Doodles, that is usually how ideas for my patterns start. I have created patterns by hand but mostly due to time constraints I stick to creating them digitally as copying is way faster. They all start out with a drawing on paper though, the good old fashion way. Because I lack a wacom tablet and I actually prefer the look of the patterns when they are drawn then scanned in.

I am currently experimenting with different ways of creating patterns and the way I mesh them with my paintings. It is all in the testing phases right now, but hope to have some patterns start popping up in my artwork in the very near future. I definitely am feeling a shift in my artwork lately, the way i’m painting, the colors I am using, there is a lot of stretching and pulling going on and well quite frankly it has been frustrating at times. Probably why there has been so few paintings to show off here lately. I feel it coming around though, as if I am getting in the groove and rolling with it. That’s a good feeling!

I do plan to have a look inside my studio, and some other fun glimpses into my world in the very near future. For now though my sketchbook will have to do, as I am trying to organize my studio as it is a bit of a chaotic mess. Not much painting getting done until the place is fixed up! For now I give you another page out of my sketchbook, there will be paintings of some of these sketches in the very near future…

Another look inside my sketchbook, this sketch actually turned into a painting. That is actually pretty common with things I sketch, although it may take months or even a year before a sketch is turned into a painting.

I realized yesterday as I was sketching in my sketchbook that I never share with you some of the pages from it. Today I am, and I hope to a lot more often. I know I love to see the sketches that become paintings and other doodle by artists, so here are mine. This is a page of pattern ideas, some may look familiar as they did become some patterns. I find just drawing and doodling helps me get the ideas flowing, and the patterns start to make themselves from there. Since all my patterns are digital I generally use these as a template to start with.

Such a busy day planned here today, and I really need to get going. Have a great day and i’d love to see some of your sketches, leave a link in the comments!