I've moved!!

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you know that I've moved my blog over to

http://groovitydesigns.com/ 

Please check my new work at http://marytanana.com

Sneaky Peeky...

Well, I'm FINALLY working on some new collections! Took me a while to gather my scattered thoughts and to simply sit myself down, tether myself to my desk with my trusty earphones, and create. I actually put together some simple mood boards, with my rough sketches, doodles, colors that I'm thinking about, and photographs of the look and feel of what I want to accomplish. Geesh, I've really come a long way in this department. Imagine me, I'm planning something, hehe! But honestly, designing a repeating pattern has a lot of elements and nuances to it, if you don't plan it out a bit from the start, it gets overwhelming! And the trick is....to make yours completely different than anything else that's out there! Whew. No easy task, folks.

I completely believe that with a pattern like this, the layout is key! If it doesn't look good and balanced when even in thumbnail size, I'm going to keep working on it until it does. Second of course, is the colorway and the style of how to color (fill, no fill, outline, thicker outline...etc.), do I create custom fills, patterned backgrounds...the list is endless. I usually concentrate on my main pattern first. Once I get that "right" in my head, the companion patterns follow and flow effortlessly.

I did these cute little motifs about a month ago in my "little black book" of doodles. The black folky florals are the ones that I've just digitally drawn, and the lighter layer below is from my sketchbook (I use this as a reference to trace on). Yesterday and today I drew them in Adobe Illustrator in the proper layers so I can add color properly to them later on. When I was finished, I was pretty astonished that the patterns resembled so closely those from my Ukrainian Pysanky eggs, made MORE than a few years ago when my vision was a bit more perky.  I keep these little eggs in a bowl in the living room. It's really funny how certain things stick in your memory. I can't remember people's names that well, but if I've seen a pattern somewhere?? It's stuck in my head!!! :D

These are made from goose eggs, each one took me 5-6 hours average. The process is similar in theory to batik, each line/stroke is painted on with hot wax, from a wax pen, also called a "kistka". The eggs (hollowed out and cleaned) are dipped in a series of dye baths in progressive colors. Wax is applied after each color to basically seal in that color. At the end, the wax is taken off with a candle flame, and et voila, THE REVEAL. Each little one is kind of like a surprise, you never know what you'll get.

NEW online magazine MOYO!!!

Today one of my designs was included in the very first issue of MOYO. MOYO is the world's first magazine dedicated to surface pattern design, brought to you by the founders of The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design (*MOYO is Japanese for 'pattern' and is pronounced mo-yor).

VERY excited to be a part of this and to kick off something so fresh and new!!!  Take a look!! I really love the colors, style and fun layout of this publication.

MOYO is the world's first magazine dedicated to surface pattern design, brought to you by the founders of The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design (*MOYO is Japanese for...



Vote for my design, "Jolly Jester"

Hi there, last day to vote for my design on the Bed Bath & Beyond Design Challenge! PLEASE don't just hit Facebook "like", that means you just liked the page, but you are not really voting. (gimme a 5!!)

Here is the link to vote, below!
http://atrium.threadless.com/bedbath/submission/jolly-jester/

 

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Module 2 final showcase

My work was included with some of my other fabulous e-coursemates on Rachael Taylor's blog!! Please check it out! We have just finished up Module 2 of The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design, now onward to Module 3!!! So much talent out there! Very excited to be a part of this group!
http://rachaeltaylordesigns.blogspot.com/2012/08/module-2-final-showcase-part-5.html

...and just an FYI to any of you newbies finding my blog, The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design, Module 1: Designing your way, is beginning August 27 2012!!! Here's the link for more info!! http://dowhatyouloveforlife.com/course/the-art-and-business-of-surface-pattern-design-module-1-designing-your-way/

ABSPD takes on Printsource

Had a fabulous day with a lovely group of ladies from "The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design" e-course!!  We met in New York City and attended Printsource's summer show. Printsource New York holds three shows a year, and is the premier show for surface and textile designs in the USA.  I had a wonderful time walking around the show (my first surface design show!), talking to a few companies, and basically getting a feeling for the industry and what's in store for me going forward. We had a bite to eat midday, and discussed our career history, current projects, showed pics of the kiddos, our work, and traded business cards and info. It was so refreshing to meet everyone in person! I started this e-course in April, and I've had the pleasure to network and meet some extremely talented people, share tips (thanks Schatzi!!), and get instant feedback on new work and designs via Flickr, Facebook, and email. Thank you to Rachael and Beth for starting this outstanding e-course!

Please check out what each of these designers are up to:
Rachel Gresham | www.rachelgreshamdesign.com
Helen Billett | www.meringueinc.ca
Deborah Velasquez | www.deborahvelasquez.blogspot.com
Emine Ortega | www.emineortega.blogspot.com
Femi Ford | www.femiford.com
Tanya Brown | www.schatzibrown.com
Mary Tanana | www.groovity.blogspot.com (me!)

Thank you all, LET'S DO IT AGAIN!!!

...and just an FYI to any of you newbies finding my blog, The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design, Module 1: Designing your way, is beginning August 27 2012!!! Here's the link for more info!!  http://dowhatyouloveforlife.com/course/the-art-and-business-of-surface-pattern-design-module-1-designing-your-way/

My Tigerprint Banner

I uploaded this to Tigerprint on a whim, and how cool is this? 

Tigerprint was formed in 1996 when around ten people worked in a small office in Brighouse, West Yorkshire designing cutting edge card and wrap designs to supply to Marks and Spencer. They’ve come a long way since then, with over 200 employees and offices in Bradford, London and Hong Kong. Their continued focus on innovation and creativity means that they’ve become the sole supplier of over 5000 greetings products to M&S, making them the fourth biggest retailer of greetings cards in the UK.

This is a screen shot of their site. Check out some of the other fantastic banners too!

"Skully" wins!

I've just been notified that I am one of the winners of "Heaven's Door" scarf contest at Beta Fashion!!! SO EXCITED! Now I have to send them a high resolution image so they can produce my design to sell!

Beta Fashion is an online scarf shop with a difference – they collaborate with designers from around the world to create unique, creative pieces. It’s an open platform where designers are given themed projects and the public chooses, by way of votes, which designs should make it to the shops.

close up of design

full scarf.

And thanks again and again to the fab ladies of "The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design" for giving me the kick in the butt that I needed to get me going in the right direction!! Mwahs! AND also to the wonderful "Mod Group" that I found along the way ;)) Thanks to all!





Kudos to MOO.COM and Thank you Staples!

I am attending PrintSource tomorrow, and I'm pretty excited! Printsource New York, The Premier Market for Surface and Textile Design in the USA, holds three shows a year in New York City. The Show covers such industries as men's, children's and women's apparel, bed and bath, kitchen and tabletop, paper goods and stationery, wallcoverings, window fashions as well as other surface and textile design applications.

Soooo, of course today I was scrambling and running errands to pick up some new business cards and large color reproductions of my surface designs. And needless to say, I'm thrilled with the results!!

These are my new business cards from MOO.COM, right here in Providence, Rhode Island (although main branch is in the UK). They did a FABULOUS job, great price and quality. They are super for artists, craftspeople, designers, as they allow you to upload up to 50 different images for the back of the card. Those are actually some of my biz cards flipped over arranged around the front side of my card.

And here are some of the larger color prints of my designs, which I had done at Staples. It really is wonderful to see them in print and off of my computer screen!

These are "Nero" approved (my kitty's name)

After some cropping, into the book they go, and off to sleep I go! 4 AM wake up call tomorrow morn to catch the train! I'll report back after the show :)

My work featured....

Hi all! One of my designs, along with some of my fellow e-coursemates work, was featured in Beth Nicholls' blog "Do What You Love For Life".  This was from Module 1 "The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design". We've all just finished up Module 2, lots of exciting things on the horizon ;))

click here>>> http://dowhatyouloveforlife.com/blog/2012/07/21/pattern-course-module-1-showcase-part-5/

Señor Skully-contest for Beta Fashion

Just entered a fun contest at Beta Fashion, "Looking forward to Autumn/Winter the topic of this project therefore is skulls. We're looking for scarf designs that embrace this topic and represent it in a beautiful and contemporary way."  Yep, skulls. Gah.

Well, I've always been fascinated with those decorative skulls that you see relating to the holiday "Dias de los Muertos", and I think that the style of my drawing and work fits it exactly!  Dia de los Muertos is a traditional Meso-American holiday dedicated to the ancestors; it honors both death and the cycle of life. In Mexico, neighbors gather in local cemeteries to share food, music, and fun with their extended community, both living and departed. The celebration acknowledges that we still have a relationship with our ancestors and loved ones that have passed away.

Okay, shameless self-promotion time! Vote for my "Señor Skully"!!! Here's the link!
https://www.betafashion.com/competitionratedesign.aspx?SubmissionID=5812

full size scarf

Beta Fashion is an online scarf shop with a difference – they collaborate with designers from around the world to create unique, creative pieces. It’s an open platform where designers are given themed projects and the public chooses, by way of votes, which designs should make it to the shops.

