Designing Patterns

In this practical handbook, Scandinavian expert Lotta Kühlhorn explains the ins and outs of how to design patterns for everything from wallpaper to tea services. The included CD features templates for experimentation by beginners and professionals alike. From whom should we learn how to design timelessly elegant patterns if not from a Swede? Lotta Kühlhorn is one of Scandinavia s most prominent pattern designers and has created work for a wide range of products from book covers to coffee sets. In fact, without knowing it, most of us have probably already come across Kühlhorn s designs. Scandinavia is firmly established as a hub for outstanding interior design, fashion, and décor. Although Nordic furniture is generally minimalistic and functional, the region s textiles, ceramics, and wallpapers are coveted for their rich and colorful patterns. In this practical handbook, Lotta Kühlhorn offers expert advice to those designing patterns with the help of numerous photographs and personal anecdotes. She explains how she works, what inspires her, and why edges are just as important as middles. With an impressive thoroughness, Kühlhorn shows readers how to use the most common techniques for creating patterns and explores colors, forms, and the best ways to combine them. From encompassing conceptual questions to intricate details, this book elucidates all of the facets involved in designing patterns that can be used for fields such as textile, paper, and product design. It features high-quality sample pages that give readers a true sense for ornament and forms based on mathematics. In addition, Designing Patterns includes suggestions for ten projects to get you started on your own work. The templates for these projects can be found on the CD-ROM that accompanies the book.