Sketchbook to Surface Design with Genine Delahaye Designs

Today, we have a lovely post from Genine Delahaye Designs showing us her process from Sketchbook to Surface Design. Genine also won our 2013 Scholarship and completed all the design modules. {more on that below}

So first of all I start with a nice cup of tea! I sit down and have a look online for some inspiration! Mainly Pinterest and then websites relevant to the type of design I am going to be working on, say it’s a girls wear print I would scan the main highstreet shops online and see if there is a running trend, certain colours , subject matter etc.

I would then start the sketching process. I would usually have a rough idea in my head after looking at the online inspiration and I would just play around with ideas, characters etc.

After I have an idea of where I want to take the design, I would re-sketch my original drawings to make them a bit neater, add more expression to the characters, and also add some interesting textures. I then scan them onto the computer ready to start work!

Once scanned onto the computer I would use live trace, select the desired affect and use the expand tool to make the images editable. Once I have a shell of an outline I’m half way there!

I like to play around with the characters, maybe try different colour options, change facial expressions, try different positions until I’m happy with the way it looks. I usually work on one icon at a time and once finished move to a corner of the artboard somewhere out of the way before I start the next, but still in view. That way I can see it visually whilst I’m working on the next character / icon, this helps me keep the design consistent.

I will continue to work through my sketches, adapting and adding textures from my original drawings. I may play around with the opacity or use the bare bones of what I have drawn to add an interesting focal point to an icon. For example I used the short pen marks from my sketches to give the effect of a bears hairy tummy.

I continue this process trying to give something special to each character. I think its really important to make the character look happy, cheeky or cute especially with children’s surface pattern prints.

Once I have all my characters and icons finished, I start the task of creating a balanced layout! This can be quite tricky and I find it best to take a little break at this point and come back to it later if I am struggling. A fresh pair of eyes can work wonders!

If I am working in repeat this is the stage when I would start to place my icons into repeat. It’s also the point when you should be able to see the design really coming together! Which is always a lovely feeling.

The finished print! After completing the layout, I sometimes play around with mock products to show how the design may be used in retail. This particular print was designed for a Hallmark competition, they asked us to create a kids design that could be used on a range of stationery products from cards to gift bags.

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I am a Freelance Print and Pattern Illustrator specializing in childrenswear design. I have worked within the design industry for over five years and love what I do, couldn’t ask for a better job! I have a passion for bright bold patterns and am enjoying my creative journey as a designer. I am currently selling my work via a few different agents, and childrenswear studio’s, as well as working on private commission projects. I am currently working on more prints ready to be shipped to my agents for trade shows and appointment viewings.

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Genine Delahaye won our Scholarship in 2013 and described the course as “invaluable” and said that winning the scholarship gave her “a huge confidence boost”. Read our interview with Genine on page 96 of MOYO Magazine Issue 5: