strawberries, bacon and jam by Holly Maguire

Holly Maguire is an illustrator based in Bristol, UK, with a big passion for surface pattern and textiles. Her work tends to include detailed yet playful and bright imagery made using gouache, and pen and ink. Holly really enjoys being able to apply her work to homeward, clothing and functional items. Her patterns are inspired by vintage design, packaging, fashion and popular culture. They often feature elements of nature and food, as well as everyday objects. 

Be sure to take a look at Molly’s Etsy page to purchase her cheerful patterns on prints and cards. 

hola from Macrina Busato

Macrina Busato likes to work with by hand and explore the beauty of images from other periods, to make them say new things in new contexts while keeping a warm nostalgia. Her work is a mix of handmade drawings, ephemera, typography and calligraphy. Macrina is a cultural anthropologist who 15 years ago went progressively into graphs and surface design. Her studio in Madrid sometimes looks more like a library, full of antique science and technical books, old magazines and engravings. 

Macrina is attending SURTEX, and will be showing off some of her new work at booth 317. 

Zoe Ingram at SURTEX 2014

Zoe Ingram is a surface designer and illustrator with an honours degree in printed textile design. Her work has been described as design with a twist, lush, colourful, elegant, playful and organic. Zoe loves colour and often uses hand lettering, layering and textures in her work. Her clients include Robert Kaufman Fabrics, Midwest-CBK, Quarry Books, American Greetings and IKEA. Zoe won an international talent search and is now represented by Lilla Rogers Studio. 

If you would like to know more about surface pattern design, you can download the UPPERCASE Surface Pattern Design Guide from here. 

Dinara Mirtalipova's Book of Patterns

Dinara Mirtalipova is a Uzbek girl and a self-taught illustrator and pattern designer. She seeks inspiration in fairy tales, folklore, native songs and traditional ornaments. With a love of travel and adventure, Dinara found herself in snowy Ohio, where she lives with her husband and their daughter. Her best inspirations come at night. She closes her eyes and immediately patterns flourish in front of her. She keeps a sketchbook on her night table to catch these ideas before they disappear. 

In preparation for SURTEX 2014, Dinara printed a book of illustrations and patterns. She has also printed a small book dedicated to her surface pattern designs called Book of Patterns. Be sure to visit Dinara’s website and take a look at all of her beautiful design work!

Kate Austin Designs

Kate Austin is an artist and designer from Toronto, Canada. She makes surface patterns for textiles, paper and beyond. She works in bright, saturated colours to create bold graphic designs, often inspired by nature and the seasons. Kate is always taking photographs and she draws every day in one of the many sketchbooks she carries with her. Her work has been featured in a wading pool and on cushions, bags and skirts. She also designed an entire hotel room! To see more of Kate's work, take a look at Kate's blog. 

She was featured in our Surface Pattern Design Guide, and you can find her at booth 1035 at SURTEX 2014.

Nadia Hassan's orange and teal studio

photos by Dana Dillehunt

Nadia Hassan is a colour enthusiast with a passion for patterns. She delights in applying them to any surface that will sit still, from fabric to phone covers to entire city streets! It’s said that variety is the spice of life, and Nadia’s designs are a celebration of this old adage–she enjoys experimenting with style and motifs, while developing fun, fresh colourways is the common thread and the driving force behind her work. 

Nadia was recently the Featured Artist on The Salty Platypus blog. You can see more images of her gorgeous orange and teal studio here. 

UPPERCASE subscribers can all look forward to a special and personal article written by Nadia to be published in the summer issue out in July.

SURTEX 2014: Elizabeth Olwen

SURTEX is the only business-to-business marketplace where art buyers and licensees from around the world converge to discover unique, cutting edge surface designs, original art, and design resources. Held in New York from May 18-20, artists and designers will set up trade booths with the hopes of making new contacts, learning about the latest trends in art and surface design, and meeting buyers who are seriously interested in buying or licensing their artwork. 

Since many of UPPERCASE's artists who submitted their work to the Surface Pattern Design Guide are either walking the show or setting up a booth, we are featuring some of those hard-working, amazing designers who are adding some finishing touches to their plans, and making their way to New York for the largest industry event in surface pattern design. 

