Fundamentals of Pattern Design Information

Create a stunning collection of patterns you can apply to any surface using Illustrator and Adobe Fresco.

Patterns serve a dual purpose, they are both aesthetic and practical. First and foremost, they should be eye-catching and playful, but they also get turned into something else —a dress, a cushion, wallpaper, or pretty much anything you can think of. Michelle Parascandolo is a freelance pattern designer based in New York City. She has created a library of prints for her clients to choose from and apply to their products. She’s worked with Lucy and Yak, Target, Flow Magazine, and many more. Inspired by nature, bright colors, and a variety of artistic movements throughout history, her style is whimsical and creative.

In this online course, Michelle teaches you how to develop your own collection of patterns that can be applied to any product. She walks you through the early stages of inspiration, to sketching out ideas using a mood board, all the way through to making a production-ready artwork. She explains the importance of color palette, as well as how to come up with a range of patterns, from simple, to complex.

Here’s what you’ll learn

1. Introduction
   • About Me
   • Influences
2. Inspiration
   • Introduction to Pattern Design and Collections
   • Choosing Inspiration
   • Sketching Motifs
3. Designing the Hero Print
   • Creating the Hero Print 1
   • Creating the Hero Print 2
   • Applying Color
   • Finalizing the Hero
   • Finalizing Colors
4. The Rest of the Collection
   • Coordinating Prints: Secondary Prints 1
   • Coordinating Prints: Secondary Prints 2
   • Coordinating Prints: Blender Prints
   • Collection Checkpoint
5. Applications and Additional Tips
   • Mock-ups
   • Final Tips
   • Collections
6. Final project
   • Fundamentals of Pattern Design

Who is this course for?

• Anyone who wants to design patterns or enhance their digital illustration skills.

About Author

Hi! My name is Michelle and I am a surface pattern designer from New York City. I first discovered pattern design about 15 years ago when I was in high school. I knew I wanted to study art in college but wasn’t sure what area I wanted to concentrate in. The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York offers summer programs to high school students and I enrolled in some surface pattern design courses and immediately became obsessed. I ended up majoring in textile/surface design at FIT and graduated in 2012.

After college, I dabbled in other industries, but nothing ever felt quite right. So, slowly but surely, I made my way back to surface pattern design by creating patterns in my free time.

I started building up a portfolio and began posting my artwork online, and within a few months, I had a company reach out to me saying that they wanted to license my patterns. Over time, I began to license my patterns to more and more companies and after a few years, I was making a living from my artwork and was able to pursue it full time.

Since then, I have licensed my artwork for products that go far beyond what I ever could have imagined, from clothing to interiors, and everything in between. I have freelanced for multiple design studios who have sold hundreds of my patterns to companies all over the world.

This past year, I have written my first book, From Petal to Pattern, which was published in the summer of 2022.

More courses from the same author: Michelle Parascandolo