top image taken from pinterest

It isn’t not long until I start a new on-line arts course. I haven’t been on a course for about three years and I’m so looking forward to taking part in the MATS A (Make art That Sells) course, in just a few weeks. To stop me from feeling ‘wooden’, I have been warming up by producing a few fashion inspired illustrations. I quite like them and I intend to add these to my current stationery range, on Etsy.

The MATS A course is run by Lilla Rogers, a well known and highly respected agent in the surface design community. On the intensive, five week course, I will be building a professional portfolio whilst learning about the five most lucrative markets for art, these being bolt fabric, home décor, children’s books, wall art and gift. What I find most useful about this on-line course is that my work will be viewed by Lilla Rogers, and she gives feedback on selected work. I would love it if I received some feedback on what I produce. Plus, my work may get seen by art directors. I hope so, and fingers firmly crossed!!

Because the course will be intensive, I will most likely have my creative head on and I will be super focused. I will try to vary my blog posts during that time, adding in the odd fashion and interior articles, and you will definitely see what I’ll produce from the course.

The main reasons why this course will benefit me, are that firstly, I will get some direction as to what to put in my portfolio, for when I approach potential new clients and agencies. Secondly, I will get an insight into the different art markets. I’m currently unsure about which area to specialise in, so this course will be useful to help me with that. At the moment, I am doing graphic design and illustration, which means I tend to create artwork in a variety of styles, all depending on what the clients want. I would like to develop my own style and I will only be able to do this by producing lots of artwork. As an illustrator, it’s important to have your own unique style, so that you are offering something different to what a company or agency might already have. I am more passionate about illustration and pattern and love to draw, creating interesting compositions and patterns. Although I love typography, which are used a lot in graphic design, I love having fun producing different hand-drawn styled fonts.

I have a few pieces in my portfolio which I want to keep. These are a range of florals in my stationery collection on Etsy. By mid November, I will have a whole set of new designs from the MATS A course and some illustrations which I’ve been working on more recently. These will all form the basis of my updated portfolio. The new illustrations are based on what I love, namely, fashion. I’ve produced a series of apparel-inspired designs. Check them out below.

Fashion inspired illustrations

After I’ve put together a selection of artwork, I will then show my updated portfolio to different professionals. I will, of course, take on board their constructive feedback and will alter my portfolio depending on what suggestions are made. The end result will be a strong collection of work, showing my versatility and my drawing style, promoting ‘me’ – emmajayne-designs.

Emma Jayne x

*please do not use any of my images without permission. If you’d like to write about any of my design pieces, please get in touch or give credit on your blog/ website, with a link back to the original post. Thank you  😉

I’ve recently added a couple more items to my Etsy shop. These are two A5 Vintage Floral notebooks.

I’m a big fan of vintage style, especially from the 1950-1970s. I find the bold, floral & geometric patterns and colour combinations really eye-catching.

My parents were teenagers in the 1960s and they used to watch classic films and listen to a range of music from that time. My sisters, brother and I used to watch such films and listen to my parents’ favourite songs as well, when we were very young. It’s funny that my mother preferred Motown and my dad’s preference was rock music.  They do say, however, that opposites attract! I used to listen to their albums when I was pre-teenager, and my sisters and I used to make up dances to all of our favourite songs. I remember choreographing dances to Donna Summer, The Supremes and also, Queen. So it is easy to see why my influences are from those eras.

If I could travel through time, I’d like to visit the mid 1960s.  I’d imagine going to a Rolling Stones concert, wearing a bold, floral print, shift dress with knee-length boots. Then, later on, going to an after-party. Ok, I know, I’ve probably seen too many 1960’s films!

I started off by gathering vintage patterns from Pinterest. Here are just a few that I selected.

They’re really contrasting patterns and colours aren’t they?

Once I gained a flavour of the type of florals and colours that I wanted, I then began creating my design in Illustrator. I liked the idea of randomly placing each flower and the leaves around the edges, with some of them scattered in the centre, and some coming off the page.

Once the design was complete, I sent them to be professionally printed and afterwards, made up the notebooks myself. The quality of paper is lovely and they have lined insert pages too. Inside the front cover, I have added ‘This book belongs to…..’, for anyone who wants to make sure everyone knows who’s book it is! Here are are my final designs.

Vintage Floral notebooks

Green colourway

The front cover

Close up of the flowers and butterfly.

Reverse with my logo.

Pink colourway

Front cover

Close up of the pretty butterfly.

A bright yellow insert page, on the opposite side of the front cover, with the words ‘ This book belongs to…..’.

Do you like vintage designs? What do you think of my vintage floral notebooks?

Emma Jayne x