Designing a Seamless Pattern in Procreate for Spoonflower.com
When I think of summer I think of outdoor parties and events, grilling and fruity drinks. It’s all about getting outside and enjoying life! In the spirit of summer, I created this pattern that screams “fruity cocktails” and can be used to create custom décor items like cocktail napkins to pair with your drinks! Watch the video to see how I designed this pattern and how to upload it to Spoonflower.com to create the napkins and other décor items!
A summary and tips for you:
- I used the Procreate App on the iPad Pro
- Research the motifs and colors you’d like to draw (a good tip is to use up to 8 colors that work well together and the main motifs are a mix and match of the main colors)
- Start with a 12”x12” file in RGB color mode (a good file size for Spoonflower fabric)
- Draw the individual motifs (or icons) and keep on separate layers
- To keep the style consistent use the same brushes throughout (use 1, 2 or 3 brushes).
- Make clipping masks if you’d like to draw directly on top of an existing shape or section you have already drawn (make a new layer on top of the layer you want to draw on, tap on the left side of the layer and select “clipping mask”)
- When you begin to design the pattern, duplicate the motifs (swipe the layer left and select “duplicate”) and keep them close to the outer edge so it will be easier to adjust when you create the seamless pattern
- Fill in the negative space with fruit motifs. I drew cherries.
- Adjust the colors using “Hue/Saturation” if they need any tweaking
- Try different background colors to see what looks best
- As you make the pattern, a good tip is to keep the original layers containing the individual motifs so you have them if you need them later. Just turn off the layers. Once you start flattening and merging the layers you will lose your original art.
- When making the seamless pattern and you move the art left to right, fill in the middle section by moving the motifs closer to the center (use selection tool) and adding in any motifs that are needed. When you move the art to the top and bottom, fill in the center again until it looks right and balanced overall.
- Copy and paste the entire pattern repeat 4 times (three finger swipe down, “copy all” and paste into new layers) and tile together to ensure that it lines up on all sides and is made correctly
- Export as a jpeg and upload to your Spoonflower account.
- Give it a name and order a sample of it before you make it available for sale on your account. You will need to approve it first. Once approved you can make it for sale if you like.
ABOUT JEANETTA
Jeanetta Gonzales is a Los Angeles-based designer, illustrator and artist mentor. After many years of working as a graphic designer and art director, she transitioned into surface pattern and illustration full time. Her work captures moods and moments using bold colors, patterns and textures and makes statements of inspiration, positivity and beauty. Her surface pattern work can be found on products such as stationery, calendars, puzzles, textiles, apparel, greeting cards sold in major retailers. She has also created art for companies such as the New York Times, Facebook, Mixbook, Michaels, Crayola, Uppercase Magazine and The California Lottery. In addition to her client work, she also finds joy in creating art for her own products, speaking at conferences and events and mentoring artists one-on-one, facilitating their artistic growth and career.
