It’s happened to me before: I’m working on an image, lift what’s supposed to be the thing from its background… and what’s left is more interesting.
I’ve been reminded of this as I work on a new collection of illustrated garments and totes. I often wear my own designs for meetings and sketching gigs but I’ve long wanted a garment and a bag that are actually about sketching.
On, then, to the delicate process of coaxing pencil shavings into shapes, then drawing them. Digitally. Which seems perverse. But it’s handy for this technically and I sketch in traditional and digital media so it’s relevant.
In my head, these have been line illustrations. Which makes sense. Quick, gestural line is my style. I’d done a test before, rejected it and I’ve had a plan to make it better (my design clients know my exacting production standards).
Over decades of design, though, I’ve also learned to be open to happy accidents – things that weren’t the plan, that nobody has asked for but that just, somehow, work.
Thus, a collection made from the flat colour leftovers of my sketches. You can take a look (and, of course, go shopping) on my Teemill shop.
