At Pattern Bliss blog I'll be sharing my favorite surface pattern design inspirations, trends, a sneak peek my pattern designs, my favorite shoes, and, of course, cute dog pictures. Plus you'll get a glimpse of what goes on inside my studio in my sketchbook series.
My Wailea collection is influenced by the marbled trend, geos and textured illusion. All designs are hand rendered prints with a digital twist. Color palette has a warm romantic tropical vibe well suited for active wear with pink and warm orange hues.
Read MoreI've got a new digital wallpaper download for iPhones and other smartphones. Wallpaper features "BE YOU NOT THEM" text and my rainbow watercolor background.
Lately I have been on a mission to enjoy just being me. I love seeing all those beautiful photos shared on Instagram and Facebook. At the same time I realize the importance of not forgetting who we really are without adding the fancy filters. So today's wallpaper has some rough edges--being loud and colorful with smudged and rough paint strokes. This wallpaper is about living bravely and being YOU. xo Chris
Read on to download the free wallpaper.
Read MoreMy inspiration for the Cali Collection: I love rich saturated colors combined with unexpected patterns and textures. I am drawn to the idea of a psychedelic take on camouflage found in nature. Think tropical fish, lush plants, and beautiful insects. I also like the idea of the pattern transporting you to an exotic place where the nature becomes almost otherworldly. One of my favorite playgrounds is the beach. The way the light reflects off the water is always inspiring. Details on the collection in the full blog post.
Read MoreHow do I create those gorgeous curves in the hand drawn vector lettering? To make seamless and realistic monoline vector lettering, you must minimize the number of anchor points using your pen tool when creating the lettering. This means that the Horizontal & Vertical Bezier Handles (HVBH's) will all be either at 0 degrees or 90 degrees. Check out my blog post for details.
Read MoreMy design inspiration for the new tropical print "Paradise Wave": I love the rich saturated colors and unexpected patterns and textures in the Psychotropical trend for S/S 18. I was drawn to the idea of a psychedelic take on camouflage. I also like the idea of the pattern transporting you to an exotic place where the nature becomes almost otherworldly. In Photoshop I added glossy film layers and textures to my patterns to add an ephemeral and iridescent quality. Synthetic looking brights in the Psychotropical activewear trend pair nicely with the bold Charged Pink. I love the way this pink color palette highlights the youthful energy of this design-- the perfect surface pattern for activewear. This pattern is available for purchase. Details below.
Read MoreMy new Pink Bunny in a Garden design features a sophisticated whimsy vibe. I used a playful color palette with a modern twist. Pale pink, blue denim and shades of indigo are some of my faves. The design has a rich texture that highlights the hand drawn elements. I am inspired by my garden and it seems a rabbit or two is never far away. This pattern is available for purchase. Details below.
Read MoreAs a mom to three dogs, I am delighted to introduce my new "Thanks, Dawg" note cards at Papyrus. You can find the boxed set of ten at Papyrus here.
Designing this note card for Papyrus came naturally to me. I am an illustrator and designer, but I am also passionate about my work as a dog adoption counselor for a dog rescue organization here in Colorado. Finding forever homes for dogs is so rewarding. Not only do I get plenty of puppy kisses, I have the privilege to give a voice to our canine companions who truly appreciate their human family with unconditional love. These shelter dogs teach me so many things about resilence and compassion. A dog who is homeless is so much more than a needy dog--he could be your new best friend. As the saying goes, I didn't rescue the shelter dog, the dog rescued me. (You can see the three dogs that rescued me below.)
Read MoreI'm sharing a sneak peek at a new botanical pattern for activewear featuring the Psychotropical trend. Feeling inspired by the new workshop at Pattern Observer. I will be sharing my finished design collection created in the workshop soon.
You can take a closer look at this pattern and others in my portfolio. My patterns are available for purchase or license by fashion, textiles, and paper goods companies. If you are interested in more information on my work, just send me an email via my contact page.
Read MoreHere's a new mixed media pattern with a tropical vibe I'm working on in the studio. Each floral design project begins with my camera and some flowers. Finding the best lighting means checking in the blooms at different times of the day. Then I drop the best images into Photoshop. I print the images and play around with them in a collage. Next it's back to Photoshop where I make more adjustments. This process can be repeated as many times as it takes to develop the perfect pattern. Stop by again and I'll share the completed pattern.
Read MoreThe Ice Princess design challenge over at Pattern Observer recently wrapped up. Here are three textile designs I created with ski apparel and equipment in mind.
Stay tuned. I'll be sharing more of the collection soon. And check out my mood board containing my pattern designs and photography from my favorite alpine playground -- Colorado and the Rocky Mountains!
Read MoreI’m having fun painting indigo polka dots for a new textile print. Next I’ll pop the art into Photoshop and make adjustments. Stay tuned for more design process updates for the Pattern Observer Ice Princess design challenge.
My inspiration for the Ice Princess collection is my favorite playground—high altitude places in my home state of Colorado. Star gazing in the snow-capped mountains. Ice and snow reflecting in the Colorado light.
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