Repeating Pattern Sans Computer Tutorial

For the past 3 months, artist Mike Perry hosted an open event exhibition in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn called Wondering Around Wandering where Mike and invited guests had an art gallery and conducted workshops, screenings, gatherings, and more!  All of the events were open to the public and were free to RSVP.

I made it to a few of the workshops including a Saturday morning sketchbook workshop where we learned to throw our drawing apprehensions out of the window!  The most recent workshop I went to was a creating repeating patterns event with Dan Funderburgh.  Now, I've made many a repeating pattern in my day but usually with the aid of the computer.  I wanted to share a method of making a legit repeating pattern like they did in the old days sans computorial assistance.

Take a piece of paper any size, an 8.5" x 11" sheet is a good place to start since it's easy to photocopy but by all means if you want to go bigger or smaller, make it happen!  To ensure that it is perfect, you can use this image I made and then print it out!  It helps if you use a single color marker that has a good thickness to it.  Start to drawn in the middle of the page and continue outward.  The most important part in this first step it to make sure your drawing extends to the top, bottom, and side edges as mine does (above), but do not exceed the cross marks to ensure your pattern will properly repeat.

Once your drawing hits the top and bottom edges, use a straight edge and a cutting device (something that will cut in a straight line) to cut your drawing into 4 squares using the cross marks as a guide.  Use the diagram above to know what arrangement to place your cut squares in and tape it together on the back lining up the edges as close to perfect as you can.

If you did it correctly, all of the blank area that was on the edge before is now in the middle.  Fill up this blank area in the same style you did in the first step to make it look like a cohesive drawing.  No need to worry about lining anything up in this step because if you did everything correctly when you cut and taped it together, your pattern is guaranteed to repeat!

Once you're finished, make a few photocopies of your square (ok, so you have to use modern technology a little bit).  Cut out each of the photocopied squares on the exact edge of the drawing and tape them together.

You should now have a real life tangible repeating pattern!!  You can make it as big as you want and use it as wrapping paper or hang it on the wall as a poster.  The possibilities are endless!!

You can also scan your finished square to repeat it on the computer or to change the colors.  Now, make another!!

Craftember

Just some of the crafty artsy things I've done so far this fall.  I've been really wanting to work with watercolors for some time now so I broke out the paint and started sketching.  It turned into some sort of wilderness themed fashion illustration.  You never know I guess.

Recently my cat, Teeny got into a bit of medical trouble when she ate some of those fake webs from our Halloween decorations (bad kitty).  The web got stuck in her intestines and made her quite sick so I had to take her to the vet to undergo surgery to have it removed.  She was at the vet for 3 days!  Needless to say I missed her a lot so I made a little plush brooch with her face on it and put it on the Etsy shop in case you have the urge to rock Teeny's head on your body area.

After that I guess I had cats on the mind because I got an idea for a pattern from my dream.  It's super annoying how dreams fade away so quickly once you wake up, but don't worry I did a quick sketch right when I returned from dreamland so I wouldn't forget and later made this pattern:

I think it's funny to be inspired by your subconscious.  Does anyone else dream of pattern ideas?

I made it in a couple monochromatic color ways since that's how I saw it in my dream but then I had to go for a full color version of it (of course).  I think I'm going to use it for holiday wrapping paper.  Now I only have to figure out what crafty gifts I will make that will go inside of it.

A future surprise is coming using these new patterns, an idea from my watercolor, and much, much more!!

Kid Vid Halloween

This year for Halloween I was Kid Vid from the 1989 Burger King Kid's Club.  For those of you who don't remember or weren't alive when they were around, Kid Vid was the leader of the Burger King Kids Club Gang and he was really into video games and technology which you can tell by the giant phone/video game he carries on his belt.

The Burger King Kids Club Gang was a politically correct multi-ethnic group of fictional characters including Kid Vid, Boomer: a sports loving tomboy, IQ: a nerd with red hair and freckles, Jaws: a tall african american with a big appetite, JD: the dog and the group's mascot, Lingo: a multilingual hispanic dude who was into art, Snaps: a camera loving gal, Wheels: a paraplegic guy in a wheelchair, and Jazz: an asian girl who loved music who was added in 2000.

Here are some of the action figures from the kids meals

I made most of Kid Vid's accessories including the leg pouch, glasses, knee pad, and phone/video game player.  I cut the lightning bolts for his shirt out of felt and sewed them on.  For his belt and cross body strap I sewed red fabric into a strip and attached a buckle.  I already had a yellow watch, the red hat, and really similar shoes to his.

