Nature Inspired

Since I've been working from home this past year, I sometimes get a bit str crazy. For me, the best solution for this is to get out into nature and fresh air. I decided to take a drive up to Mount Tamalpais yesterday morning. It was so refreshing! It's only 40 min from the city after all and it's really paradise on a weekday morning. Very few people are up there and I kinda love to be there as the fog lifts and reveals the amazing green hills and views below. 

If you follow my two Instagram feeds (this one and this one) you might have seen a few pictures I posted. There were all sorts of sweet and colorful wildflowers all over the hills and they got me inspired to make this when I got home. 

All designs and images © Katja Ollendorff

April Instagram Fave: Ana Montiel

It's been a while since I shared a favorite Instagrammer. I just love Ana's colorful, abstract artwork and bold patterns. Her feed, that is filled with vibrant shapes and color as well as wonderful inspirational photography is a joy to peruse.

You can see more of her artwork on her website here. and her Instagram feed here. 

All images © Ana Montiel

Katja of Sweden

I love that I am following in the steps of another Katja in textile design and I also love that her designs resonate so much with me—their bold patterns and bright colors really speak to my own design aesthetic.

Katja was born Karin Hallberg in Sweden, and later lived in NYC, where she went to Parsons School of Design. She created wonderful patterned fashions and later designed home textiles as well. 

I didn't realize the connection before, but I have a picture of myself standing in front of a Katja Bedding display in the window of NYC Macy's. The picture was taken in the early 80s and I'm pointing to the large sign of her (and my) name in the window display. It was the first time I'd come across my name anywhere in the United States. I was very excited about it and now I know whose designs they were advertising!  I later bought some of her towels and sheets for my dorm room in college. Funny to think of that now. I wish I could find that photo to share  with you. 

You can read some more about her here.

Lisa Smirnova

Pretty cool wearable art from Lisa Smirnov, a Moscow-based textile artist. You can read and see more on Jealous Curator here. 

Images from Jealous Curator

Color Changes Everything

Are you someone who...

• Mixes paint and chooses a palette before beginning a design?
• Uses reference material or an existing palette for inspiration?
• Just wings it and let's the design speak first and the colors follow?

I think lean toward #3 with a little #2 thrown in. I've heard that many people begin painting with a specific color palette in mind and let the colors guide the design. I personally like to design in black and white first. I almost never have a palette in mind until the layout is finished. Once I have the full design in front of me, colors just start appearing in my mind based on the kind of design I have created. I open up my swatch panel and really just start plugging them in as I begin to visual the end result. I never worry about the initial palette because I know I can always change it.  Even if I paint something in color, I usually don't think too hard about the colors I put down.

Color can change the vibe of a design so much—I lean towards bold and bright colors, but that's just my personal aesthetic. If I have a client who is requesting a subtler color palette, I have to be able to change that design up to work for them too. 

Here are some examples of how different a design can look when the palette is switched up for different uses. Which would you apply for wallpaper?Stationery? A shower curtain? The possibilities and uses are endless! 

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Tsumori Chisato Fall 2016

Eek I love this too much. Sometimes words aren't really necessary. See more on Vogue.com.

Photos: Rachelle Simoneau / Courtesy of Tsumori Chisato

Make That Sketch Work

I'll often sit with my sketchbook and just doodle or draw single motifs. Other times I'll draw groupings of things like this mini jungle scene. I don't always have a plan for these sketches and sometimes they live forever in my sketchbook; but I found that with a little coaxing you can get big results.  

Here, I took a simple drawing and used it in two very different ways. The first idea was to use it as a framed art print for a kid's room. And the next was to try it as a lush jungle print. They are so different and I really love how they both turned out. 

My motto has always been to KEEP PLAYING. You never know the limit of a motif until you push it a little further. Have fun! 

© 2016 Katja Ollendorff

© 2016 Katja Ollendorff

Stella Jean Fall 2016

It's no secret that I have a real love for folk-inspired design. I have always been a big fan of Stella Jean and her past collections of vibrant African wax fabrics and mixed prints. The new Fall/Winter season is just as inspired. I love that you can't tell exactly where the inspiration comes from. Is it Scandinavian? African? Slavic? Aztec? It's all in there—geometric shapes, wraps, bright yet earthy colors, tassels and emblems. It's global. Even the choice of models makes for an exciting united design nation.

