Guys, I'm So Fancy

I really haven't made any patterns in a whiiile. Mainly because I felt like I was always "doing it wrong." I knew there had to be an easier way! So I gave up...

But then I heard that Jessica Swift (I'm a documented fan girl, sorry) was hosting an online class on pattern design I immediately signed up!

Because I'm an overachiever, I took a class on Lynda.com on Illustrator to prep. Then I jumped in and spent the weekend with a group of very talented people (like, real designers) learning how to make patterns in Illustrator and Photoshop.
I decided to base my first attempts off this picture of a very fancy camel I found on Pinterest (here's my whole mood board). Mainly because I did a sketch of a camel last week soooo, yeah.

Above is one of my first attempts to make something a little complex. It looks so different that anything I've ever done so I was pretty happy with it.

Another pattern with a flower I drew on the tablet in a diamond layout.

This was definitely my favorite from my camel patterns in a half-drop repeat (don't I sound like I know what I'm doing!). I don't love the spiky boogers, but otherwise, pretty excited.

At any rate, definitely feeling pumped about this direction and will keep posting more! Super grateful to Jessica for sharing her passion for color and patterns (and answering all my crazy questions over the weekend). I'm totally making myself a camel cell phone cover ;o)