As an artist/designer, sometimes the only constant is change. It is important to keep trying new things and reinventing yourself, as well as being true to your signature style and continuing to create the things your audience loves - definitely a balancing act!

My work has been known for its signature flat, graphic style for some time - but lately I have been trying to expand on that and create more layered, painterly pieces. Instead of my usual surface pattern designs, over the past several weeks I have been creating some paintings inspired by unusual natural objects and processes. Bright colours and graphic forms are still a mainstay of these new pieces - I’ve been experimenting with gouache paints for the first time which are a great fit for me as they allow me to retain some of that flat, graphic look and feel that I love working with.

Read on for a sneak peek of my new work. I’m thinking of creating some prints or stationery for sale from these... what do you think? If you're interested, sign up to my newsletter and be the first to know when they are available!

We are now a few weeks into 2021, and while it seems largely the same as 2020 so far, the good news is that we can still create and share inspiring new design work while we sit at home and wait for this crisis to pass.

I’m excited to use some of my extra free time during our ongoing (seemingly never-ending?) lockdowns to keep developing new work, and have been experimenting with some new approaches and products, while some are still in my head… watch this space!

Read on for a peek at some pattern collections I’ve been working on over the past few months…

vegetable patch

Lots of people started growing vegetables in their gardens last year while staying at home. This eco-friendly trend will likely stay with us for some time, and it inspired me to create this fun, novelty pattern collection comprised of simplified, graphic vegetable shapes. 

textured foliage

Originally inspired by Autumn leaves gathering on pavements, this lively, textured collection with a sunny colour palette would also be a great fit for summer dresses or activewear. 

conifer garden

Pinecones are one of those ubiquitous yet intriguing natural objects that come in so many different shapes and sizes, and one of my long-standing sources of inspiration. This collection presents a graphic, abstracted take on the humble pinecone.

Click here for more information on purchasing or commissioning pattern designs, or contact me at hello@studio-element.co.uk

Here we are in December - and what a year it has been! I spent some time during the most recent UK lockdown working on Christmas-themed patterns, which I am excited to offer as greeting cards.

These designs feature flat, abstracted winter wonderland motifs such as evergreen needles, twigs and pinecones, for a stylish modern take on Christmas. The cards are printed on high-quality textured matte cardstock and sold in packs of three, with matching kraft paper envelopes.

You can get three of the same design, or if you’re feeling indecisive, one of each - all for £10 (including delivery anywhere you wish!)

You may not be able to see everyone you want this Christmas but you can still send them a stylish greeting to let them know you’re thinking of them - pick up some cards today.

The changing of the seasons is in full swing now in the UK - with falling leaves and brilliant autumn colours everywhere you turn. While I can’t say I love the shorter days and cooler temperatures, it is a great season to search for design inspiration in the natural world.

Mushrooms have long been one of my favourite subjects to draw and create designs from - I just love the unusual, ambiguous shapes you can create from them, as well as the fact that there is so much variety in the different mushroom types you can find. I was thrilled to discover that this year, apparently I wasn’t the only one, as it seems like mushrooms are popping up left, right and centre on every print trend forecasting blog or website I look at. Great, now I had an excuse to make even more mushroom-inspired designs of my own!

On a weekend away in the countryside a few weeks ago, I spent some time in the woods searching for mushrooms and taking photos. I was really pleased with the results:

The photos provided inspiration for lots and lots of mushroom sketches…

I am currently working on turning these sketches into colourful, graphic patterns. Here is a sneak peek of some of the mushroom-inspired prints I have created so far. I could see these looking great on quirky stationery, gift or home accessories products - what do you think?

I will be sharing more of the final designs on my Instagram as I finish them, so be sure to follow me to see more!

September is traditionally a month of new beginnings, and even though this year has been strange, exciting things have been happening at this busy time of year. Read on for a round-up of all the latest news from Studio Element.

I have recently teamed up with Patternbank, a revolutionary global online marketplace for textile design, to offer a select collection of my pattern designs for sale on their website.

Click here to see my Patternbank page. I am adding new designs every week so keep your eyes peeled!

My ‘Summer Meadow’ collection featuring playful bees, butterflies and wildflowers was chosen by Pattern Observer to be shown at the (now virtual) Surface Design & Print show Blueprint, from September 22-24, 2020. Visit their website to see more of the great art on show, which I am very pleased to be a part of.

I have been hard at work developing new designs in a range of styles over the past several months in lockdown, and am pleased to report that some of my my recent work has been featured on the renowned surface design blog Print + Pattern. Click here to read the feature.