DSDLAB | Project: Creating Cherry Blossoms Gift Wrap Paper

I recently wrote about my love of cherry blossoms in a previous post on cherry blossoms. I loved the cherry blossoms image so much that I decided to work it in PhotoShop and turn it into a gift wrap paper!  

My idea was that a line drawing of the cherry blossoms would give me an image that was light, airy and very stylish.

I then used Photoshop to convert the image into a gift wrap pattern that I uploaded and repeated in my account in Spoonflower. See how I went from the above image to these repeat patterns - 

DSDLAB | Tutorial - How to Create Mosaic Textures in Photoshop

Mosaic textures are a great way to add a gridded, 3D effect onto your digital designs. I recently tried this effect on an image of a sunflower that I silk painted and subsequently printed as fabric. I'll write about this project soon!

Download the tutorial HERE.

DSDLAB | Tutorial - Creating a Simple Artistic Abstract Background Using Fonts

Digital surface designers are always looking for ways to create antique looking digital images that can be printed on fabric. Here's just one of the many ways that you can create an antique image with an old world feel.

Download this tutorial HERE.

PHOTOSHOP | Digitizing Weaved Textures

While taking a break from creating my 2016 digital collection of surface designs, I've been playing around with digitizing weaved textures in Photoshop. This weave is from a "cardboard" loom that I made. I weaved purple, green, and aqua blue yarns together to get an attractive weave pattern.  (Please check out the yarns at the bottom of this post.)

PHOTOSHOP | Creative Brushstrokes from Found Patterns

I love observing patterns around the house. I noticed this one of the sunlight on my studio window. When I turned it horizontally, I noticed the "squiggly lines" that are seen in many designs.

I took the left side of the image into Photoshop Elements. I chose a small brush from the calligraphy brush set.  The calligraphy brushes have a hard edge and the brushstrokes can be created with a thin, angled edge that goes into a wide one.

PHOTOSHOP | 3 Photoshop Features for Surface Designers

Adobe Photoshop is one of the essential tools in any designers toolbox. It is a fully-loaded graphics editing program that works primarily with pixel-based images and photos. For surface designers, Photoshop has a collection of features that are must-haves in that they make life easy everyday. 

Photoshop features that I use in my surface designs: