Pattern love

 Little update on the plate:

The plate is back! Love the colours. Surprisingly the blue has remained the same blue throughout so that's really good. The painting of the red is a bit messy - too many little brush strokes but it really seems to sit happily with my other random china - particularly my orange teapot pictured here. The bear seems to like it too!

I'm starting to realise the sort of imagery that appeals to me most. For example I love the chunky geometric 1970s prints like the ones on my studio curtains, and the huge scale florals in my living room but know that the delicacy of the 1950s line work appeals to me more- if it comes to me designing something. Orla Keily has pretty much cornered the market in those simple graphic shapes - they are gorgeous but certainly not what I was born to design! I love the print work of Angie Lewin with its variety and delicacy among the strong lines too...but of course I want to find my way and the last thing you want as a designer is for someone to say "Oh that's just like X's work!" Which it wouldn't be!! I'm not suggesting for a minute that I could do anything like Ms Lewin.

I did do lithography and etching at art college. Both approaches resulted in illustrative work if I look back - my lithographs were full of squiggles and patches of coloured background with figures dancing - A1 scale. And the etchings were quite detailed and tiny! It should be - no it will be, quite an adventure to get a few days solid designing. That may be ambitious but I am going to set aside at least one whole day and a couple of half days this week just to concentrate on the surfacepatternecourse the 3rd part of which starts tomorrow.

It's tricky for me to really find my way, or a style, right from the off as I have been a painterly illustrator for years -one who that loves line drawing on the side... when I can face challenging myself to do it. There's enevitably this horrible stage where what you draw disappoints you, if you were once good at drawing and haven't done much for a LONG time.

I painted this plate in a ceramic cafe today. I wanted a 1950s inspired look incorporating some of the motifs that I find myself scribbling most often.

I sat with the plate in front of me staring at its white surface. All I had in mind were Alliums and squiggles... after about 3 mins scribbling thunb nail size plates in my sketch book I just aimed for the centre and did my favourite spiral shape and worked outwards without thinking too much what the end result would be. As I was just drawing it out with felt tip that burns off completely when it is fired I didn't worry too much. I was there to have fun after all!! the plate should end up red, beige, brown,blue and quite probably purple where the blue is over the red... that bit is the bit I am doubtful about!!

But I did really like the effect and feel that as a piece of pattern work - rather than illustration, this is very me.

I just hope it turns out to be a strong red - not too wishy washy - although I do like the dry glaze colours. So it is very hard to be sure which I am going to prefer. I should get it back by next weekend so I'll post a picture even if I don't much like it.

I hope you all had a good weekend. x Gabs