Credit: Regis Colin Berthelier/Now Fashion

Designer Spotlight: Agda Osterberg (1891-1987)

Sometimes you come across an artist's work that just makes you shout out loud! This is how I felt when I saw Swedish artist Agda Osterberg's amazing weaving. Behold her skillfull craft in incredible shapes and colors. I often paint florals and rounded shapes; this group of work has inspired me to stretch myself and try some more geometric designs. 

Too bad I don't have the budget for that $66,000.00 runner on the right!

Minted and PBKids / PBTeen - Vote on February 19th!

Vote for my design on minted.™ see more from Katja Ollendorff vote for me! Check out my competition in Christmas photo cards and Save the Date cards at Minted.

I've entered another contest through Minted.com—this time it's a collaboration with PBKids and PBTeen. My artwork is inspired by a trip to the San Francisco Botanical Gardens. Hope you like it! If you do, you can vote on February 19th. Click on the button to the right  and rate my design a  "5" to ensure a high vote tally for me. Thanks for supporting!

Putting Inspiration To Work

I often visit libraries and used bookstores in search of new inspiration. I found a few great books recently and wanted to share how I get inspired by imagery and designs, and then capture various motifs to make my own. I found this book on Erté by Charles Spencer at the Russian Hill Bookstore and found that it contained a huge amount of inspiration.

While flipping through it, I sat with my sketchbook and noted little details that spoke to me and my aesthetic. Once I have a selection of motifs I like to take a page from my sketchbook like the one here, into Photoshop and start playing with various items to see what I can come up with. I sometimes use individual motifs or combine a few—the possibilities are endless.

Can you tell which ones I used to make the patterns below? With color and scale changes, rotating, reflecting and putting my own spin on things, the designs now feel like mine but I know Erté was my inspiration and that's I nice thought. Because I did these designs in the same hand and used a complimentary color palette, they also feel like they could work as part of a collection. 

I hope you have fun finding your own inspiration and putting it to work.

© 2016 Katja Ollendorff

© 2016 Katja Ollendorff

© 2016 Katja Ollendorff

© 2016 Katja Ollendorff

Overwhelmed by Offers ?

Are you overwhelmed by all the offers, courses, classes, DIY, Must-Do's! out there? I sure am. I have a hard enough time trying to get one thing in front of me done, without getting distracted by ads that scream "Skills You Need to Have ", "You've Got to See This", "You Must Try This!", "Learn How To Make Your Life Exactly What You Want It To Be With Zero Effort And Make A Million Dollars Doing It." Although many of the courses teach valuable lessons, most of them come at a high price. 

As a creative person, I'm always up for learning more. I love tutorials, marketing classes, instructional videos. However, I don't like spending money on every single thing I come across. I've found some great free PS tutorials through this site PHLEARN like these here. There are many ways to do the same thing, but I love finding a way that's more efficient. Even if something doesn't pertain exactly to textile design, you can still learn tips and tricks that are transferable. 

Here are a few I found pretty interesting. Do you have any favorite free tutorial sites?

http://phlearn.com/how-to-use-step-and-repeat-in-photoshop

http://phlearn.com/how-to-color-an-illustration-in-photoshop

http://phlearn.com/apply-wallpaper-to-walls-in-photoshop

http://phlearn.com/use-refine-edge-tool-photoshop

An Icon Lost

The death of David Bowie is still with me a week later. His passing has probably affected me more than any other celebrity in recent years because of his influence on me in my life. I grew up with his music through all the various stages of my youth—from my pre-teen years onward.

My older brothers introduced me to him in the early 80s by giving me a copied cassette tape of Scary Monsters with a handwritten DAVID BOWIE scrawled across it. As a twelve year old his music scared me a little. It was moving and different, and I was pressed to listen to it and almost had to learn to love it. And I did. 

His influence in music, fashion and his courage to be different, permeated the universe. The day he died, I imagined his music being played all around the world and rising up in to the air. I think we are drawn to talented people especially when they are as courageous and forward-thinking with their creativity as he was. 

Latest Guildery Collection - Beaufort

On the heels of yesterday's CountryLiving feature, I have more Guildery news.

