Finally following my nagging dream

As long as I can remember I have loved surface design. I have always been in love with patterns, what makes a great patten? What doesn't? To me they also have a certain element of puzzles to them. Placing them perfectly so they look beautifully seamless. I used to to a few of these when I worked full time, they were not always what I wanted to create, but dictated design briefs. Regardless they were still fun and always a challenge.

I have always dreamed of seeing my designs on fabric, you know the kind you see on a bolt of fabric. On a note pad, a mug, wrapping paper, bed linen, you get the idea. I have design envy when I see artists beautiful work placed perfectly across fabric, and I love even more seeing an end product when it's been created into something magical. It literally gives me goose bumps. I will be honest and have seen some work on products, and have had those inner thoughts of, I could do that, or my so and so design would have worked perfectly in that collection. To date I had never gone down that path of investigating on how to actually accomplish this dream, mainly because of the fear of the unknown, doubting confidence, or just being so incredibly busy with my current workload, kids and life in general, I have popped it on the back burner. At the moment I don't believe things will slow down in any aspect of my life anytime sooner, and I keep being told life will get busier as the kids get older.

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After talking, and thinking, and researching, an talking, an thinking, you get the drift? I have finally taken the plunge into the world of surface design to find out the who, how, where, what, of this industry and have a go at it. There are a few online courses out there, one in particular I am dying to do but I cant afford it right now. I found another one instead, The Sellable Sketch, which suits exactly what I am after.

It's a portfolio course which I think will be there perfect start. I obviously need one of those, and have no idea how to put together an online style one. My last design folio I had was when I entered design college to long ago to remember, and it was not the online variety. It was a large black folder full of actually drawings, nothing digital. There are also lots of other elements of the course which are great like finding my true style. I don't have an answer for this yet as I have been drawing directly into illustrator for so long, I have completely lost the feeling of just drawing. To be honest I am finding it really hard, daunting even, and a little scary. I feel like I am giving myself stage fright as I stare at the blank pages. Michelle, the instructor has a sketching once a day for at least 30 minutes, which again is killing me. I just need quiet time to do this, but I am going to have to somehow incorporate this drawing time in with the kids. I have just started and have so much to learn, and look forward to what results at the end of it. One relief is that, I AM FINALLY DOING IT and it feels great.

Feeling stuck the other day, Charlotte came into me with a feather, who knows where it came from but it was enough to get me moving, so there you have it my first sketch in AGES!! Pen and coloured pencil, it was a lot of fun.

The course has also taken to to other places like what I am naturally drawn to. This was also a challenge but it's a liberating feeling literally extracting the natural elements of my design style out of me. I feel like I have made some progress it's all baby steps, and that's OK these things take time.

It's just such a wonderful feeling, moving towards a massive goal of mine.