Spotted! Do What You Love blog

Last week I was thrilled to be featured on the Do What you Love blog as part of a graduate spotlight from the wonderful Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design course. Since finishing the 3 modules last summer I've launched a brand new website, been commissioned by Funky Giraffe Bibs, launched my first card range and got them featured on the Print and Pattern blog. And just this week I've opened an ETSY shop.

2012 was exciting and I learnt loads about a new area of design... Through the course I've also met a great group of talented designers who are always on hand for advice, ideas and inspiration. You can check some of them out by clicking on the friends links on the left. Or why not take a look in the Little White Book of Surface Pattern Designers.

I'm hoping 2013 will be even more rewarding for us all!

Etsy Shop Launch

Today I launched my ETSY shop. I'm hoping to fill this with lots of products this year, for now it's got the Just My Type card range for sale.

I'm a shop owner!! whoop!

Please take a look

Exhibition - Cartier-Bresson and Tim Walker photography

After a lovely work meeting in London last week, I took the opportunity to check out two photography exhibitions at Somerset House. They are both running until the 27th January, so not long left... and the bonus is they are both free!

Cartier-Bresson - A Question of Colour
Explores the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson and his love of black and white photography, never really embracing the world of colour. The exhibition shows the work of 14 international photographers who have adopted Bresson's style of capturing the moment whilst adding their own twist. And most of whom have embraced colour photography.

Henri Cartier-Bresson, Harlem 1947

Henri Cartier-Bresson, San Francisco 1960

Jeff Mermelstein, Untitled (Red Puddle, NYC) 1995

Melanie Einzig, September 11th

To find out more about Melanie Einzig's striking photo click here.

Tim Walker - Storyteller

Walking into this exhibition you instantly become part of the theatre and extravagance of Tim Walker 's photography and vision. Tim Walker is a fashion photographer who has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry from Stella McCartney to Vogue to Vanity Fair. He often uses huge props juxtaposed with the models, and the exhibition includes these oversized props as you can see below. This, in effect, brings you closer to the photography... which without them could almost seem too fantastical. To see more of Tim Walker's amazing photography go to his website here or click this link for more photos from the exhibition. 

Olga Shearer on blue horse

Model Lyndsey Wixson with oversized doll

The doll as part of the exhibition

I loved these two exhibitions, they are so completely different in their styles - one 'shooting from the hip', one so staged and theatrical yet both telling stories in their own alluring way. I recommend you get along to these before they finish on the 27th January! And let me know what you think...

Spotted! Design Juices

Really chuffed to be featured on the Design Juices website! Make sure you check out the whole site full of some wonderful inspiration from around the world of design and photography.

Bloghop... Let's fly!

Hello and welcome to my first bloghop! You've probably landed on my page via the wonderful print work of Deborah Velásquez. If I'm your first destination I'm number 47 of 52 so please find the time to go back and check out all the lovely work from the other designers. You can click the bloghop button on the left to start from the beginning or click here.

So what's it all about? 50+ surface pattern designers worldwide are taking part in this bloghop celebrating Pantone's colour of the year for 2013 - Emerald Green, with the theme 'Flying.' Each of us have designed a small collection based on this. 

If this is your first visit to my blog, hello my name is Faye Brown! I'm a designer and animator based in the UK. I love all things design - typography, colour and photography. If you'd like to see anymore of my work pop over to my website Faye Brown Designs but make sure you finish the bloghop first!

My collection, Spaceboy, is taking you out of this world into the unknown. Inspired everyday by my little boy, I've designed a collection aimed at the children's market for use on pyjamas, bedlinen or wallpaper. Using hand drawn illustrations, the main image is a pattern repeat with drawings of flying astronauts, rockets and UFO's around moons, planets and stars. With placement prints using the rocket and astronaut. I like the vintage feel of the design yet using the on trend emerald green brings it up to date. I'd love to see my son wearing pyjamas like these and dreaming of being a space boy!

Initial sketches for the pattern. I decided against using the hand drawn type.

Spaceboy repeat pattern

Rocket placement print - could work well on pillows

Design shown on pyjamas using simple stars and stripes on the PJ bottoms. Along with the repeat pattern, a second placement print with the astronaut is used for the other top. 

The theme of 'Flying' was chosen for the bloghop as we are all reaching towards certain goals and dreams in our careers. My hopes for this year are to develop my portfolio and find an agent. I'd love to see my designs on more homeware, stationery and children's fashion. I also plan to develop my card range further (please see below post). I'd love to produce a few more products based on my signature range and build on my online shop and stockists.

Your visit to space is nearly over and now it's time to fly over to Toronto to visit the talented designer Natalie Alexander.




