5 Recommended Pattern Design Books for Designers
There are many books out there dedicated to the world of surface pattern design and in today’s blog post, I’m sharing my top 5 recommended books for beginners new to the world of surface pattern design. I’ve also listed a link to Amazon where you can purchase these books. A few of the books I picked up 2nd hand from the marketplace on Amazon, so there’s no need to buy brand new, especially if you can’t afford to. Your local library might also have a copy too, so well worth checking with them.
Please note: as I’m reviewing books which are a copyrighted material, I’m unable to show the inside pages of the books and only the covers. I take copyright very seriously both in my own work and that of other creatives like writers.
1.‘From Petal to Pattern’ by Michelle Parascandolo
This book is one of my absolute favourite books! Not only does the author share various types of pattern you can create, she also shows the individual pattern motifs that were used to create each pattern. I’ve not come across a book like this before and find it so useful when I’m feeling stuck on what to draw or what style of pattern to create.
The author shares clear information and illustrations about:
layout types
repeating patterns by hand
repeating patterns with Adobe photoshop
repeating patterns with Adobe Illustrator
mood boards
colour theory
18 pattern design projects
My favourite part of the book are the projects as the author shares the finished pattern as well as breaking down the individual pattern motifs that she uses, so you can see exactly how the pattern was put together.
There is also a beautiful illustrated botanical visual index at the back of the book showing illustrations of 60 flowers which are a wonderful resource not only to draw from, but also for inspiration when you’re in need of a drawing structure.
2. ‘4000 Flower & Plant Motifs’ A sourcebook by Graham Leslie McCallum
This is a big book and FULL of illustrations that cover a lot of different styles and eras. It is one of my go-to books when I need some inspiration or just need to do some research on a particular style of flower or botanical item. Apart from 3 text pages at the front (introduction), the whole book is full of just illustrations, and at nearly 400 pages long, that’s a lot of illustrations! I picked up my copy up as a 2nd hand book as this book can be a bit pricey brand new.
The author shares illustrations covering:
Mesopotamian
Egyptian
Medieval
Greek
Romanesque
Byzantine
Chinese
Japanese
Islamic
Folk
Art Nouveau
Art Deco
Flowers
Leaves
Fruit
Vegetables
Fruiting bodies
Trees
Motifs
Borders
As you can see from the list, that’s a lot of different sections it covers! A must have book for any creative or designer, but especially surface pattern designers. As with any book, the illustrations can’t be copied from (as they’re copyrighted), though use them as inspiration only to come up with your own motifs and icons.
3. ‘Pricing & Ethical Guidelines Handbook’ by Graphic Artists Guild
This book is the gold standard book for ALL creatives, whatever your profession and as such it’s a big book at over 400 pages long. It’s also a pricey book (over £30.00), though can be picked up 2nd hand cheaper, either through Amazon, eBay or similar. My copy is the 15th edition, and the author (Graphic artists Guild) publish a new edition usually even year. Although the newest edition will be more up todate, if you get a copy that’s a 1-3 years old (which mine is), it will still have loads of good info in it. I don’t plan to replace my copy anytime soon for this reason.
BUY IT HERE FROM AMAZON.CO.UK £33.15
Note: the link above is to the new 16th Edition book that is currently out so the cover looks different.
The author shares detailed information and covers this sections:
Professional relationships
Legal rights & issues
Professional issues
Technology issues
Essential business prcatices
Standard contracts & business tools
Salaries & trade customs
Graphic design prices & trade customs
Web/interactive design prices & trade customs
Illustration prices & trade customs
Cartooning prices & trade customs
Animation prices & trade customs
Surface design prices & trade customs
The graphic artist guild
Resources & references
Contracts & forms
The sections above are the main topics so within each section it shares detailed information that is broken down.
For example, the surface pattern design section covers:
Trend and colour forecasting
Role of surface pattern designers
Design process
Computer aided design
Product categories
Licensing & royalties
Trade practices
Working with representatives
Surface pattern design salaries
Pricing freelance design
There is also a lengthy section at the back of book showing design contracts, forms, cease & desist letters, invoices, commission forms, estimates, confirmation forms, inventory forms and much more.
4.’The V&A Sourcebook of Pattern & Ornament’ by Thames & Hudson/ V&A Museum
This book is another big book at nearly 400 pages but there is so much packed into it. It’s a huge source of inspiration for nearly every type of pattern. There is some text to accompany most of the patterns though it is pattern heavy.
The book is split into 4 main areas:
Plants
Animals
Earth & the Universe
Abstract patterns
The smallest section is abstract though still has plenty of inspiration to inspire you. Obviously being from the V&A Museum, all the patterns are vintage patterns so quite old, but a lot of them give the date of creation so you know if it’s still within copyright or not.
NOTE: if a pattern is out of copyright then you are free to use some of the elements/motifs in your own patterns, however do your own thorough research carefully to ensure this. Generally speaking in the UK, a pattern is considered out of copyright 70 years after the death of the copyright holder. Again do your research to be sure!
Within each section it’s broken down into sub sections so you can easily find what you’re after.
For example the plants section covers;
roses
tulips
poppies
citrus
berries
irises
mushrooms & toadstools
vegatbles
nuts
herbs
trees
leaves
marigolds and much more!
5. ‘Color + Pattern’ by Khristian A. Howell
This book is a great resource to have as it displays plenty of modern patterns as well as many interviews and information about current designers who are working professionals right now. This book is an absolute bargain at just £3.63 on Amazon.co.uk right now too!
The book is split into 4 main areas:
gathering isnpiration
exploring motifs
designing repeats
developing a collection
The book is full of design prompts within each section to give you clarity and confidence as well as giving clear flow along instructions in Adobe Illustrator on how to complete a pattern repeat tile for example. I love this book as it’s a great resource for being to pick up and dip into any section, rather than reading in order (though to get the most from the book, it’s best to read it in order, at least to start with if you’re new to pattern design).
The book is full of wonderful clear photos and has plenty of eye candy from modern, current designers in the field, so you can find out more info about designers you like online and/or follow them.
I hope you find these books useful in your creative journey! If you’d like more design tips and resources, be sure to sign up to my newsletter below!
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Wondering what goes into a pattern design mini collection? In this post, I break down the main components and the factors you need to consider when designing.