It's blue and green forever!  Two of my all time favorite colors together in my latest collection Beaufort. I hope you enjoy all the new items that are now available on Guildery.com. You can always search KATJA and you'll find all of my collections in one spot! They recently added some new products such as wrapping paper and table linens. I ordered some paper for the holidays and it is GREAT quality. Go there and get thee some and enjoy! 

Country Living Jan 2016 Feature

Woo wee!  I just learned one of my designs (available on Guildery.com) was featured in the Jan/Feb 2016 Country Living Magazine. Pretty cool I say! I also used the same design (as a runner) up in Sonoma on my friend's table.

My Static design, here in Reverse Skin, is available on Guildery.com. There is a wide variety of colors and fabrics to choose from.

Static on the runner, and my Tepee design shown here on cloth napkins.

New Year, New Intentions

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I hope the start to the New Year has been great for you. Sometimes I get into the whole resolution thing but this year I'm not cutting things out, I'm just looking at this time as the gift of a fresh start. I might make some changes to habits here and there, but overall I just want to think about ways I can improve myself, my intentions, actions and individual place in the world. And all the ways I can share meaningful things with others.

In terms of my designing, I aim to be more dedicated and diligent about what I put forth on the creative front, as well as the business and administrative side of things. I need to keep up with things like, ahem, blog posts, organization and making contacts. I want to be better about sharing tips, and letting people see into my world a bit more. I'd love more interaction with my readers and supporters. So please drop me a line with any questions or feedback, or just to say hi! I welcome all of it.

 Do you have any new intentions for the year ahead?

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This design started as a sketch I did with colored markers in my sketchbook. I actually just took a picture of it with my cellphone instead of scanning it in, I emailed the image to myself, downloaded and then opened it up in PS, cleaned it up and laid it out. That's some designing on the fly for you! 

Keisuke Fujiwara in Balance

These vases designed by Keisuke Fujiwara are so airy and beautiful. When a petal drops, the movement will set the vase swaying ever so slightly. You can read more about the design, material and how they are made on designboom.com here.

Happy New Year 2016!

This quote really moved me when I read it. I often get caught up in thoughts of my past, how wonderful things were—how I thought nothing could be better than the years I went to NYU, or lived in Paris or first arrived in San Francisco. I think about how young, pretty, talented, healthy and strong I was. But wait! Aren't I still all of those things just more grown up and with more amazing stories under my belt? Maybe I have a few extra creaks in my bones and extra pounds around the waist, but I'm still those things. 

I have decided to commit myself to living as healthy and vibrant a life I can—full of creativity, time with family and friends and things that matter. I will always cherish my past experiences—all the moments I can relive, and the stories I can tell—but I'm so ready to see what comes next. I have a feeling the more I open myself up to finding out what the future holds, the more I will experience. Bring it on!

I wish you all many new experiences and some new stories to tell in 2016. Happy New Year everyone! Much joy to you in the coming year. 

My Inspiration this Week

I'm always inspired by world cultures—from the Sami people of Lappland to the Omo tribe in Ethiopia. I also love how tribal and folk wear is so prevalent in today's world of design. Below are some images that really drew me in— can't get enough of the colors, the patterns, the fabric! Some are authentic folk wear and some are modern interpretations, but each of them feeds my creative soul. Click to see more on my Pinterest Folkology board.

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Around the world folk cultures. My personal inspiration using images from Pinterest. See more on my Folkology board. 

Selfies on Paper

Lee Friedlander, Self Portrait NYC 1966

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam currently has an exhibit titled "Selfies on Paper". It shows artists from the past four centuries capturing their own images in various mediums. As noted on their website: "Virtually every artist in the past looked in a mirror and captured his or her image for posterity – just as we do now." But we all know that they just took a little more time to do it.

In this age of immediate and fleeting gratification, the exhibit intends to make people slow down and take a moment to appreciate the art and the time it took to create. Cameras are not allowed, and instead, attendees of the museum are encouraged to draw or sketch what they see instead of using their selfie stick. I love this!

You can read more on the exhibit on the museum website here, and also on thisiscolassal.com.

Rembrandt, Self Portrait 1639

Oskar Kokoscka, Self Portrait 1923