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help with pattern ideas


rljohn56

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here's my question: I have all these ideas for certain pattern themes,  but don't necessarily have the actual artistic ability to put them on paper in order to make a pattern. I know there are people out there that do patterns, but my question is are there other ways to approach this dilemma?  i've thought about finding someone that is good at sketching and working with them about these ideas.  what do some of you do in order to put your ideas onto paper.

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23 minutes ago, rljohn56 said:

here's my question: I have all these ideas for certain pattern themes,  but don't necessarily have the actual artistic ability to put them on paper in order to make a pattern. I know there are people out there that do patterns, but my question is are there other ways to approach this dilemma?  i've thought about finding someone that is good at sketching and working with them about these ideas.  what do some of you do in order to put your ideas onto paper.

I went into the university part on here and watched the tutorials over and over and then started pattern making myself :) great site with great info 

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I use inscape, but there are others.  It helped me to learn everything I could find about using the Bezier tool.  When you click on it, it opens a set of options on top to make it act in various ways.

It helped me to load someone else's pattern or picture and trace it for the practice.  Delete it when finished, so that you are not stealing somebodies work.

Watch you tube videos about "inkscape bezier".  Have inkscape open at the same time.  When they demonstrate some little thing, stop the video and practice that.

Learn to EDIT-DUPLICATE-FLIP.  For example, if you make 1 side of a picture  frame, use the SELECTOR option, drag an imaginary box around your work, wait for the computer to tie it all together, duplicate it, flip horizontal and move the mirror image over.

I wrote this for inkscape, because that is what I use, but others will work.  Travis has excellent videos on this site that are great.  Hopefully others will chime in with their thoughts.  Good luck Friend.

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Baby steps. I am nowhere close to artistic. I start with a rough scotch (think stick figures). Once that idea starts to make sense I will look for some clip art or photos that are close enough and put them in in place. That's when Inkscape or Gimp come into play. As mentioned, watch the tutorials on using those applications to create patterns. 

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I'm pretty decent in photoshop, but my efforts there are derivative, meaning I can take bits and pieces of some other existing art, and convert to a pattern.  I would like to have non-derivative designs, so since there are practically zero coin cutting patterns available, I have enlisted the help of four college students with Art majors/minors.  I pay $15 for each pattern plus I cut two coins with their design which I send to them.  At this point, I'm letting these students choose their own material, but in the end, the patterns will belong to the scroll saw/coin cutting community.  I'll post a few of their designs today.  There will be a little breaking in for these new artist as they do understand the "floating" issues, but don't quite understand scaling yet.  You will see what I mean when you see the "mobile" piece I'm posting.

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I learned to make "some" patterns myself by watching the videos here and ready the topics in the village university.. Not super great at it yet.. but been a work in progress for a year or two now.. Since I sell online and do custom work.. I try to do them all on my own but during the real busy times.. I reach out to a couple of pattern makers to have them do the work for me.. Yes I pay them.. never expect to have a pattern done for me for free after trying to do my own...it's not easy..at least for me.. I'd like to gain some other makers as they all have different styles of designing.. Sometimes in paying for a designer to make it.. they do a great job.. but sometimes the idea doesn't really match what I had in mind.. 

I really want to learn more.. but the only way to do that is take time to learn it.. and I'd much rather saw :)..  

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I'm in the process of learning portraits. The videos here are very helpful and have great instructional values. It takes time though. And if spend too much time away you have to learn things all over again. I just don't have the time to dedicate to it right now. Be patient dedicated and work slow at it. 

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7 hours ago, WayneMahler said:

I'm in the process of learning portraits. The videos here are very helpful and have great instructional values. It takes time though. And if spend too much time away you have to learn things all over again. I just don't have the time to dedicate to it right now. Be patient dedicated and work slow at it. 

Exactly.. I learned to do portraits about 6-8 years ago and did about 5-8 patterns.. then got busy doing other things etc.. had a friend request a pattern of his dad whom had passed.. I couldn't get it without doing a ton of refreshing with the videos here.. I haven't done one in a long time.. I'm sure I couldn't do one again without the videos.. and now I'm just so busy that it's hard to find the time to do them.. 

 

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13 hours ago, rljohn56 said:

here's my question: I have all these ideas for certain pattern themes,  but don't necessarily have the actual artistic ability to put them on paper in order to make a pattern. I know there are people out there that do patterns, but my question is are there other ways to approach this dilemma?  i've thought about finding someone that is good at sketching and working with them about these ideas.  what do some of you do in order to put your ideas onto paper.

Wish i could learn how my self,i'm easily distracted and can read one sentence and forget what i just read.

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15 hours ago, Dan said:

Baby steps. I am nowhere close to artistic. I start with a rough scotch (think stick figures). Once that idea starts to make sense I will look for some clip art or photos that are close enough and put them in in place. That's when Inkscape or Gimp come into play. As mentioned, watch the tutorials on using those applications to create patterns. 

I start with a rough scotch...

You are a man after my own heart Dan!  Though personally I prefer Irish Whiskey...;)

Rob

 

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