SPCD Week 8 challenge winner: Emily Alvarez
Hi Guys! Today I’m happy to feature Emily Alvarez on the blog. She was the Surface Pattern Design Community week 8 challenge winner with a fun Kite design that features clouds filled with patterns.
Read below to learn more about Emily. Enjoy!
Hi Emily! Please tell us a little bit about your background and how you got into surface pattern design.
When I was very young, my grandmother taught me to sew. She helped me make my first quilt when I was 9. I’ve always loved creating and making things, but I didn’t know how to translate that into a career. I decided to pursue a career as a graphic designer, and worked for several years doing industrial design. It was quite boring, and didn’t allow much creativity. One day while fabric shopping with my grandma, I had an “ah ha” moment when I realized it was someone’s job to design the beautiful fabrics we sew with! I found Bonnie Christine’s Skillshare classes, and have been designing patterns ever since.
Emily Alvarez Artwork
How would you describe your style? What makes your work unique?
I’m still trying to narrow down my style as I learn and try different techniques. I like to describe my style as modern, fresh, and cheerful. My family moved to Maui this year, so many of my recent patterns have been inspired by our new island life.
How did you approach the kites design challenge?
I knew I wanted to try using patterns within shapes. I used my iPad Pro to sketch out some cloud and kite motifs, and assembled them in Illustrator. I played around with the recolor artwork tool more than I’d like to admit, until I found the right balance of modern and cheerful.
What are your goals for the future?
My goals are to continue learning and growing my skills while building my portfolio. I hope to have a licensed fabric collection one day.
What would you like your colleagues and the design world to know about you and your work
Emily Alvarez Artwork
My designs are inspired by my family. Many of my patterns represent the amazing experience I've had while adventuring with my husband and two year old son. It’s such a cool and unique way to document our experiences, and I know it will be such a cool thing to look back on in the future.
Can you tell us a few fun facts about you?
I’m a Texas girl living in Hawaii. I love to travel and hope to have the freedom to do it more often.
I’ve always been an entrepreneur at heart. I’ve had many hobbies that I turned into small businesses, including baking, soap making, and vinyl designs. I have this constant burning desire to create something, and I think it’s the most defining thing about me.
I love to learn and struggle to focus on just one thing. I have a list of hobbies I want to try and struggle to stick with one long enough to master it.
