• About Me

Fiber and Pixels

Fiber and Pixels

Tag Archives: motifs

Sketchbook: Adding Color

31 Wednesday May 2017

Posted by Alice Frenz in sketchbook

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

colored pencil, floral, illustration, ink, motifs, pattern, Prang, QSDS, sketchbook, Susan Shie, watercolor

This week I’ve been trying out some of the new art supplies I purchased for the QSDS (Quilt and Surface Design Symposium) class I’m taking this weekend. The class is Lucky Drawing: Freehand Sketchbook 2 Day, with the wonderful, amazing artist and teacher Susan Shie.

I started at the top of my page with a set of Loew Cornell watercolor cakes that I already had. Then switched to my new Prang semi-moist 16 watercolor oval pan set recommended by Susan for the middle and bottom rows of flowers, leaves, and insects.

The Loew Cornell colors were very chalky and too opaque, covering up my ink line work. They also flaked off the paper when I tried adding colored pencil on top. The Prang colors were much more transparent; letting the ink line work show through. Colored pencils layered over the Prang watercolor paint very nicely. I definitely preferred the results with the Prang set.

You can find out more about classes taught by Susan Shie on her Turtle Moon Studio website.

©2017 Alice Frenz all rights reserved

 

Read about the scarf I design from this artwork in this post “Lady Beetles Scarf”.

lady-beetles-silk-georgette-scarf-by-alice-frenz-300x375-70

Psychedelic Succulents Design

16 Thursday Jun 2016

Posted by Alice Frenz in pattern design, pixels

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Adobe Illustrator, colorful, design, motifs, Op Art, Peter Max, psychedelic, succulents, textile design

psychedelic-succulants--floral-pattern-print-design-alice-frenz-2016-06-16-t4-600x877-80

For this textile pattern design, I was working towards a design inspired by Peter Max posters from the 1960s and 70s and also the current popularity of succulent plants. I decided that for at least this version, I wanted to go with the energy of bright colors and the rainbow/color spectrum feel of Peter Max’s work.  And I just kept thinking about Orlando and the rainbow colors of the Pride flag.

I think the plant and flower shapes that aren’t succulents, as well as the color, makes the succulent concept not come across and it simply feels floral. Perhaps I’ll try a more predominantly soft green palette for one of the colorways.

©2016 Alice Frenz all rights reserved

 

Here are 2 great exhibitions of Psychedelic Art to see this summer:

peter max exhibition poster tampa museum of art

 

 

You can see the work of Peter Max
at the Tampa Museum of Art
through Sept 11, 2016

 

 

Jerry Garcia exhibition at Psylodelic Gallery Fur Peace Ranch

 

 

You can see the artwork of Jerry Garcia
at the Psylodelic Gallery
in southeast Ohio
through July 31st.

 

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Psychedelic Succulent Motifs

07 Tuesday Jun 2016

Posted by Alice Frenz in pattern design, pixels

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

active wear, floral, mood board, motifs, pattern, psychedelic, succulents, textile design, trend

Op-and-Pop-Succulents-leaf-and-flower-motifs-and-mood-board-alice-frenz-750x485This mood and motif board is for my Op and Pop trend observation and corresponding leaf and flower motifs. I photographed succulents in my garden and drew the leaf and flower motifs in India ink pen in my sketchbook. I then selected my favorites, scanned them, cropped and retouched in Photoshop, then assembled my board layout in Photoshop.

Op-and-Pop-Succulents-leaf-and-flower-motifs-and-mood-board-alice-frenz-detail-1-600x795-80

My idea is to combine the current popularity of succulents with a poster style reminiscent of Peter Max, in bright psychedelic colors. I also would like to incorporate some Op Art curving stripes into my final pattern inspired by the work of Op artists such as Bridget Riley.

Op-and-Pop-Succulents-leaf-and-flower-motifs-and-mood-board-alice-frenz-detail-2-600x758-80

To me, the current popularity of succulents, Mason jars, and hand letter reminds me of the 60’s and ’70s popularity of mushrooms and snails motifs, organic typography, and the psychedelic neon color posters everyone hung on their walls. I think it’s something about their curvy shapes and casual beauty. Though I don’t recall snails and mushrooms being a decorating theme at any weddings I attended back then…

I had so much fun putting this board together! I hope you enjoy it.

