Designing patterns

Patterns can be easily designed from photo's you've taken then using a copy machine to size and piece each design element.

Using a black, fine point marker, trace each piece for your design carefully eliminating any part of the photo you don't want. Set the copier to a lighter setting to get rid of distractions in the pattern. Your black traced lines will show up clearly.





Use the marks you are familiar with on a leather pattern ie. solid lines for cutting, dashed lines for details not cut, and feel free to add contours like muscle structure and I'll show you how to make your modeling a bit easier.

Make copies of the sizes you want these design elements to be when they are assembled. Piece your picture together as you like and tape the parts down. Copy the work one more time as one piece and voila, you have an excellent pattern!

I can draw, but this kind of an assembly makes designing a custom pattern a bit easier for people who don't draw well. (Make sure the photo's you use are your own or copyright free.)

In the next installment of my very own blog, I'll discuss some tools and a neat way of transferring a design.

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