Designer Elizabeth Olwen was featured in the UPPERCASE Surface Pattern Design Guide, and you can read a bit about her experience preparing for SURTEX. 

"When I decided to do SURTEX, I tried to gather as much information as I possibly could. I read blogs, bought e-books, listened in on SURTEX webinars and spent way too many hours on LinkedIn, then put all of that information through a filter and started to design my whole presentation. My career has been in graphic design up to this point. I've spent years designing brands and presentations for other businesses, so it was such a rewarding experience to put that kind of effort into my own business. I was challenged to create things that I'd never done before: I designed a trade booth, a press kit and a promo video. I had fabrics printed, made a lookbook and put ads in publications. I decided that if I was going to do it, I had to dive in headfirst. When it was all set up, it was thrilling to see the whole package." 

Elizabeth Olwen shares her SURTEX story in the UPPERCASE Surface Pattern Design Guide in issue #21. You can read the entire article in the free download of the Guide by clicking here.

Take a look at Elizabeth's promo video and lookbook for SURTEX 2014. 

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Jan Avellana

It has been an exciting time for designer Jan Avellana: not only was Jan’s art chosen for the cover of the UPPERCASE Surface Pattern Design Guide and featured within, but after Windham Fabrics spotted her work in UPPERCASE, she was asked to develop a fabric collection with them. We are thrilled for Jan and honoured to have played a part in Jan’s success—just a month after this issue was released!

Congratulations, Jan! We’re so happy to hear that you’ll be partnering with Windham Fabrics. We’d love to know more about you. Where did you grow up? What was your childhood like? Did you grow up in a creative family? 

I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, the third of three daughters to my parents—second generation Japanese Americans. My childhood was was…rough. My parents met with life’s realities hard—a tsunami that claimed our brand new house, a fire and a failed family business and then serious illnesses and hospitalizations for both my mom and dad, and even a time of being homeless. By the grace of God we survived it all, and somehow out of all that chaos, I grew up to become an artist, thanks in large part to my parents, who are both latent artists. My mother had a love of fashion and sewing and my father—a closet writer—came from a long line of accomplished writers and artists. He also has a lovely voice and beautiful handwriting, the kind that you don’t find anymore. But anyway, I didn’t discover my own way to the arts until I was in college. I’m a late bloomer!

Was there a moment in your life when you realized that you wanted to pursue being an artist?

There were always inklings. Looking back, I think my earliest knowing was when I was a child—I loved writing. By the time I was in college I realized I wanted to pursue the arts as a career, so I majored in the fine arts and practiced graphic design for several years…but there was always something missing. Then three things happened nearly all at once: I stumbled upon a website called “Another Girl at Play” and read the interviews of 25 women all thriving in their creative lives, I met an artist-pastor name Dale Vallejo-Sanderson with the God-given gift of counselling, and a friend gifted me with a book by Parker Palmer called “Let Your Life Speak”—lifechanging. Those three things were each a strong epiphany—and I knew—OMG, I’m an artist too! It only took me a decade-plus, a few thousands miles (and tears), two college degrees and two careers to figure this out!

I can say now, without a doubt, that I am an artist through and through. This acceptance has only come recently…in the last ten years or so and what a relief it’s been. The more freedom I give myself to pursue my artistic passions, the happier I am! I’ve finally accepted that I am happiest when wholeheartedly immersed in creative play!

How did you first come across UPPERCASE magazine? How would you describe your relationship with it? How is it part of your creative life? 

My relationship with UPPERCASE magazine is like having the hugest crush on Robert Pattinson from afar, knowing that you’ll NEVER get him to even glance in your direction, but crushing over him anyway. (Not that I get what all the hoopla is over that guy, lol!) But seriously, I’ve only ever lurked on the UPPERCASE website and blog, oh, hundreds of times. I’ve only ever drooled over the beautiful covers and the featured illustrators online. I’ve only ever read through the submission guidelines and participate invitations…er…a few (hundred) times, and I might have fantasized about treating myself to a subscription one day when I “make it”!

UPPERCASE magazine and their artists are what I aspire towards. I am in total and utter awe of the artists you feature. If UPPERCASE magazine and I were to meet up in person, I’d be the goofy misfit in the corner hoping for an autograph…but I’d have a really cool set of pens on me!