©2016 Alice Frenz all rights reserved

psychedelic-succulants-alice-frenz-thumbnail

 

See my colorful Psychedelic Succulent design
created using these motifs here.

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Motifs for Boho Borders

06 Monday Jun 2016

Posted by Alice Frenz in pattern design, pixels

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

active wear, Adobe Illustrator, Boho, floral, mood board, motifs, women's

Boho-Borders-flower-arrows-2-alice-frenz-fiberandpixels-900x582-90I’m working on motifs for women’s active wear for a trend I found in the Vogue runway fashions for Fall 2016. I’m calling the trend Boho borders. I found designs that interested me in their pieced together look of multiple ornamental borders.

Boho-Borders-motifs-bud-arrows-alice-frenz-900x704

I’m trying to build the sense of zigzag stripes and diamond shapes composed of the small flower buds and leaf shapes I created. I will probably combine these motifs with curved or angled abstract stripes, and linear textures to increase the feeling of empowerment and energy for the active wear market.

Boho-Borders-flower-arrows-2-motifs-alice-frenz-600x750-100b

I first drew the flower bud and leaf shapes in pen and ink. Then I manipulated scans of my drawings with Kaleidomatic by Stuffmatic to generate ideas for different arrangements and combinations of the smaller shapes.

Then I redrew the motifs I liked best in Adobe Illustrator as vector shapes. This allowed me to compose most of the motifs by reflecting and rotating copies of the vector shapes. I also composed the mood board in Adobe Illustrator.

Boho-Borders-flower-arrows-detail-1-alice-frenz-600x572-100

I have some very different flower and leaf motifs for the other trends I found and hope to get them organized to post tomorrow.  It was such a great treat to take time out to spend with the flowers and leaves in my gardens working on my sketchbook.

©2016 Alice Frenz all rights reserved

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

May Sketchbook

16 Monday May 2016

Posted by Alice Frenz in pattern play, sketchbook

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

floral, hand, ink, lettering, M, Melissa, motifs, pen, sunflowers

letter-m-hand-lettering-flowers-sketchbook-alice-frenz-05-15-2016-750x794-80
block-letter-m-hand-lettering-flowers-sketchbook-alice-frenz-05-15-2016-750x679-80
2015-05-15-sketchbook-alice-frenz-ink-pen-750x589-80
under-the-sea-sketchbook-ink-alice-frenz-05-15-2016-750x587-80
sunflowers-sketchbook-ink-alice-frenz-05-15-2016-900x786-80
melissa-hand-lettering-design-sketchbook-alice-frenz-05-15-2016-900x587-80
m-sunflower-sketchbook-alice-frenz-05-15-2016-600x727-80

©2016 Alice Frenz all rights reserved

My Website

www.alicefrenz.com go to my website

Recent Posts

  • Inspired by Teasels
  • Remnants of Color
  • From Sketchbook to Scarf
  • Jazz Blossoms Art Deco Pattern
  • Lady Beetles Scarf

Categories

  • be historical
  • be inspired
  • digital fabric printing
  • fiber
  • graphic design
  • hat making
  • hat study
  • paper
  • pattern apps
  • pattern design
  • pattern play
  • pixels
  • scarf design
  • sketchbook
  • web design
  • working with wool

Emma Scarf

Jazz Blossoms

Lady Beetles

Luminaries

Spirit Animals

Succulents

iPad Apps

Motif Sketchbook

iPhone Apps

Friends Project

Laced Top Hat

1863 Dressmaking

Taffeta Hat

go to Spiral Sewn Taffeta Hat

Snow Bees

alice frenz snow bee pattern design

Straight Pins

Fortune Test

Fulled Wool

Dye Wool

IMA Exhibits

Asian Hat

60’s Mod Helmet

Buckram Shapes

Seed Fringe

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • Fiber and Pixels
    • Join 25 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Fiber and Pixels
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...