Hi, guys! I know, I know: another Illustrator Brush class. But wait! Don’t go! I teach so many of these classes because everyone wants to know how to use the paintbrush tool. But this is something completely new here: a whole class built around the use of the Blob Brush! In this new course, Easy Blob Brush and Shapebuilder Ideas for Scandinavian Pattern Design, I will help you to create stunning artwork in short-order, in that oh-so-desirable naïve Scandinavian style. That is why I created this class: for you guys who want to learn how to use the blob brush in Illustrator, and I am throwing in an in-depth look at the Shapebuilder tool as well. This covers how to combine, extract, and trim shapes all with this one powerful tool! Your Illustrator workflow will never be the same. Wave goodbye to the various and often confusing pathfinder functions (we will do a comparison so you can see for yourself!). In this one class, you will find all the practical skills required to use the Blob Brush tool efficiently and effortlessly. The two tools work hand–in-hand! In so doing, I am also teaching you techniques for adding depth and interest to patterns created in this style!

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I'll take you through creating a “Scandi-Floral” themed pattern collection for your portfolio. I'll be showing you many more advanced Adobe Illustrator skills along the way, but you can definitely be a beginner when it comes to learning these two tools. If you are like me, you’re always learning new pattern design skills and you want to take it one step further. Are you looking for ways to scale-up your pattern and coordinate production, while learning how you can make your motifs and patterns more simply and effortlessly?

Development of quick techniques with the blob brush for pattern design in Illustrator is the focus of this course, with the goal of helping you increase your proficiency with Illustrator techniques you may never have considered. You will craft a refreshing pattern which can be finished in a variety of ways! In this course, you will learn every step! And the techniques you pick up can be used for so much more than florals! Think of your favourite illustrations to draw and imagine using these methods and techniques on them! What you learn here covers many fundamental principles in the general workflow of many surface pattern designers and graphic illustrators.

And of course, the class would not be complete without devising and constructing a series of coordinate patterns with simple and quick techniques. It is SO. MUCH. FUN!

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You may have taken courses on pattern design before, but it is guaranteed that there are new methods and strategies to be learned each day. There's loads to be learned! And you will get more than just facts and knowledge: you can say bye-bye to all the frustrations and disappointment you get when watching tutorials that get you nowhere. If you've taken other Deloresart classes, this is just an essential evolution in your artistic development. Your repeat pattern can be used to sell with companies like Spoonflower or Print on Demand sites to design your own wallpaper, fabric or gift wrap, or to create custom products. I will show you my finished fabrics on a full kids room mockup and on baby clothes!

As far as prerequisite skills, I would recommend some knowledge of Illustrator with the goal of wanting to learn additional techniques. In class, we’ll talk about both design and technical aspects of creating a pattern. I will demonstrate them at a reasonable pace so that it will be easy to follow along. This course is for all levels; I recommend being acquainted with Illustrator to a certain degree. I suggest Illustrator for this class, as that is what is being featured here, but any other vector software is suitable, so long as it has the same functionality.

This course has a bounty of things you may never have considered! You can be applying this practical knowledge in your design practice directly. Conceiving and executing a pattern can be done relatively quickly with this small investment of your time.

The key concepts I will include:

Creating motifs using the blob brush, shapebuilder, the eraser tool and Pathfinder
An overview of what is trending in Scandinavian pattern design now
Many other considerations to do with designing repeating patterns efficiently
Approaches you can take in your creative work moving forward
Designing pattern layouts in pleasing arrangements
Designing a series of coordinates
Working with the re-colour tool

This is a relevant course for you to take no matter what the end purpose for the artwork you create. If you don’t want to spend a whole lifetime figuring this tool out, let’s dive in, so you can be benefitting from your knowledge now in your art practice! Start now and you can be done watching in just over an hour! Then you could be starting to plan your own future project today!

Intro to Layered Brushes and Motifs for Pattern Making in Illustrator

This short intro will give you an overview of the class.

Lesson 1: Overview, Inspiration and Examples

In this lesson, I will show you how I am inspired to create layered motifs. We will visit a few boards on Pinterest to see how I looked for Scandinavian inspiration.

Lesson 2: Getting Started with the Blob Brush

Here we will experiment with the settings on the Blob Brush and I will explain how to use it. I will show how to add to a shape and then we will quickly use the Shapebuilder Tool for the first time. Many pointers are shared in my workflow habits. I share constant reinforcement of keyboard shortcuts throughout.

Lesson 3: Shapebuilder and Transparency Use in Motif-Making

In this lesson, we will look at creating a layered motif. We use the transparency settings to help us out. This lesson uses the Blob Brush, the Eraser Tool, and a quick look at the Smooth Tool, with a head-to-head comparison of the Pen Tool and the Blob Brush.

Lesson 4: Combining and Subtracting with the Shapebuilder

Within this lesson, we will look at other quick little motif ideas and I will explain quick ways to adjust these. We will also begin quick-testing to help us in further developing the pattern tile.

Lesson 5: Additional Motif Building Techniques

Building layered motifs is easy with the use of the Blob Brush and the Shapebuilder Tool. We will discuss how to make easy changes and how to further build up out pattern.

Lesson 6: Adding a White Release Around the Motifs

In this lesson, we will explore methods for adding a white release to our motifs. I will show you two methods which will lead into a bit of experimentation and critical thought.

Lesson 7: Quick Coordinate Ideas to Fill Out the Collection

This lesson will explain the steps to producing some quick coordinates to round out your collection. There is just under 20 minutes of info and I give you plenty of ideas and techniques, too numerous to mention! Many different concepts are covered including types of pattern repeats, layering, transparency, shapebuilder techniques, the recolour tool and more.

Outro

This video is the conclusion of the class which includes a view of the mockups I created, words of wisdom and an invitation.

Concepts covered:

Concepts covered include but are not limited to building brushes in Illustrator, shapebuilder tool, blob brush, art brushes, mockups, offset path, marketing your art, pen tool comparison, finding online reference, color groups, working with the re-color tool, the lasso tool, the remove anchor points function, the smooth tool, layering brush strokes, brush design fundamentals, use of the layer’s palette, the join tool, simplifying, scatter, stamping with Illustrator brushes and much more!

You will get the bonus of…

I hour and 14 minutes of direction from an instructor who has been in the graphic design business and education for over 40 years
Knowledge of multiple ways to solve each design challenge and troubleshoot issues
Review of my techniques and variables affecting pattern design with these methods

Kate Frances

Surface pattern design | creative coach

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