WIP - Design for a Quilt.

[Patchwork]

Hello all!

 

Since I've only just yesterday downloaded the Affinity Designer trial, and just this morning joined the forum, I figured I'd go ahead and just make this an introduction as well as showing my first work in progress using this program.   :)

 

I cut my teeth on vector art with That Other Software version 8, just by fiddling through what amounted to a Dummies guide to it.  I realized I loved doing line work using vector art and the pen tool because it could become so perfect and beautiful with practice!  My career was in the commercial arts industry, so I was lucky to have the chance to incorporate vector design into my work on a near daily basis.  Now I'm just a hobbyist who sought out this program to be able to create patterns for quilting.  Using a vector program is perfect for that, since you need to design quilts with your background shapes blocked out first, and then build on top of them, whether with stitching, notions or applique.

 

This image is part of a very large quilt I am designing.  It's an image of my dad, and me as a little girl, standing in front of the Baha'i House in the Chicago area, which we had visited once together.  The image I'm posting here is what I managed to get done today.  As much as I'm dying to add gradients and get fancy with it as though it were an illustration, I have to keep in mind that I'm going to need to make sure the shapes are uncluttered and easy to see and separate, so that I can eventually print out each piece as a blueprint to build by hand later.  Since I won't be relying on line art, I have to make sure each shape makes a nice silhouette that'll be a quick and easy read (working on that!).  Best I can hope for for some line definition will be some fat stitching in another color here and there, and I've managed to begin adding some of that to this image before stopping for the night.

 

I'm having a little trouble adjusting to some of the rules of the pen tool thus far, but otherwise things have been pretty smooth sailing!  I'm open to learning these new things, so I'm happy to continue on getting used to how the program works.  I expect I'll definitely be buying a copy once my trial runs out.  Hope you like it so far!  There's still much tweaking and building to be done on it.

 

[jonfuller1004]

Patchwork this is stunning and now I completley understand the need for the Raster brushes that you wanted, I have not yet had time to try them, but my use would be stiches on buttons, headers and logos for web design. I really love what you have done here and look forward to seeing more of your work!

 

It must've been a very memorable day for you!

[Jobalou]

Very inspirative Drawing.

^_^

[Patchwork]

Thank you both for your kind words!  This is the first time I'm working on something that will eventually end up on fabric, so I'm trying my best to be as careful as I can, and not too unrealistic.  If I mess it up, I'll have ended up wasting a whole lot of money on fabrics down the road, so it's a learning experience if nothing else. :)  I really appreciate your encouragement!

[ronniemcbride]

Now it all makes sense.  glad the brush I made worked out. I worked for a major brand in their sewing and home appliance division so even though I never done any quilting I am fimiliar with stitch patterns. There are so many I am glad you only need the basics hahaha! Really nice work on this patch. I can't wait to see when you get the entire design finishes. Please post a picture of the actual quilt. I would love to see how your vector work converst from the digital realm to the analog world.

[GRScott]

Very nice work. My wife likes to quilt when she has time.