The phone was the most fun and most ridiculous to make since it was supposed to be some kind of cool phone in the late 80s and it is giant!  I made it life size based on how big it looked next to Kid Vid which is completely ridiculous.

Close-up:

Even Closer:

For Kid Vid's glasses I used some giant awesome blue sunglasses and taped off the lighting bolt shapes and painted it with acrylic.  They look pretty sweet but you can't see out of them at all which is unfortunate because I would wear them all the time.

 Process photo!!

 Finished!!!  Gotta start planning for next Halloween now!

Comic Con Vintage Sheets Hats

Comic Con was a blast!!!!  Saw lots of crazy costumes, met some super cool people, and got to hang with old friends.  Here's the Mokuyobi Threads booth:

We debuted awesome 5 panel hats that were made from vintage bedsheets that include cool Mickey, Rugrats, Goosebumps, Rainbow Brite, Popples, Pokemon, Superman, and Pacman.

They were a HUGE hit and we sold out of a couple of them but we still have a few left of the ones pictured below that you can purchase HERE while supplies last!!  AND they're on sale, bonus!

Some of the ones I sold out of I was completely not expecting.  It's hard to know what vintage stuff other people like when you obvi have your own personal faves.

This was kind of a test run for five panel hats and it was a total success!  Mokuyobi Threads is coming out with a TON of new patterns (originals this time) in 5 panel hats and wallets in late November like the one pictured below!

Keep an eye out for those, they're gonna be SUPER sick.  Can't wait, you'll see.

Prints & Patterns #2

Some more new patterns!!  I've been trying really hard to keep them under wraps so when the new products are ready it'll be that much more of an exciting surprise.  But I just couldn't contain myself, oh well.  There are still a few that I haven't shown so stay tuned for those!

Gems

Icon Tricon

Long Arrow Illustration

Long Arrow

I'm super pumped about all of the new patterns I've been making and all of the top secret items that will be for sale soon using them.  I had a little fabric left over so I decided to make some sick fabric buttons. Having the fabric texture on the button is far superior to that lame plastic covering.  It also makes them more water resistant since it's just fabric so it will dry if it gets wet unlike the paper versions which just get ruined.  Snag them here or keep an eye out for them at future Mokuyobi Threads shows!!

Future Hits Flags

Okay, I know.  Enough with the flags.  This will be my last flag post for a while.  When I was at the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago a member of the Chicago based band Future Hits saw my flags and told me it was exactly what they were looking for as a sign for the band.  I was happy to oblige with a custom flag order.  Future Hits makes educational kid friendly songs.  They imbed creativity and culture into the classroom with fuzzy, poppy tunes that have spelling words, literacy themes, and social emotional learning outcomes engrained in the lyrics.  Give them a listen!

He wanted the flags to emulate the practice paper you use when learning to write.  He also wanted to have the letters written in cursive since cursive is being left in the dust and he wants to bring it back to the spotlight!  I really had to step up my cursive game since I probably haven't written in cursive since 5th grade when we were required to write papers by hand in cursive (kill me).  And signing your name doesn't count.

A really fun element that he wanted to add to the flags was to make the consonants and the vowels different colors so you could tell them apart and even by just looking at the flag you are LEARNING!! I made them all different shapes and sizes so they looked more mix and match-y and playful.  I even made a 'space' flag to avoid confusion with letter spacing since futurehits is not a word.  I even made it a different color so it would look different and also to not confuse it with a consonant/vowel because it is neither.

I added tabs on the flags so they would be able to easily hang them up and take them down for a show. It also makes them hang really even and looks like the flags could connect which I like a lot.

Total win! I can't wait for them to hang them up for their next show!  I hope they send me a picture.

Pop of Color/Vintage Feeling Treasuries

I get emails from Etsy every week that feature specific categories of items or new shops.  I'm always amazed that there are STILL new people making shops and joining etsy.  I can't even fathom how many people are on there selling handmade and vintage goods.  While of course everything won't be the best, coolest, or most well made items I certainly like digging through the listings to find the real gems.  I made two treasuries of some sweet stuff I found from some really cool shops so check it out!

I just love this little guy!  Too bad I don't eat mustard.

For the second treasury I was inspired by items with a more vintage feel even if the actual items weren't vintage:

 Some real winners in this list How cute is this little boy teapot?

And this Humpty Dumpty cardboard chip container? How has this not been snatched up yet?