To read more heartfelt answers from Jan as well as an interview with Mickey Krueger, the president of Windham Fabrics, please download a special digital edition of the UPPERCASE Surface Pattern Design Guide. 

The Guide is 58 pages and contains all the content of the print version as well as these bonus interviews.

Simply sign up for our email list for access to the guide!

FYI  if you're an UPPERCASE magazine subscriber or you're already on our newsletter email list, we sent you a Guide download link yesterday so please check your inbox. thanks!

We've made this digital edition of our Surface Pattern Design Guide available as a free download in order to promote the amazing talent of our readers and to provide valuable industry advice to those hoping to break into a career in surface pattern design.

UPPERCASE is a print magazine and always will be. We just like to share good things!

feel good images

Images from issue 21 by Gudrun Sjoden, Cloud 9 Fabrics, Elizabeth Olwen, Lotta Jansdotter, Angela Pingel, Mariko Paterson, Jessika Hepburn and Dear Human.

When you hold a copy of UPPERCASE in your hands, my hope is that you will see and feel the love that goes into it.  

If you're considering what to give for Mother's Day (or if you're compiling gift suggestions for your family) please put UPPERCASE top on the list. As you can see from this selection of images pulled from our current issue, UPPERCASE is full of beautiful and positive images for crafty, creative and curious mothers. 

We all deserve some creative indulgences now and again. It's good for you!

A mesmerizing riot of pattern and colour by Japanese artist Naomi Okubo

{ Naomi Okubo discovered via Brown Paper Bag }

a little something extra

We're celebrating Janine's birthday tomorrow with a gift for you: purchase a two-year subscription and receive a free everyday notebook set!

* Sale ends Sunday, April 20. Shipping costs not included with notebook offer.This offer cannot be applied retroactively. 

patterns, please: Jason Woodside

I love the exuberant colours and patterns in Jason Woodside’s arresting paintings and murals — they remind me of UPPERCASE spine patterns!

creative challenge: patterns, please!

Erin's knitting grid pattern, and Cara's carrot pattern

As we continue to celebrate all things patterns here at UPPERCASE, we thought we would show you some patterns submitted for Issue #21's creative challenge. We included ours as well! 

Be sure to send in your patterns using the hashtag #patternsplease and tagging @uppercasemag before June 1, 2014 to be entered into a draw to win a free subscription or renewal!

Janine's pattern design 

pattern by @laurahiltonsmith 

pattern by @renmeleon

pattern by @natalie_gerber

security envelope patterns

post by Cara Howlett

Pattern designer Nadia Hassan is included in our Surface Pattern Design Guide. She recently uploaded a stunning collection of security envelope patterns that she had been collecting for the past few years. Nadia gathered the 102 unique designs and posted them on Flickr in a set called Safe + Sound. 

surface pattern guide participant Jim Mezei

post by Cara Howlett

Jim Mezei is an illustrator and designer from Stratford, Canada who often works with relief mediums like linoleum and hand-burnished items to create an imperfect look on his patterns. As one of the few men whose designs were submitted for the Surface Pattern Design Guide, we were curious to find out if this was a reflection of the design industry, or of UPPERCASE's primarily female readership. From Jim's perspective, the ratio is fairly even. Part of what he enjoys about the illustration and design industry is that there is a good representation of both men and women creating a diversity of influence and perspective.

What was your plan for your designs once you graduated from the Ontario College of Art & Design? 

My plan was to continue learning, focus on graphic design (I graduated from the illustration program) and keep making things with my hands. My first real client was Stratford Summer Music, a music festival in my hometown. I designed their poster. I did anything and everything to get noticed, from sending out promos to hand-delivering loot bags on a road trip to NYC to park installations. 

What has been your favourite client or project that you have worked on so far?

This is tough. A recent favourite was with a team (Kellen Hatanaka, Adrian Forrow, and Tyler John) for "If Walls Could Talk" at the Gladstone in Toronto. We built a car crash, with movement and sound elements, out of found materials.  

What are your hopes for the future? Where would you like to see your career ten years down the line?

I hope to have a steady stream of projects in many disciplines, a studio on Lake Huron, and a puppy. 

To see more of Jim's projects, visit his website. 

patterns on pinterest

Follow our Patterns, Please board on pinterest for more.

behind the scenes of our video

All in a Day's Work

Here's the simple setup for our Surface Pattern Design Guide video... I sat behind my laptop where I had my Top Ten Tips on "How to Stand Out in Surface Pattern Design" written out with the examples I had chosen for reference. Using Erin as a "stand-in", I set up the camera and tripod to frame the shot and then Erin sat in the chair in the foreground pointing the microphone at me. (I have to invest in a better mic next time!)

That afternoon, I edited the video using FinalCut Pro and added in the pattern sample files. (At this point, I realized that I had worn the same outfit as our last video! ha! I guess that's my favourite shirt.) I made the full screen graphics in Indesign and saved those as jpegs. For other graphics, I copied them from Indesign into Photoshop and exported them as transparent gifs to place into FinalCut. (Perhaps there's a quicker way, but that's what I figured out without the time to learn any new programs like After Effects.) Other credits and titles were created directly in FinalCut.

I edited and finessed for the rest of the day. The video was nearly done by suppertime and after dinner I put in the credits. The file was prepped for export. And, after an unsuccessful upload overnight (trying to sleep/multitask!), I tried again the following morning. At over 200MB, the file took its sweet time so in the meantime I built the web page for the Surface Pattern Design Guide.

Once the video was online in Vimeo, I placed it on the webpage and made some preview graphics for Erin to use in our emails and social media.

And that's how we made a 5-minute video in less than 24 hours. Thanks for watching and sharing!

thank you!

Thank you for all your orders and subscriptions this week! It looks like everyone is excited as we are about issue #21 and the UPPERCASE Surface Pattern Design Guide! I've been receiving lots of exclamation-marked emails from the participants that got into the guide. Susse Linton even sent this little pup in her message:

I am thankful for ALL the submissions—even if I didn't select your particular entry—it was an abundance of great stuff and it was really a tough challenge to whittle it down to just 100. Stay tuned... I'll be posting a video about the guide and some of the things I learned after reviewing over 2,000 pattern designs!

spring subscription sale

Rachel Perry Welty

Issue #21 goes to the printer today, but you can still subscribe (and save)! 

Explore the world of surface pattern design in our form, function and ornamentation issue. Whether you're a crafter, a hobby photographer on Instagram, a part-time blogger or a parent with a creative child — you play a daily role in decorating your world. Be inspired to consciously shape your surroundings with our 116 pages of gorgeous images and uplifting content.

This spring issue also contains a special UPPERCASE magazine Surface Pattern Design Guide, profiling 100 surface pattern designers with tips and advice from industry experts.

Use the code springsale to save $10 off your subscription.*

Lotta Jansdotter shares tips for creating a life full of pattern.

Mosaic tiles by Dear Human.

Cover artist Molly Hatch.

Photos of Mariko Paterson's workspace taken by Jessika Hepburn.

Angela Pingel's fabric stash.

*Code valid until end of day Sunday March 9 (MST).
We're sorry code cannot be used retroactively.

hard at work on issue 21

Cover art by Molly Hatch

I'm happy to reveal our next front cover featuring the illustrated ceramic work of Molly Hatch. The working theme of the Spring issue is "form, function and ornamentation", so Molly's work was a natural fit. This issue includes the EPIC Surface Pattern Design Guide... for which I've selected 100 artists from 297 submissions. (I will be notifying those who got into the guide very soon.) And stay tuned over the next while; I'll be revealing the amazing experts who have provided their industry tips to the Guide.

I'm hunkering down in design mode here at the UPPERCASE studio (where I've been all weekend)—I have to get the design of the spring issue to the printer in a week's time! After reviewing the printer proofs, then the magazine will take nearly a month for printing, bindery and mail prep. So look for this issue coming to a mailbox or stockist near you in early April.

I'm pleasantly submerged in patterns these days... here are some Instagrams of my laptop case and various books and inspirations that surround me.

Please subscribe to the magazine by clicking here. You can start your subscription with the current issue #20 and then the new issue will be here soon enough!