Printmaking: Art Patterns and Serendipitous Inspiration

I once read that the human brain is designed to solve problems and that’s why many of us love to play games. When something is out of whack, our minds immediately try to fix it. Maybe that’s why so many of us love repetitious patterns, for printmaking and beyond.

Art patterns for mixed-media art | ClothPaperScissors.com
Artwork by Tania Beaumont, taniabeaumont.squarespace.com

There are many ways to incorporate patterns into your own artwork. My style tends to be meticulous, with tiny repeating shapes that make up a bigger picture. But other methods include using color or texture variations.

Art Patterns to Use | Printmaking Idea

Mixed-media artist Tania Beaumont knows that inspiration for art patterns can come from anywhere. “Two things happened recently that sparked a spate of new monoprint collages,” she writes in the January/February issue of Cloth Paper Scissors. “First, I was playing with a hexagonal shaped eraser, using it to print with bleach by stamping it onto a black background. The bleach removed some of the color, leaving a lovely pattern in a pale sepia tone. When I saw the pattern, a honeycomb immediately sprang to mind.

“A few days later I saw some broken corrugated cardboard with a honeycomb pattern, discarded next to a trash bin. I retrieved a few pieces of the cardboard to use in my printing, and that set in motion two weeks of work–and several pieces of art based on interpretations of that pattern. I absolutely love when serendipitous inspiration spurs me on to work for weeks exploring a single theme.”

Isn’t it wonderful how a single thought about a pattern can snowball into an full-blown art project? Imagine the pieces you’ll create when you take advantage of the printmaking resources that are included in the Interweave 40-50% storewide sale. Discover issues of Cloth Paper Scissors that you may have missed, as well as DVD workshops and more.

So tell us–is there a special go-to pattern that you consistently incorporate in your art? Where do you find your inspiration? What’s your favorite tool/supply for making patterns?

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