Cartography Challenge Design Process
This week, I’m participating in the Spoonflower design to create fabric inspired by map making that will look nice on a throw pillow.
I started by pulling my copy of Undaunted Courage off the shelf. Lewis and Clark are the first thing that jumps into my mind when I think of cartography. Their epic expedition holds plenty of inspiration. Once I had an idea of my theme, I got to sketching…
I like to test my layout on this repeating pattern tester website. That lets me see where the awkward blank spots are or where the repeat is too blocky and obvious. After adjusting placement a smidge, I started drawing the elements…
Wanting the design to have an antique feel, I added texture and faded the colors a smidge near the end. I like the overall feel of the design, though we’ll have to wait to see what the voters think of it. It’s a rollercoaster every week. The public whims swing wildly!
As a wildcard, I whipped up a quick topographical map pattern, but I decided not to enter it in the challenge. I will make it available, along with a few other coordinates, in a cartography collection in my shop.
Timelapse
Voting
The pattern entries will be mocked up on throw pillows this week, so here’s what to look for when you’re scrolling…
Voting opens on Thursday and runs til Tuesday. I’d love your vote, as I expect competition to be stiff! To vote, click the link below. Thanks for your support!
