I used to walk through the world unaware of just how much of it had been carefully designed by someone else. The soft floral pillow on the sofa, the dots on a notebook cover, the pattern dancing across a scarf in a shop window — I didn’t realise that somebody had sat down and drawn those.
Art, I’ve come to realise, is everywhere. It’s wrapped around chocolate bars, stitched into curtains, hidden inside teacups. It quietly accompanies us through life, like a gentle thread that connects the practical with the beautiful.
And once I noticed it, I couldn’t stop seeing it.
what is surface pattern design?
One day, while scrolling Instagram, I came across an ad for a free workshop. It mentioned something called “surface pattern design” — a phrase I’d never heard before — and showed an image of a repeat pattern printed on fabric. I was instantly curious. I signed up for the five-day workshop hosted by designer Bonnie Christine — and it opened up a whole new world of possibilities. In just a few short days, I learned how to gather inspiration, turn it into artwork, and build it into a repeating pattern using Adobe Photoshop.
It was like magic. Suddenly, I began noticing patterns and potential in everything — leaves, wildflowers, tree bark, cobbled streets, butterfly wings. Nature became a sketchbook, and everyday walks turned into quiet treasure hunts.
So, what is surface pattern design?
In simple terms, surface pattern design is the process of creating artwork that’s meant to be printed onto surfaces — like fabric, gift wrap, wallpaper, stationery, packaging, and more. If you’ve ever admired the print on a dress, the leafy design on a tea towel, or even the whimsical cats on a notebook cover… that’s surface pattern design. Behind each of those designs is an artist or illustrator who created a pattern with intention, colour, and care.
How Surface Patterns Are Created
Patterns can begin in many ways — and that’s part of the beauty. Some start as digital illustrations made on an iPad, others as hand-painted watercolours or pencil sketches on paper. If the artwork is created traditionally, it’s usually scanned into a computer and brought into a program like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, where the artist can clean it up, arrange the elements, and build what’s called a repeat tile — a section of the artwork that can seamlessly repeat again and again.
This repeat can then be used on anything from textiles to notebooks, phone cases, wallpaper, or packaging — bringing that original sketch into the hands and homes of others. It still amazes me how a simple drawing can end up travelling the world this way.
My Beginner Journey
At the time of that first workshop, I had just begun creating cat-themed greeting cards and selling them on Etsy. I was drawing for joy, growing a tiny creative business part-time, and figuring things out as I went. But surface pattern design felt like a new doorway had opened. Bonnie’s advice to “take one small step toward your dream every day” — even just ten minutes — really resonated with me. So I started drawing daily. Not perfectly, but consistently. I didn’t have it all figured out — I just kept showing up. Some days it was doodling on my iPad. Other days it was watching tutorials or studying patterns in nature.
Over time, I wanted to deepen my skills and understanding — and I eventually found the perfect mentor in Australian designer Cass Deller, whose style and teachings were a wonderful fit. Through her amazingly detailed course, I learned how to use different techniques, build full pattern collections, and explore how these designs can live on products or be licensed by brands. I was also welcomed into a community full of like-minded artists, who were just a message away if I needed some help or just a little encouragement. (I have a review coming of this awesome course, so stay tuned! In the meantime, you can get 10% off by using my code, VERONIKA).
What excites me most about surface pattern design is the potential. Your art can travel. A sketch on an iPad can become fabric, wrapping paper, or a cushion on someone’s sofa halfway across the world. A single artwork can be adapted and reimagined in so many forms! It’s playful, creative, and beautifully limitless. And whether you’re into florals, geometrics, animals (hello, cats), or something totally abstract, there’s room for your unique style and voice.
For me, it’s also been the perfect companion to my greeting card business. It’s another way to pay tribute to all the things that inspire me and provides variety for artistic expression. It’s both personal and collaborative, bringing together creativity, functionality, and joy in a perfect way.
Where I Am Now
These days, I’m still working part-time while slowly growing my creative practice. I’m painting cards, building my pattern library, and learning new things every day about developing an art based business. I don’t have it all figured out — but that’s OK. I feel excited for what’s to come and I’m grateful to have a support system of like minded people. I now truly believe that the key to happiness is to find something you really like doing and just keep doing it. Doors will open you never knew existed.
If you’re curious about surface pattern design, I hope this post gives you a little glimpse into what it is and how it works. And if you read this far chances are you’re feeling a nudge, just like I did! Here’s my top 5 advice if you want to give surface pattern design a try:
- Start with what you have. You don’t need fancy tools. A pencil and paper, or a basic drawing app on your tablet, is enough to begin. Just start doodling!
- Look for patterns in the world around you
- Nature is full of inspiration — leaves, flowers, clouds, shells, even bricks on a wall. Once you tune in, you’ll start seeing shapes and ideas everywhere.
- Try a free workshop or tutorial. There are some fantastic free resources online. I started with a 5-day workshop that taught the basics — you can do a lot without spending anything upfront.
- Don’t worry about being perfect. You’ll learn as you go. Focus on playing, exploring your style, and making things you enjoy.
- Make a little time each day. Even 10 minutes of drawing or learning can add up to big progress over time. Small steps really do matter. Like to listen to podcasts?
I’ll be sharing more about my pattern design journey here on the blog and over on Instagram — from sketches to collections to behind-the-scenes moments. If you’d like to read more about how I first got back into art through greeting cards, you can find that post here.
And if you’d like to be the first to hear when I launch new products, freebies, or posts, feel free to join my newsletter here!
Thanks for reading 💛
Ronnie x
