It started with the idea that I wanted a blue and purple background with a yellow symmetrical pattern in the foreground, and maybe some pink here and there for flavor. I wan't planning on making a snowflake this time - more like the shields the Masters of the Mystic Arts create in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The trouble was, I wasn't sure what pattern to use for the purple part. I tried clouds, rectangular glitch effects, blotchy textures... nothing felt right. Eventually I selected the multibrush tool, set it to 20 brushes, chose a soft-edged brush, and basically started scribbling, adding whatever doodles and shapes felt right in any given spot.
By the time I was done, it looked so nice that I didn't want to cover it up. So I ditched the shield idea, and instead started filling some of the gaps between the purple lines with pink and yellow, then added green when I felt like something was missing.
In the end, I liked both versions - the muted yet elegant blue-and-purple lace, and the more vibrant explosion of pastel colors - so I decided to keep both.
I might still use the shield idea for a future pattern, but first I'll have to figure out what kind of background to give it.
If you want to learn how to draw symmetrical patterns like this, I've got a handy tutorial for you here.
And if you want to wear this pattern or use it to decorate your home, it's available on coffee mugs, dresses, iPhone cases and more in my Society6 store and my RedBubble store.
Here's what it looks like on some of the available items:
Society6 doesn't have a "view everything in this pattern" feature, so here are the links to the items in the picture above:
T-Shirts
Wall Clocks
Throw Pillows
Comforters
Notebooks
Beach Towels
iPhone Cases and Covers
Shower Curtains
Wall Tapestries
Coffee Mugs
Rectangular Pillows
Dresses