Birthday Party Pets!

Spoonflower challenge...

With the introduction of custom gift wrap, Spoonflower asked their faithful designers to produce birthday-themed patterns! Previews are shown at the swatch size (8" x 8"). Deadline for entry was Tuesday, April 30, 2013. Voting continues from Thursday, May 2nd to Thursday, May 9th!

Birthday Party Pets!
©2013 Patty Rybolt Designs

Fabric 8 'Geek Chic'

The 'Geek Chic' Fashion Notebook 101

Fabric8 Contest: Geek Chic. Fabric8 is an annual contest to discover eight bold, modern fabric collections from designers the world has yet to hear from. The ultimate winner of the contest will receive a chance to release a collection through Robert Kaufman. Previews are shown at the fat quarter size (21" x 18"). Deadline for entry was Tuesday, April 23, 2013 and voting in the semi-final round begins on May 9, 2013.

My submission... Idea:

'Geek' Design in progress

Well I have to be honest, this concept was a difficult one for me. I grew up in an era when calling someone a Geek was an insult. I struggled to picture a series of images that could translate into a fabric design 'collection' that would be visually interesting and unique. I guess that was my issue to get over because a designers job is to problem solve.
Step one: As always the research part of this challenge started on the internet. All that was available were pictures of celebrities wearing glasses, Dr. Who references and superheroes. Step two was going to my teenagers who explained that the Geek theme was also sense of style celebrating technology, and those who create technology. The outfits were to appeal to the generation who loves gaming, superheroes, star trek and technology and are not afraid to let people know it! I have been illustrating 'girls' for years and thought they would be great at representing different styles of the geek fashion trend. ...So the 'geek that's chic' idea was explored using pages from a fashion notebook.
Executing the concept:
I started by drawing the girls on my iPad to give them a sketched look, as if I was quickly jotting down ideas for an outfit. I developed each girls outfit to accommodate both an everyday and a professional look. The drawings were then brought into photoshop to clean-up and add color. 

Notebook all ready to place into fabric layout!
©2013 Patty Rybolt Designs

When that was done I scanned the ring binder of my sketchbook and made the lined pages in photoshop. The type was next, again trying to give the feel of a hand written notebook, almost a kids rendering of the concept. 

The background pattern design was done by bringing sketches into photoshop, and layered behind the page layout. The design was finished up with integrating the glasses under the pages of the notebook! 

If I make the semi-final round of this challenge, (top 100 designs chosen by the Robert Kaufman Company) then look to vote starting on May 9th, 2013!

I'll keep you posted!!

The 'Geek Chic' Fashion Notebook 101
©2013 Patty Rybolt Designs

Nantucket Regatta!

Usually I post my entries for the Spoonflower challenges each week by Wednesday, but last week I had two daughters to ready for their prom. There were hair appointments, nails, shoes to find and of course the dresses! They looked beautiful!  

But now... back to the challenge.  Last weeks challenge was Sailing! Designers were to create a fabric design with  the theme of sailing using no more than five colors and using a restricted palette. Previews were shown at the fat quarter size (21" x 18"). Deadline for entry was Tuesday, April 23, 2013. Voting began on Thursday, April 25th and continues through May 2nd.

When I thought of sailing, the first place that came to mind was the beautiful island of Nantucket! I was inspired to create a simple skiff and loosely illustrate the race around the island. 

First step is always research... I've only been to Nantucket a few times and I knew it had been a historic whaling community, and I wanted to include a whale in my design somewhere, but other than that it was important to get the facts. What does the island look like? What kind of sailboats would be found there? What are some defining features of the island? 

I started with a simple line drawing of the sailboat, whale, seagulls, a map of the island, and the unique lighthouses from Nantucket, then scanned my illustrations. The next step was to use photoshop to add color from the restricted palette and come up with a composition that would work for fabric repeats, wallpaper and gift wrap. I added the type and finally the lifesaver as a focal point to connect the images!

The Nantucket Regatta is one of the Nantucket Race Week events where, every summer, spectators and artists enjoy watching sailors race around the historic island! This wonderful tradition highlights the beauty and charm of Nantucket, MA, USA!

