I still can’t get over this number - I have created over 150 patterns over the space of the three years since I started creating patterns!
Does that mean every single pattern is good and worthy of going somewhere? Well, no. But I still consider it a high achievement because I created them, finished them and learned a little more in the process with each pattern.
Sometimes I take a pattern that stands out and create a collection around it. This is such a fun process where I decide to take small elements out of the Hero to create the blenders and such. I use the same color palette to keep things cohesive and I release it as a complete collection.
I created a collection in 2021 called “Desert Daze”. Honestly, I think it was my second collection and it is a really fun collection!
I have been working to release this collection this Spring but have decided to delay it a bit longer because I have decided that it’s not quite what I want it to be yet.
This collection was inspired by cool, retro, geometric desert designs with purples, teals and terracotta oranges (think 80’s desert vibes palette). I LOVE some of the designs but I have decided that a couple of the patterns are just not fitting in the way that I want them to.
Don’t be afraid to change things up.
The main pattern that I feel the need to tweak is the Cactus Pattern shown above. I have been adjusting this pattern over and over and have never been 100% happy with it, especially when putting it with the rest of the collection. I don’t feel like it cohesively fits with the Geckos and Triangles. I feel I either need to change it up or omit it from the collection completely.
Now some of this is going to be personal preference - maybe you have no idea what I’m talking about (and feel free to share your input on this post). Part of this is also that it’s a collection I created more in the beginning stages of my pattern creating and I would probably design this collection a little differently now.
Sometimes a collection is pretty effortless and falls together so easily but other times you might have to scrap some options and create some new ones. The integrity of the project is too important (and maybe it’s my perfectionism getting to me again) but I want to be 100% happy with the collection I am releasing.
I am sharing this because I want any of you to know that it’s OKAY if you need to delay a project if you feel you need to. It may be trickier if there is a promised deadline, especially with a client but ideally any future projects, hopefully you’ll have discovered what went wrong in the process and change things up the next time you create a collection from the very beginning.
So stay tuned on the release of Desert Daze! I am excited to move forward and get it to the place it deserves!
Have you had to scrap a project and make some changes? I’d love to hear your experience!
From the first two photos, it does seem like the Cactus pattern doesn't fit the vibe. Maybe it should have its own collection rather than tweaking. It's great to read a Substack that focuses on surface pattern designs.