I'd like to thank you for stopping by and massive thanks to Rosie at Believe Creative Studio for curating this bloghop.

All images in this post copyright Faye Brown 2013

Just My Type - card range

I'd like to introduce my first full card range - Just My Type. I posted about my seasonal selection just before Christmas so I thought I would share all the cards in the range so far. Birthday, Love, Thank You, Dad, Mum and Hey Baby. I've also included the christmas ones in this post.

I took part in a Tigerprint competition a few months back and came up with a version of the Mum design that I've since developed into a full set. I then bit the bullet and got them all printed through Awesome Merchandise. I'm so pleased with the results.

All the insides have a pattern on the left. The right side either has a short message or is left blank for your own message. 

Shortly before christmas I found my first stockists and felt warm and fuzzy seeing my designs in the shop! Hopefully it's the first of many ranges and many stockists!

All the images in this post are © Faye Brown Designs 2012

The Little White Book

Banner Design by Gill Eggleston

A few months back Gill Eggleston, a fellow graduate from the The Art and Business of Surface Pattern  course had a great idea to start an online directory of designers. The Little White Book features over 80 designers so far worldwide. And I'm very pleased to be included on page 61!

Massive thanks to Gill for all her hard work and dedication putting this together. 

Bloghop!

I'm taking part in my first bloghop next week with 50+ surface pattern designers worldwide. I've never done a bloghop before, I'm quite new to this really. But I'm really excited. We are each coming up with a mini collection based on the theme Let's Fly and using the Pantone colour of 2013, Emerald Green. Please come back to check in next week. The bloghop will start at Pattern Addict.

#adventdoodle final calendars

I was amazed by the success of Advent Doodle in it's very first year! And seeing all the different responses to each days doodle challenge was inspiring. So as we come to an end of the holiday season I thought I would get in there quick with an #adventdoodle round up. Here's some fabulous calendars from illustrators, designers and non-artists who took part and totally embraced the challenge.

I'd also like to thank everyone who took part whether it was just one doodle or all 25, you all made the run up to christmas a lot of fun and I hope you enjoyed taking part as much as I enjoyed checking in on all the doodling.

Beautiful and magical illustrations from Eva Marion Seyffarth

Great creative doodling from Anja Rabius

Some eclectic and comedic responses from Stephan @S_2K

Fantastic collection from Maria Jose Bautista V (MaJoBV). I particularly love the Three Kings and Santa!

Some gorgeous detailed illustrations from the very talented Kate Cornish

Fabulous doodles and hand lettering from Linsey Sinclair @lovelfs

Chloe Wood managed to keep all her super cute doodles within the small template... not easy! 

Some colourful and fun doodles from Susan McCellan @speedqueenie

A great set and style of doodles from Maike Thoma at Patternjots

Sally Garner from Sarah Paris Style has a fabulous doodling style. I really enjoyed checking into twitter to see her daily doodles. 

The next 3 calendars come from Jen Whitham of JLW Illustation and her family. I love that she got her children involved who are now missing their daily doodle. 

Wonderful doodling from Alexander aged 5

Colourful with lots of character from Carla aged 8. I really love her Santa's Elf day 15. 

Mummy's gorgeous graphic doodles!

So... it's over... christmas, partying and #adventdoodle but we will be back next year! 

I plan to make a printable calendar for this December comprising of doodles from 2012. If you would like yours included please mail me 1-3 of your favourites doodles. If you took part and I haven't already got your details please do email me any of your doodles! I can also add any completed (or semi completed) calendars to this post.

My favourite christmas cards

I love giving and receiving real christmas cards... even though it's not particularly green and postage costs are verging on ridiculous, it's lovely receiving cards in the post. This year I'd like to share with you some of my favourites that came through the letterbox.

(above) Gorgeous paper cut card from John Lewis

Cute small typographic card from John Lewis

Marks and Spencer for The Woodland Trust - clean and graphic wintery card

On trend Fairisle knit inspired card from Next

After a great celebratory year for Britain these soldiers are perfect for christmas from Next

Bright and colourful from Paperchase for Nordoff Robbins

Another beauty from Paperchase

Beautiful Snow Angel by Paper House

Charming reindeer illustration by Clare Tupper for Paper Rose

Bright graphic christmas trees from Katy Clemmans

Lovely collage effect christmas trees from Waitrose

A great christmas scene from my friends little girl Poppy (age 7)

I'm a sucker for christmas jumpers so loved this card from Idealogy

Of course my absolute favourite card was from my 16 month son who came home from nursery with this card for Mummy and Daddy! 

So that's it - the christmas season is almost over. Hope you all had a wonderful time and wishing you all a great 2013!