More Matisse!

Large Decoration with Masks 1953. National Gallery of Art, Washington. Artwork c succession Henri Matisse/DACS 2014.

The Parakeet and the Mermaid 1952. Digital image c Stedelijk. Artwork: c Succession Henri Matisse/DACS 2014.

More Matisse is always a good thing. The very lovely Make it in Design blog has posted an expanded version of my Matisse: the Cut-Outs exhbition review. There's more on how Matisse was inspired by Hawaiian quilts. More about the Blue Nudes, too.

Blue Nude III, spring 1952. Digital image c Centre Pompidou. c Succession Henri Matisse.

Surface Design Bookshelf (Part 5)

Part 5 of Surface Design Bookshelf, which concludes the series, is now up on the Make it in Design Blog. The ability to design prints and patterns comes in very handy for papercrafters - so you may want to check out these titles!

Surface Design Bookshelf (Part 4)

Part 4 of the Surface Design Bookshelf is now posted on the Make it in Design Blog. Both of the titles featured are of interest to papercrafters.
The first book gives advice on packaging for craftsellers with an emphasis on handcrafted "krafty kraft paper" looks.  The fabric design title clues you in on how to create original pattern designs. Although the content deals with fabric, you can use the same techniques to make printed designs for giftwrap or scrapbooking papers. In addition to digital design generation, screen printing, hand block printing, and letterpress printing techniques are discussed. Check out the Make it in Design Blog for further details.

Surface Design Bookshelf (Part 3)

Part 3 of Surface Design Bookshelf is now up on the Make it in Design Blog.

Scrapbookers and cardmakers: these books could be the beginning of an amazing design-your-own adventure. Digital brushes can be used to create repeating border patterns and design motifs of all sorts. And being able to design your own pattern repeats - wow! Your own giftwrap, card backgrounds, scrapbooking papers. 

If you like to solve puzzles, then designing your own brushes and patterns will have enormous appeal!

Surface Design Bookshelf

Hello - I'm wearing my guest-blogger hat again! I'd like to bring your attention to a series of book reviews I have written on the subject of surface pattern design. The reviews are now running on the very lovely Make It In Design Blog.

Papercrafters - pattern is important to you! If you'd like to branch out into D-I-Y pattern design, I've rounded up some reading material for you: 
SurfaceDesignBookshelfPart1
SurfaceDesignBookshelfPart2 

Pattern Design, by Lewis F. Day, is a Dover paperback - a gem of a blast from the past. Sadly, the Dover Bookshop on Earlham Street in Covent Garden, London closed last month. The good news is that it still has an online presence: http://www.doverbooks.co.uk/
Pattern Design is available on Amazon.

I hope that my book round-up guides you on a fascinating decorative journey!

Digital Papercutters

Just to say that my article about digital papercutters has been posted on the very wonderful Make It in Design Blog today! Yay! I hope it spreads the word about these magic, enabling machines.

Heres the link:
Digital Papercutters: Essential Design Kit