When you asking artists where they draw inspiration from, many will say something along the lines of “I find inspiration all around me.” And it’s true, inspiration really can come from anywhere, but how can we find inspiration when we don’t know where to start?
Mood Boards and Pinterest
Pinterest can be dangerous; it is easy to see designs on there and use the same exact ideas. It's not bad to use Pinterest or Google as inspiration, just make sure you are using it in the early stage and not using art there as a reference. Doing simple searches can help you come up with initial ideas for design elements you'd like to include in your pattern.
Lots of designers use "mood boards" to help conceptualize the design they want to make. A mood board is essentially a group of photos or words that describe a "feeling" that the design will also display. You can make your own mood board by going on Pinterest or other sites and looking for things that inspire you. Add them together in a collage and take a look at the mashup of content while you are creating your art or design. Just having colors or an aesthetic in mind before you start designing can help center your vision. Some tools that would be good for creating mood boards include Canva (free), Procreate ($10), or Photoshop (monthly subscription). Once you make a board of images that relate to the mood of your upcoming design, start thinking about what elements to include. This is not an essential step, but it's a good one to help you feel more centered on an idea or design concept.
List Elements to Add
When creating a repeating pattern, there are typically multiple elements involved. Take a minute to write out the theme of your pattern, for example "winter", and list what comes to mind when you think of that topic. Maybe it’s mittens, socks and hot chocolate, or maybe it’s skiing, fires and snowflakes. Decide from your list what you would like to include. Maybe even sketch out quick thumbnails of what you’d like the designs to look like. Sometimes I think I can’t draw, but just imagine the object in your mind and draw it to the best of your ability in a simple fashion.
With digital art, it is easier to change and undo things if you don’t like them. I would recommend after that drawing an element, copy it so you can create multiple versions. This will allow you to experiment and create the best elements possible. Sometimes editing elements is as simple as changing the color scheme. Also try flipping the shapes and/or adding texture.
Editing Your Pattern
Once the pattern elements fill the white space and you've made it seamless, it's easy to write it off as complete. However, editing can do a lot of good. Take a look at your pattern at a large scale. Are there any gaps that could be filled or made more pleasing? Make a copy of your pattern and try adding some extra elements or try copying other elements you've already created and adding them. You'd be surprised how much the pattern improves in your new version. If it doesn't look better than the original pattern, you always have that original you made the copy from. Saving and making copies of elements and artwork is essential when editing and improving what you've made. It can be so frustrating to change something, like what you had before better, and not be able to go back.
Creating patterns can sometimes be easy and sometimes there is no inspiration to be found. Make a mood board, save photos that inspire you and start listing elements to draw. A greatly executed design will come from a great idea, you just have to start! Take a look at what surrounds you every day and stay inspired.
