Journal Day 141- Worksheets

Week two of this part is upon us and so for me that means evaluating what has been done. I have shared most of the designs so far, but in order to move forward I have printed them out and placed them, in their groups, onto worksheets. I find that working on a computer can give you tunnel vision, and the best way to really look at what you've done is when you can print them out and see them all together.

The way in which I have been working has allowed the sometimes un-sympathetic medium of digital design to have no effect on me so far. What I have and am focusing on is how and what makes a pattern.

I started with these basic background ideas with the intention of applying a variation of foregrounds to them. What I was interested in was not the over all pattern and it's effect (to a certain degree, with colour choices etc.) but was interesting in asking questions about the application of the foreground to the background.

Lots of multi coloured squares over-lapping to create a busy(!) background that possibly overwhelms the eyes?

Many coloured squares separated to be slightly less busy and easier on the eyes

All one tonal background with fewer squares spread out, but still over lapped for creation of new colours and shapes.

For example;

How does a busy background work with a busy foreground?

one bird repeated evenly, but in a colour that is not easy to see. Is it too much for eyes? Is the colour too light to see the new shapes created by the over-lapping?

In a bolder, more neutral colour the birds become much more dominant than the busy background, but your eyes focus on them rather than the new shapes created by the over-lapping. The colour also highlights the  squares that are also the of the same colour which I don't like.

Tropical, 80's coloured birds clash with the multi coloured background, but the strong, repeated bird pattern stands out without dominating the background entirely. 

How does a simple background work with the same busy foreground?

The background, now separated, is much easier for the eye to focus on. This in turn makes it (as it is brighter and bolder) more dominant than the foreground. The birds in the foreground are slightly opaque adding to this. Again the colour choice of the foreground is pretty awful and does not help it to look good. However I do think that a neutral colour would not work either. Having a foreground and background so separate seems to be part of the problem.

What about a background that is simple and of one tonal theme?

Here, the colours all work well together making the image much more aesthetically pleasing in general, however I still don't like the background as it feels like there isn't enough of one for the many may birds present. 

Here the colours do not matter as much, as I feel that it works because the background and foreground match in terms of having a similar amount of information and activity. 

This kind of organised grouping for the birds is preferable for me to the many many birds of the pattern 2 above. It is group, structured and repeated. Same as the background. 

Admittedly the colour choices for these ideas was awful, and to be honest I hate how they have turned out. But at the end of the day they have done the job and shown me ideas and basics on how the foreground and background can work together. I also think that having a background and foreground so separate makes the patterns look weird- Having them linked/related and joined in some way is what makes a complete and good pattern.

In order to gain the bird pattern in photoshop I traced photographs and drawings and scanned them into photoshop. I spent an afternoon tracing many different versions of the birds together to again see how each idea and format of the birds would work. Like I said, I have been working very logically  towards creating the patterns.

Once this was all done I started a fresh and began creating the patterns. For each one I have two or more versions in order to experiment and see what works better and what I prefer.

Again, for example;

Same bird layout as above, but with different colours and on a white background.

With an orange background. (Bright and 80's!)

Blue background- still bright but not so 80's, more of a beach feel. 

With a pink background it has a girly feeling. 

Smaller birds, with big yellow triangles and small grey triangles. More of a spaced out feel. Not quite enough?

With the addition of yellow triangles, it feels more full and detailed. 

With  no background triangles it feels a little bare.

Pale yellow birds for a toned down feeling

much poppier with a bright yellow

poppy yellow with stripes. Stripe additions always make me think of wallpaper, so not sure how I feel about this!

Pale blue version, feels suitable for much more surfaces. 

Purple, for a mature but girly feel. All of these plain patterns can really be done in any colour to suit the need or person.

Add in some blue and centred yellow triangles with a red bird. The yellow birds give lots of details and linear pattern for the eyes to follow. 

A fuschia pink is a slightly nicer fit with the other colours.

Pale stripes and dots give it a wallpaper feel again but add more detail and info. 

A bolder  bird makes them much more dominant, and while I like this I think the bird could be toned down a bit to find a middle ground between the two. 

Back to the red, with dirty yellow stripes. I really do not like this colour combo. 

butter cup yellow stripes give it a much better feel but the red is still not working for me. 

even brighter yellows bring back a feel of the 80's and are very happy :)

this time dirty yellow, but bolder. Gives an earthy feel that I think could work if the red was also earthy or was replaced for another earthy colour. Quite a toned down and mature feeling. 

girly pinks! with only dots for a more simplified feel, with opaque birds to create new shapes and colours for added info. If this had stripes it would be too much. 

bolder colours, still opaqued slightly. This I think takes away from the girly feel. 

A simple feel with only dots, with added green for a unique twist that I love!

Bright yellow triangles add another shape to the dots. 

Paled out a bit they become less of a focal point which I think is preferable. 

Thick stripes and thin stripes enhance a wallpaper feeling you could get! Possibly a bit too much?

Shadows create a mirage that quite frankly hurts the eyes

Spaced out shadows add nothing but confusion.

A simple green stripe on one side rather than both adds a bit of a quirk but does not take away from the wallpaper feel 

plainer, with no bright blue stripes gives a maturer feel, but is too plain for my liking.

So far I feel that this method is working quite successfully for me, allowing to evaluate and choose as I go. It is very methodical and not at all expressive or emotional, but for this project I am happy to work this way! As I go on I can see many ways in which I could have done it differently, but that is something I could try when the time frees up again :)

Abiento x