I love these large scale repeats by Perth-based designer, Caitlin Meara. There’s something about the possibilities of engineering a cut so that it adds meaning to the clothing that makes me just a bit giddy. Yes, I’d like to look like something out of Star Wars. Or possibly a secret midnight garden…
hey tangerine – bougainvillea
Currently working in a fabric shop, but with plans to set up a portfolio and do freelance graphic design work in the near future, she says she always loved drawing and designing from a young age. “I was always crafting as a child! My close family and friends are all creative, clever people who always encouraged me. Some of my earliest memories are of my grandma teaching me how to knit and how to use watercolours.”
hey tangerine – bubbles 2
It was towards the end of high school that she started experimenting with illustrating tiling patterns by hand – rolling the paper into a cylinder so that she could make the pattern meet up. “I discovered Spoonflower in 2009 and the thrill of my first sale got me hooked. Since then I’ve been producing designs on and off when I get the chance.”
hey tangerine – markers 2
hey tangerine – building blocks 9
She uses a variety of techniques to achieve her designs, although most of the designs on Spoonflower are photo manipulations. “I like taking photos of everyday objects and manipulating them in Photoshop into something unrecognisable. I have done quite a few moving an object (a branch, flower…) across the scanner bed as it is scanning, which gives an interesting and unexpected warped effect. I would love to do more illustrative designs but I find it hard to make time for it.”
hey tangerine – cave 2
A self-confessed daydreamer, Caitlin loves going for long walks. “Often something little will inspire me on my way – I just noticed how gorgeous snail trails are, glittering in the sun!” She also confesses to being an “internet-aholic” and finds trying pinpointing only a few artists that she admires incredibly difficult.
hey tangerine – fireworks 4
Having someone choose her fabric for their wedding décor was the absolute bees knees. “To think that someone thinks my work is good enough to feature in one of the biggest days of their life, it really spins me out! Just seeing photos of what people have made, no matter what it is, always makes my day.”
hey tangerine – glass 4
Her best piece of advice? It’s this, and comes from ZenHabits – “The Little But Really Useful Guide To Creativity“. Caitlin says she printed it out and stuck it on her wall.
Whenever you’re feeling stuck, I urge you to read it too – it’s fab.
You can find more of Caitlin’s work in her Spoonflower shop, HeyTangerine.