few at a time, especially if I'm working on a complex design. Now to turn this group into smart object in the usual way, I write, click on the Group and then click Convert to Smart Object. But to make this more efficient, I have set up one shortcut that replaces these additional steps I showed you. I select the group and just press shift command la. This group of layers is now a smart object. If you want to do the same, go to Edit in the upper menu. Then keyboard shortcuts, then Layer category, and then find smart objects. There you'll see convert to smart object. This is the shortcut I made for myself. Shift Commando. You can do whatever combination you'll easily remember or associate with this. To save it, just click Accept. If I now turn on the pattern preview, I have the line view of the pattern arrangement. Pretty useful tool, but if I need to copy paste more elements, I'd have to turn it off. Copypaste the elements, convert them into smart objects. Then I can once again turn on the pattern preview tool and continue building the pattern repeat. Now I'm taking you a few steps in the future, as you will see later, Once I build a pattern test out of smart objects, I use it as some placeholder. And on top of it, I arrange regular layers to make the final pattern swatch. I'm showing this pattern making method with step by step explanations in my class illustrate a narrative pattern. You'll find the link to it in the class resources. It's a very useful and easy to follow class, even for Photoshop beginners. Anyways, I'm mentioning all of this to give you a quick technical insight into how I'm creating seamless patterns in Photoshop. And why smart objects and pattern preview tools work best for creating the arrangement. If you want to make additional color changes to those smart objects, it will be incredibly time consuming because to make a change to a smart object, you need to open it in a new tab. When making patterns, you have many elements that will require lots of changes and tweaks. That's why for the final repeat I use regular layers. In that way I can make all the necessary changes inside one layer panel. All right, this is where the technical work stops and the creative work begins. Let's finally create the pattern repeats. I don't think I have a good takeaway for this one. I usually tell myself this, as boring as it might get, it's also good to do something that doesn't require a lot of brain power. But whenever you can use shortcuts to finish these repetitive tasks a bit faster, if you're new to making patterns, this might look and sound very complicated and that's okay. Take your time to learn and practice. If you want to follow my detailed step by step process, watch the two classes I mentioned before. I also listed them in the class resources. And remember, not all parts of the creative process are fun and interesting. Even when it's boring and hard, we still learn and grow. 9. Seamless Repeats: I'm tired, I'm not going to lie. Creating a pattern collection takes a lot of time and effort. I think the most mentally challenging part of any big project is finishing what you've started in the beginning. There is always uncertainty, but at the same time, there is that initial excitement, a boost of energy. I'm about to discover something new and I can't wait to see what it is. Now. As the project is coming to an end, it's all pretty clear. I'm on a well known terrain. There are no new adventures ahead. I just need to reach finish line. Instead of being excited, I just feel tired. In these moments, I struggle to find that last resort of strength and willpower just to show up again and again until it's all done, At least the technical part of the work is out of the way. I can now focus on the arrangement of elements. I can dive into another world where I'll look for balance, composition and flow with complex patterns. I do that gradually. I don't want to overwhelm myself with all the elements at once. I position the main ones first. As I mentioned before, the weights are the pillars of this pattern. They hold the repeat together. I take my time to position them correctly and create a solid and balanced composition for this pattern. Now I can start introducing new elements. Fish will intertwine around the algae. My goal is to make a dynamic repeat. I'm searching for movement and rhythm while colorful seaweeds spread and pulsate upwards. Fish contrast that by making a horizontal flow of the pattern. So far, I love what I'm seeing. It's time to add secondary elements. I start with bigger ones. I'm filling the blank space with shells and stars. I try placing corals, but it doesn't feel right. The same happens with small sea weed elements. It's not a good fit. I quickly abandon that idea as well and move on to the next set of elements. Now this feels different polyp flowers work nicely in this arrangement. Shells, stars, and polyps are all rounded elements. They complement the fish and seaweeds very well. It's a lot easier to build complex patterns gradually and in phases. The main elements go first, then you create internal compositions, in this case, the seaweed and fish. Then you can fill the empty, starting with bigger elements and working your way towards the smaller ones. I'm not thinking about colors at this moment, just the element placement. I make small adjustments. I move one element rotate the other, then I zoom out and observe. I squint my eyes to blur out details. I want to focus my attention only on composition and repeat. It looks good now, which means it's time to build the final pattern. I'm turning off the preview tool. It's no longer needed. I move smart objects on the edge to complete this pattern swatch. Then I merge everything together in one single layer. This will be my placeholder. And now I can start introducing regular layers. I place new elements on top of the transparent ones. This process is similar to match the shape game for kids. I scale them and rotate them until they all fit nicely. Now I can make some final tweaks and start coloring the elements. I'm keeping fish and seaweed as they are. I'm adding colors to stars, shells, and polyps. As you can already see, colors open up a whole new aspect of pattern arrangement. The first step towards making a balanced repeat is the positioning of elements. The next step is the color placement. My goal