Nantucket Regatta
©2013 Patty Rybolt Designs

'My Garden Sketchbook' in the Top 10!

Very excited about the news this morning that my latest fabric has made the top 10 this week at Spoonflower.com! It is currently available in 10 different fabrics, (quilting cottons, home decor fabrics, silks and organics),wallpaper, wall decals and now gift wrap in both satin and matt finishes! Thanks to everyone who voted!

My Garden Sketchbook
©2013 Patty Rybolt Designs

Fat Quarter Bundles of the top 10 contest themed designs are available at Spoonflower.com for $60. Each quarter yard of fabric is printed on Kona® cotton, then bundled and wrapped in a lovely ribbon!

Garden Fat Quarter Bundles available for this week only!

Pop Art Chicken? ...Free Range 'Marilyn', 2013

This week the theme is POP Art! Create a fabric using chickens in the style of the pop art movement. Submissions were to be shown as a fat quarter (21" x 18"), and the deadline was Tuesday April 16, 2013. Voting starts on Thursday, April 18th and will continue through Thursday, April 25th, 2013.

And here it is, ...My ode to Andy Warhol's Marilyn... if she was a chicken. Complete with her fabulous hair, signature blue eyeshadow and red lipstick! I tried to create this design as if I were using Warhol's silkscreen process, with solid flat areas of color as my underpainting, and an overlay of my chicken image as line art. I did many digital sketches on an app on my iPad from the Andy Warhol Museum called The Warhol:D.I.Y. POP, before completing my entry in photoshop. This app can give you a quick look at Andy Warhol and his 'Pop' Silkscreen Process, and it's really fun to play with!

I've always been a big fan of Andy Warhol and this weeks entry was so much fun to work on, a break from the usual illustration process that I would typically go through. If you have time check out the app and the Andy Warhol Museum website!

Free Range 'Marilyn', 2013
©2013 Patty Rybolt Designs

Free Range 'Marilyn', 2013 (Fabric Pattern)
©2013 Patty Rybolt Designs

©2013 Patty Rybolt Designs
Free Range 'pop eggs', 2013

Safari Baby made the top 10!

Just found out that my 'Safari Baby' fabric design made the top 10 this week! 

Thanks to everyone who voted!!! 

Spoonflower also announced today that they will not only sell fabric, wallpaper and wall decals, but will also be selling Gift Wrap($15. per roll satin/matt finish)!! 

Fat quarter bundles of all top 10 baby animal fabrics
are available for $60. at Spoonflower.com

'Safari Baby' is now available at Spoonflower.com
fabric + wallpaper + wall decals + gift wrap
©2013 Patty Rybolt Designs

My Garden Sketchbook!

This week, Spoonflower designers were asked to design fabric dedicated to gardening tools (21" x 18"). Deadlines for entering were Tuesday, April 9th, 2013. Voting begins Thursday, April 11th, and goes through Thursday morning, April 18th, 2013. 

I thought I would celebrate this Spring assignment with sketches from my journal where geraniums bloom, garden tools look used and gorgeous vegetables can grow without ever having to put my paintbrush down!

'My Garden Sketchbook'
©2013 Patty Rybolt Designs

Asparagus Garden Stripe
©2013 Patty Rybolt Designs

 Accompanying 'My Garden Sketchbook', are two other fabrics in the Collection so far.

Garden Sketchbook "Mini"
©2013 Patty Rybolt Designs

In keeping with the garden theme, my final entry for today... the Harvest! Our growing season is just about wrapped up here in South Florida as we head into the 'Wet' season... my final tomatoes were harvested today from my very small patio garden! They were served at dinner with great pride.

'Bountiful Harvest'
©2013 Patty Rybolt Designs
featured on my fabric in Linen/Cotton
Olive Branches (lt. lime, lt. aqua & white)

Baby Animals!

This weeks entry...  Safari Baby!

This weeks contest is all about animal babies, designs are judged by fat quarter (21" x 18").

My approach was to use hand drawn babies in a safari setting. I thought it would be fun to make all of the creatures white with the color being in the background, with bits of color in the leaves and hearts! Keeping it simple! Sweet animal babies enjoying the great outdoors!

Safari Baby!
©2013 Patty Rybolt Designs