These magical prints come to us from today’s featured designer, Nikki Strange. Nikki recently released her new collection (which is available on a variety of products) and was kind enough to send over a few prints as well as her inspiration story.
“My current print collection is heavily inspired by nature, found patterns & textures; from the formation of birds in flight to the more oceanic, fish swimming in a blue lagoon. I love playing with colour and so for this collection I tried to create a mixture of vibrant hues & soft pastels to evoke a sense of ethereal beauty and dreaminess. Generally I tend to splash about with watercolours, inks & glitter to create a concoction of loose & sporadic drawings which I try to combine with more refined and detailed paintings. For this collection I focused mainly on colour combinations and layered up textures to create a playful range of designs. I think in future I will be working on more detailed and intricate drawings as I want to push my techniques further and ultimately surprise myself! I feel its important to constantly push myself and throw in more techniques & experimentation so that the design process is focused on discovery and new things and doesn’t become stale.”
This experimentation is obvious in her work and is what makes it so fresh and eye-catching. I hear from many designers who are struggling to find their way in this industry. I often hear exhaustion and frustration in their voices and my first recommendation is always this: get back to doing what you love. Forget blogging, entering competitions or other activities that can distract and overwhelm. Focus on the art and fall in love with the creative process once again. (Click to tweet!) Passion for this industry comes through in one’s work and I see it clear as day in Nikki’s latest collection. Passion and love for your art is what will bring momentum to your business. Yes, marketing is important, but it comes second to investing the time in exploring and expanding your creative world.
Thanks to Nikki for letting me share her work and words. You can read all about Nikki and take home some of the magic at her website. I hope your weekend is filled with creativity and fun!
– Michelle