is to create a repeat that has an uninterrupted color flow. I'm doing this by distributing colors equally while avoiding color clusters that might look like errors once this is done. I can make a final patterns watch and then test it out in a new art board. All right, let's see how it looks. I zoom in and observe to see if I can spot any repeat errors. Then I zoom out and observe to see if I can spot any arrangement problems. If something is amiss, I go back to the patterns, watch and make changes. I do this again and again until I'm completely happy with the results, until it all finally clicks together. Now I can take a moment to appreciate this beauty. The repeat is just mesmerizing and the excitement is coming back. The main here print is done and I can't wait to start working on the next one. Unlike the sea life print, sand under microscope has an easier pattern arrangement. This time I don't have to build this repeat gradually because all the elements are similar. They belong to the same group. In that group, they vary in scale and complexity. From biggest, smallest, from fairly simple to colorful and detailed. I just need to find a way to fit them together like a puzzle and make a balanced composition. Next to every complex element, I place less complex and simple elements. Next to every large element, I place medium and small elements. I zoom out and observe. I move the elements rotate, rearrange, and zoom out again. This is becoming a lively tossed repeat. It has a non linear element placement. It feels organic elements are rotated in different directions, which means this pattern can be looked at from any side. This makes it a perfect type of repeat for fabric, because when sewing, you can cut this design however you like. You can later assemble it without matching the direction of the print. Once the test is done, I start making the final repeat. I replace smart objects, regular layers, then I begin making color changes. I take the same approach as I did for the previous pattern. I'm distributing colors equally and I'm avoiding color clusters. It's almost done. There are just a few tweaks I need to make. Believe it or not, this is still my absolutely favorite pattern in this collection. It keeps on surprising me. It's not too simple and boring yet. It's not too complex and overwhelming. It's just about right. When the patterns watch is finished, I test out the repeat and once again make additional changes until it all looks perfect. Here it is, the final sand under microscope print in all its glory. It's so playful and fun. And most importantly, the arrangement looks effortless, which is the hardest thing to achieve each time I make a new pattern for the collection, I take a moment to look at it next to the other finished patterns just to see how the collection is coming together. And if something is amiss, all in all, everything looks good. These two prints work perfectly together. Symmetric or diamond repeats are one of my favorite pattern arrangements to make. They're very simple to create. The results are always captivating. The easiest way to do it is by filling the entire canvas with one central element and the surrounding decoration. It can be done in Photoshop or it can be done entirely in procreate. I'm showing this method in my class. Patterns are forever. Anyways, this time I'm doing something different, a bit more complicated, because I want to create a diverse symmetric repeat. Instead of having just one sea shell that repeats, I can place eight different sea shells in the center of these emblems. What you're seeing is a rough arrangement, which is not something I can get away with. When it comes to diamond patterns, the placement needs to be on point. I turn on the guides with a transform tool, I position everything correctly. As you can see, it's not yet done. One row is completed while the second one is not. This means going back to procreate and illustrating additional weed elements. I'm saving this as a transparent PNG and I'm placing it in procreate. This was something I was expecting, but I couldn't complete it beforehand. I needed to work out a precise pattern arrangement in Photoshop to be able to fill in the gaps in procreate. It's just a bit of back and forth between the programs. I personally don't mind it because it doesn't make it any less efficient. All right, once that is done, I can place the elements back in Photoshop to finish the arrangement. Again, smart objects are substitute with regular layers. The last weeks are made and the final repeat is done. It looks pretty good. I love the intricacy of the seaweed, and using various sea shells did make a difference. The collection now has three finished patterns. Each one is different in their complexity, density, color, use, and arrangement. It's time for number four. As I make my way towards less complex patterns, you'll notice how the arrangements become more simple and easier to create. There are not a lot of different elements or colors. There are also fewer details and differences, something you can clearly see in this print. Seagulls are pretty much the same. They're in the same size and color. They have the same details, but what's strikingly different is their shapes which create various flight motions. The trick with the sea gull print is finding a way to fit them together and create movement. I want to capture the moment when they're gathering and soaring in the sky above the sea. These illustrations are very graphic and bold in style, almost geometric, which can be challenging. I need to avoid big gaps of empty space or clustered elements. Also, I'm focusing on the most prominent parts of seagull illustrations. Their wings. They're like arrows that will guide your eyes across the pattern repeat to create composition and flow. I rotate each element slightly differently so that the wings are pointing in different directions. I'm talking more about this useful technique in my class. Key Principles for making Outstanding Patterns. And I'm showing some examples on a complex floral print. All right, this pattern is simple, but it requires a lot of fiddling around. I spend quite some time just moving things a bit, zooming out, observing, and doing the same process again and again until it all looks good. The repeat is done. Let's see how it looks when placed together with other prints. The collection is coming together and it looks really nice. Now I'm moving on to the next one. Believe it or not, this print was a challenge. It turned out to be one of those patterns that play tricks on you. I approached it as a simple repeat that I'd finish fairly quickly. Elements are ready. Arrangement is obvious, I just need to do the work. Once it's done, the finished pattern looks good. But instead of leaving it as it is, my mind wanders off looking for something else. Looking for some novelty and excitement. I start thinking, maybe it's too simple and not that interesting. Maybe I can do better. I try adding more colors. Now it looks worse than it was. I go one step further and start creating color details on each fish. At this point, I'm completely carried away. It's a very playful thing to do. But once the finished pattern repeat is in front of me, I can see how wrong this is when I place it next to the existing print. I'm slightly horrified. I don't even know what I was thinking about. I go back to the first idea. I'm keeping it as it was before. It shouldn't be anything grandiose and special. It's a nice simple print. I don't particularly like it, but it's objectively good. I'm rationalizing all of this and I'm moving on. Sun changes is one of those mesmerizing, colorful geometric patterns that I never want to stop working on. Simple yet so powerful and effective. This is a twist on an evergreen polka dot pattern style. The arrangement is pretty easy to make. I'm keeping the dots in a uniform line, but slightly imperfect. Just as I made the illustrations, all I need to work out is the space in between the dots. Then I can spend hours playing with the color arrangement. When this one repeats, it's just captivating. This pattern is another favorite of mine. I love the boldness and playfulness of this print. When it place it next to the other designs, it looks perfect. All right, it's time to make the polyp colony print. The arrangement of this pattern is another twist on the polka dot style, but with the elements scattered around randomly. The polyp flowers are similar, but they do come in slightly different sizes and have a variation of these imperfect hand drawn shapes, which creates a lively flow of this pattern. Repeat, rotating and moving the elements until it all looks balanced. When I play this print next to the rest of the collection, I can see that it needs to be in a different color palette. I'm going for an opposite color style. Instead of dark blue and light blue, I'm using cream and orange as the main colors for this print. As you can see this time I'm not distributing colors equally. I'm actually intentionally making color clusters. Most of the poly flowers will be orange. Then to break that chain, I will use blue. And I mostly use this type of color arrangement for blender patterns that have small elements or ditzy prints, for example. Once again, this is how the final print looks next to the other patterns. It's very fresh, bright, and playful. Now it fits perfectly. This is the last print of the collection. It wasn't even on my mind when I started sketching, but I'm so glad I made that change. This design is more open and defined. The style matches the other prints perfectly. This arrangement is very easy to make. It's also a twist on another evergreen pattern. Style stripes, simple, bold, effective stripes. Something every collection might need. Once the pattern swatch is made, I can test how to repeat. It works wonderfully well. It looks like it's finally time to see the entire collection of eight prints. This point seems so far away when I started, but here I am. My ideas came to life and by the sea, the pattern collection is completed and it looks beautiful right now, I'm both tired and proud of myself to celebrate this, I'll make a cup of tea and take the time to appreciate the entire creative process that led me here to this exact moment. It's been quite a journey and I'm so glad I was able to share it with you. There is so much excitement and having an idea and starting a new project. But with time, the initial enthusiasm fades, especially when you're working on a long project. In this case, creating a full pattern collection. What was once fun turns into a chore. You might feel tired or start doubting the entire endeavor. You might find yourself daydreaming and procrastinating and thinking about new shiny projects you want to start. It's good to know you're not the only one. It's a struggle to wrap up a long project, and it takes mental strength to quiet a noisy mind. Be persistent in following the goal you set up at the beginning. This is where mindfulness comes into play. Ultimately, all you have to do is show up again and again until it's finished. Seeing your patterns come to life one by one until the collection is complete will give you a new boost of energy. Just imagine the excitement you'll feel when you license the collection and see the artwork come to life on fabrics or other products. Just keep it going. You've got this. 10. Final Takeaway: Well guys, we're at the very end of this documentary class. And I just wanted to say, thank you for spending time with me and following my entire process of designing a full pattern collection from start to finish. It was not an easy class to film and put together, but I'm so glad I did it. I was a subject of my own documentary experiment. At times very exposed, vulnerable, and uncertain. Now, looking at it from a distance, I can see how the entire process unfolded. I can see my strength, fears, and joy. I can see myself getting entangled and detangled until it all fell into place. This all leads me to my final takeaway. Creating in itself is a micro life journey. The more mindful you become of it, the more gentle your approach gets, the more you learn about yourself. Now, come on. Don't let anything stop you from finishing that project you started. I'll be here waiting to see your new pattern collections. Hear about your creative process and cheer you on towards achieving your dreams and goals. By the way, I would love to hear what you think about this class, so don't forget to rate and review it. To get notified about my next classes, follow me on Instagram at DD or subscribe to my newsletter through my website. I'm sending you lots of love and good wives. And I'll see you in the next one.