Hello lovely readers! As many of you know, the Surface Pattern Design Community is currently hosting a really fun 9-week pattern design challenge in their Facebook group. Previously I shared with you an interview I did with the week 1 winner, Cheryl Hughes.

Today, I’m happy to sharing with you an interview with WEEK 2 winner, Guncha Kumar. She created a really fun gardening themed pattern with lots of sweet details. Read below to learn a bit about Guncha's journey, and to hear how she approached the design challenge. Enjoy!

Hi Guncha! Please tell us a little bit about your background and how you got into surface pattern design.

I come from a very geeky/non-artsy background. I hardly know anyone who has a passion for art. Having worked as a software engineer and then as a marketing consultant, it’s a dream come true for meto be able to follow my heart, to be my own boss and live in a colorful world of patterns.

I call Singapore my home and live here with my ever supportive husband and 6 year old son. Currently I am working as an operations manager in my husband’s firm. I work mostly from home, which gives me the flexibility to pursue my pattern making journey.

My family and friends were surprised when I decided to pursue art, but for me it was a very gradual process and one that just made sense. Rewind a few years. After my son was born I was looking to get back into the workforce and decided to take a short course in visual communications. That I would say was the turning point for me. Even though I continued to work as a marketing consultant, I started to slowly take on freelance illustration projects. That led me to watercolor painting and eventually pattern design. Now I don’t want to look back. Pattern making is addictive and I love it.

How would you describe your style? What makes your work unique?

I love bright, colorful and fun patterns. They cheer me up instantly.And that’s what I try to incorporate into my designs.

I would say, my patterns have a cuteness factor that would appeal to kids as well as grown-ups. I love to design around themes and like my patterns have have a hand-drawn organic feel to them. My 6-year-old son is my biggest inspiration. He comes up with all sort of ideas and I love to discuss them with him. And how dare I not include his suggestions in my designs!!! (haha)

I am still a newbie in pattern making and every day is a learning curve for me. I am doing the 100 day project on Instagram using the hashtag #100patternsbygk . I think it will really help me to define a style as well as experiment with various themes.

How did you approach the gardening design challenge?

Here's a general outline of my process:

I started by brainstorming a few ideas and thinking through how I could bring my own unique style to the challenge.
I considered which product category I would like to design for. I always do this before making a pattern.
I did a few rough sketches of the motifs and then jumped straight into Illustrator. The rest of the flow came organically.
When it came to colors, I chose a few earthen colors and few brighter tones mostly from photos I've taken during my nature walks. I played around a bit with hues and contrasts and it all came together.
I did a few different versions and asked members of SPDC to help me tweak the final design. They were so helpful!

Even though I don’t have a green thumb, I totally loved the gardening theme. I think this is because of how much I enjoy nature. I take long walks in parks and never miss a chance to adore the colors of nature. I love to observe the natural beauty around me. And I've been thinking about illustrating birdhouses for a long time, so this challenge was a perfect opportunity to play around with those motifs.Winning the challenge has given me an immense sense of confidence and trust in my work. I am filled with so much of positive energy right now!

What are your goals for the future?

I have recently started working with a wonderful local client who specializes in kids wear and have a few more things underway. It’s a dream come true to see my designs on products. I am quite happy with how this year is shaping up and I am working really hard towards achieving my goals.

Right now I'm working to put together a good, solid portfolio and to launch my own website.

What would you like your colleagues and the design world to know about you and your work?

I am a self taught artist and sometimes life can be frustrating. But, perseverance is the key. You have to totally love what you are doing and give it 100%. Trust me, your efforts will never go to waste. Even something as simple as creating a single motif each daily will eventually provide the ingredients you need to make a pattern. For me, pattern making is like a meditation.

I would like to say that art doesn’t only require skill but also an intention to succeed, passion and creativity. All the efforts you put into your art today will eventually pay off and make you a better designer tomorrow. I did a lot of illustrations a few years back just for fun, and today I get a lot of inspiration when I look back at those motifs. Some have even become hero motifs in my patterns.

Life is full of dreams, it is in our hands to work towards making those dreams a reality. I am glad I am moving forward with my dreams.

Can you tell us a few fun facts about you?

I could easily be a travel guide in my next life. I love to travel. I am intrigued by the vastness of landscapes and different cultures around the world. And I love to tell people about the rich heritage of my own country.
I love to ride bikes. I hope to do a bike tour around France in the next few years.
I am a movie buff and like watching all genre except the horror ones!

Want to see more of Guncha’s work?

You can connect with her here on Instagram.

SPDC week 2 challenge winner: Guncha Kumar