Surface Pattern Design

Create Beautiful Repeating Surface Patterns

Evening Design Workshop

Learn graphic design techniques specific to illustrating surface patterns. This course is for those wanting to learn how to create art to be printed on manufactured products, such as textiles and wallpaper. 

Why you should study with us:

In this practical skills course, students will learn industry-standard tools and techniques for creating surface pattern designs. Using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, participants will practise every step of the process, from sourcing images and sketching ideas to making designs available for sale in the online marketplace. 

Objectives

Working within their individual styles, students will be exposed to a variety of media and approaches to surface design. Through a series of demonstrations and hands-on exercises, students will build a small market-ready portfolio of artwork including illustration flash sheets, logos and seamless pattern tiles. Going beyond the finished product, the class will cover how to build mock-ups that showcase work for use in online marketing. Through a series of class discussions, research projects and lectures, participants will gain an introduction to opportunities in licensing and self-publishing their work. The class will also have open group discussions on ethics and emerging technologies. 

Course Length: 6 weeks: 36 hours

Materials Needed: A USB flash drive to store and transport saved files. A sketchbook, drawing materials and a notebook. Optional: a digital camera, such as a cell phone camera.

Next Program intake: October 24, 2023

Course Hours: 5:30 – 8:30pm. Tuesdays & Thursdays

Fees: $595.00 taxes included.

This program does not require approval by the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training. As such, PTIB did not review this program.

Course Outline

Class 1:

Introduction to Surface Pattern Design. Graphic motif exercise with sharpie and paper. Introduction to Adobe Photoshop.   

Class 2:

Inspiration and image sourcing. Foam Tray Block Printing. Photographing art, color correction and isolating an image. Illustration demonstration: Sketch, linework, masking with color flats, shading and cleaning. 

Class 3:

Seamless repeating patterns for textiles and wallpaper. Linework and inking techniques. Adobe Photoshop offset tutorial. Pattern tile creation. 

Class 4:

Color and the shift from rotary to digital printing. Creating color palettes. Color flats and masking techniques. Organizing design layers, and creating new colorways in Photoshop. 

Class 5:

Conversationals, coordinates, and geometrics. Plaid twill tutorial. Opportunities and self-publishing. Cleaning and preparing files for market. 

Class 6:

Vector Graphics for surface design. Introduction to Adobe Illustrator. Individual consultation and portfolio planning.  

Class 7:

Creating community. Understanding copyright and ethics in a global marketplace. Sketching, creating vectors and adding texture in Illustrator.

Class 8:

Florals – speed round. Organizing workflow and working with deadlines. Converting watercolor paintings into digital repeats on a timeline.  

Class 9:

Techniques for using AI to generate images. Open discussion of AI and the impact of new technology. Proofing and troubleshooting designs.  

Class 10:

Self-promotion and marketing. Digital mock-ups tutorial. 

Class 11:

Art licensing, pitching portfolios and working on commissions. Individual portfolio review. 

Class 12:

Portfolio exhibit. Discussion of next steps. Final Q & A.

Not sure where to start?

Get in touch with us