If you want to Pinterest any of my artwork or photography, please attach a link to this blog and give me credit. If you don't, I will find you and hurt you ;)

Stationery Project-Zenyatta Mandala

This project took a lot of thought! We had to design a stationery set according to a brief from Rachael Taylor for The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design. I've gotten a lot better at not procrastinating, but I think that I tend to overthink things, maybe it's because this is all so new for me (but I truly love it!!!) This one took me a while to finish.

I called this group "Zenyatta Mandala". I was listening to the Police (love Sting!!) while drawing a part of this, hence the "Zenyatta" part of the name. Haha, maybe I'm showing my age here, "Zenyatta Mondatta" debuted in 1980!  "Mandala" is a Sanskrit word meaning "circle", which is one of the motifs throughout.

I LOVE how this came out, I even used it as my Twitter background!

People responded really well in my Flickr group to this mix of patterns.

I would actually love this for a cosmetics bag!!

If you want to Pinterest any of my artwork or photography, please attach a link to this blog and give me credit. If you don't, I will find you and hurt you ;)

My staff

ahhhh...I THOUGHT I had posted this a month ago, but I found it in my "draft" box. Yay me. Always learning!

I'd like to take a moment and introduce you to my staff. Their hard work and dedication has gotten me to where I am today ;)

All hail Nero. AKA "Buddy". Alpha cat male. And the hardest cat on the planet to photograph because of his black, shiny, mink-like fur!

This is Java, my special Bengal kitty. He's part Asian leopard cat, and he's a bit of a nut. But I love him bunches!

The lovely Luna. My constant companion, I am never out of her sight. She's got the prettiest coloring too, peachy belly!

View from my chair at my desk. Never a dull moment. This is Java and Luna supervising me.

And I can't forget to mention Henry the Hall Cat. My new friend. Our relationship is based solely on his need for me to bring him his catnip fix from the garden.

This is Henry (see what happens to his tail when I bring him catnip?) and his bro Mac. Two lovely gingers from next door.

Like I said before, never a dull moment here. They are all such a constant source of enjoyment and really make my day a brighter one :)

Oh, and if you want to Pinterest any of my artwork or photography from here, please attach a link to this blog and give me credit. If you don't, I will find you and hurt you ;)

Gigantor Doodle Board!

Just posting a little progress picture of my Gigantor Doodle Board. This project has become really a fun one! We were given this to do as part of The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design, Module 2 course, and at first I was terrified. I procrastinate, for the most part, when working on large surfaces. I never was comfortable painting on a large canvas, that giant, blank, white square or rectangle kind of frightened me, lol!

This piece is on a 20x30 inch illustration board, done with Sharpie markers! I used a few Zentangle patterns that I found on the 'net, but 95% are my own doodles, flowers, and stuff that flows out of my head. I used to do count-cross-stitch, crocheting, knitting, embroidery, and I find that it brings exactly the same relaxing quality when I work on it.

If you want to Pinterest any of my artwork or photography, please attach a link to this blog and give me credit. If you don't, I will find you and hurt you ;)

Lately? Obsessed with Sunflowers...

"For tomorrow may rain, so I'll follow the sun....." ~The Beatles~

I really love sunflowers! It's the first time that I've grown them. A few of these pictures are from my neighbor's roof top garden plot of sunflowers in bloom, mine are the ones that are in bud.

This one reminds me of that "Body Snatchers" movie!

These came out very surreal! From my iPhone using Hipstamatic app. A very low humidity day!

These are not photoshopped or enhanced, see the bee?

Two bees on this one!

If you want to Pinterest any of my artwork or photography, please attach a link to this blog and give me credit. If you don't, I will find you and hurt you ;)

Jardin Loco

I've been a busy girl, I really have to get back to blogging more! Mid-summer vacation time is over, the super-hot weather is creeping in, and I'm back at my desk "working" away on new ideas, doodles, and patterns in the comfort of air conditioning. When you do what you love for your job, it's never really like "work" at all :))

This pattern is named "Jardin Loco", which means "Crazy Garden" in Spanish. I named it that because of all of the bright colors and wildly patterned flowers, typical in my designwork lately. Hope that you like it! All of these patterns repeat, so I think I'll put them on sale at Spoonflower. I'll keep you posted.

If you want to Pinterest any of my artwork or photography, please attach a link to this blog and give me credit. If you don't, I will find you and hurt you ;)