Forming a Pattern
At the beginning of August illustrator Melanie Johnsson launched her pattern challenge on Instagram. Participants were provided 15 prompts to complete over the course of the month — 2 a day. While I love to draw and make digital creations, I’m not a pattern maker. It is, however, a technique I’ve been wanting to explore for a while. The reluctance was two-fold: what and how.
The challenge happily addressed the first part with topics that I’m not sure I would have thought of on my own. Some prompts were definitely foreign, while others felt more familiar, but not ideas that entered my brain without being planted. These ideas gave me the kick in the pants I needed, and a calendar to keep me motivated.
The how part, as a concept, I get… make a thing, make more things, put them together, repeat. But doing the work felt daunting and brain breaking, like when you start a jigsaw puzzle. My penchant for space and shape seems like a good fit for pattern making, but potentially aloof. Do my things want to share with other things in a way that flows, that feels connected? Further, are my illustrations — the subject — pattern-friendly?
Patterns are everywhere, and looking at real-life examples, I see lots of geometry, nature, fluid abstract lines — things that are pretty, adorable, bold. That’s where that comparison and doubt come from. And that may be the real hurdle to overcome: would I make something good enough when all is said and done to earn an honorary membership to the real-deal pattern people club.
Throughout the challenge that sense of doubt came and went. So many of the folks that took part do this for a living(!). But I tried to dismiss my imposter syndrome and embrace each prompt. And I loved the process — word association, research, sketch, digital dig-in. It is a fulfilling journey. Some of the final products were just so-so and with more time, I probably would have done it differently. But honestly, I’m happy with the results, enjoyed pushing myself, and learning a few things along the way.
Today, at the conclusion, I am a little pattern-fatigued but want to continue refining and exploring — to try and loosen up but also lean into who I am, figure out the best applications for various designs. I enjoyed the last prompt — joy — so much that it inspired me to start a self-challenge (at a slower pace), making personalized phone wallpapers. If someone sends me a short list of the things that bring them joy, I’ll whip (or slowly churn) something up for FREE. This is how I do fun I guess.
As far as what I did create, below are my favorites. Check out more on Instagram here. And to view all participants search for #thepatternchallengebymel.
