Design, design, design.
We all approach design a little differently – and so we should.
That’s what makes the creative world so interesting—after all, it’s that uniqueness that makes us sit up and take notice.
Sometimes it’s also about the courage to take risks and go on a limb – a lonely and scary space.
Simplified to its extreme, design begins with a line.
Add to it, change it, adapt it, overlay it or even hide it.
Just begin.
Draw a line and work on it – make a shape – draw another line and then tell a story.
Show your personality and be courageous.
To add visual interest, think about:
- space
- shape
- contrast
- number
- balance
- variety
- texture
- rhythm
- repetition
- pattern
- and most of all contrast
Then add power and personality to your lines to infer movement, dynamism, and hierarchy,
These are all simple concepts, but do we understand their importance until they’re worked on repeatedly?
I’ve made a video on my design work. I don’t use everything I do – but I always learn and sometimes come back to these ideas years later.
The design techniques I love to work with include:
- drawing with a pencil and rubber
- painting
- collage
- colouring using good quality markers
- all worked on paper and then transferred onto the substrate to be stitched
And it all starts with a line.
Just begin.
Change of format: This blog will now move to a monthly format.
All views and opinions expressed are my own, except where acknowledged information is included from other sources.