#ItsAdvent Day 6

Patchwork Christmas Tree by Amber Lynn Benton for #ItsAdvent 2016

Can you believe it is already Day 6 of advent? Today is the last day of our co-op classes and tomorrow the boys leave for their annual Christmas trip to their grandparents.

I had fun creating this illustration. I knew that I wanted to do a patchwork tree. I created all of the little patterns that you see here - just super simple geometrics mostly. Nothing worthy of my 100 Patterns Project.

I'm also continuing to play around with my backgrounds for these illustrations. I'm not quite what to do with them sometimes. In this illustration I created my first vector plaid. That was fun and I want to play around with that some more.

In other news this was my first illustration using my brand spanking new iPad Pro. I drew almost the entire illustration using an app called AstroPad. It's still in that awkward stage for me but I know that I'm going to continue working in this way just for the sheer convenience. 

I can even sit at the school table with the boys and work while they do their lessons!

#ItsAdvent Day 5

Candle Illustration by Amber Lynn Benton for #ItsAdvent 2016

I had a fun time with this candle illustration. I duplicated the light pattern around the flame and enlarged it in the background setting the layers to multiply to achieve a more glowing effect. I used the sienna in the background to better illustrate:

'a light shining in the darkness but the darkness does not overcome it'.

It's a good image for these dark advent evenings.

I feel like this illustration came together the easiest of any that I've done so far. That makes sense, right? I've begun to come up with a workflow that is suitable for this style.

#ItsAdvent 2016 Day Two

A folk angel by Amber Lynn Benton  for #ItsAdvent 2016.

I had a lot of fun drawing this angel. This was the illustration when I really began to figure out how to put these pieces together into a collection. That included what style to draw them in and how to set up my brushes and palette.

I have a document set up in illustrator with my colors saved in the swatches panel and my brush palette loaded with my customized brushes. I also have my mood board locked in a layer on the art board.

Before I work on a new piece I import my sketch and lock it into place. Then I build the line work using pressure sensitive brushes that I set up. I've learned to be careful and think things through - what layers need to be in back and which in front? After all of the line work is done I go back through the layers expanding and unifying most of the line work so that I can drop in colors using the shape builder tool. (This is much easier than redrawing all of the shapes like I did on the first two illustrations.

What I'm learning is that no matter how much experience you have, every time you experiment and do something in a new way you are going to be inefficient. It's going to take a while for you to even figure out what you are trying to do. Then you can practice coming up with a better way to do it.

Printable Gift Card Holders

I'm designing Patterns!

Some of you know that for the past year or so I have been working hard to hone my drawing, illustration and design skills. A good portion of that time has been learning to create repeat patterns suitable for textile designs and other products that use surface pattern design. In fact, here is a link to my Spoonflower shop where currently two of my designs are available for purchase. As I develop more patterns and pattern collections I will be featuring those designs here on this blog.

I have an Etsy shop!

In addition to Spoonflower many will be accessible on printable products in my Etsy shop ~ Now & Again Paper. As my pattern and illustration portfolio grows you can support my work by commenting here, sharing any free downloads I post, favoriting my shops and designs, and following me on Instagram. (Of course it's ok if you buy something, too!)

Meet my first pattern, Kerchief!

In the picture above you can see my very first pattern - Kerchief - a part of the HomePlace Collection. Kerchief is a reimagined vintage fabric and the colorway shown here is called Teaberry. I think it fits very well into the current Boho and Folk style movements. I'll be sharing about Kercheif more in an upcoming post and more about HomePlace as it develops.

Currently you can purchase Kerchief two ways - as a printed fabric from Spoonflower or in this collection of printable gift card holders available in my Etsy shop. These gift card holders are available as a digital download and come with complete insturctions for printing and assembly. There are nine different color expressions of this Kerchief in this design. The one pictured in the very front was the original design but I'm curious which of the other versions you like. Leave a comment and let me know!

Here is a look at the digital file that you will recieve when you make an Etsy purchase:

(Since this article was published this product has been removed from my Etsy Shop.)

A few minutes with a pair of scissors; a bit of glue and you can make a gift card feel like a thoughtful present!