27 June, 2018

Spoonflower Handbook Master Class: Fabric Design with Photoshop

2018-06-27T14:44:02-05:00, |Comments Off on Spoonflower Handbook Master Class: Fabric Design with Photoshop

The focus of this workshop will be an introduction to working with Adobe Photoshop (Fall) or Adobe Illustrator (Spring) as a fabric design tool. We will spend 2+ intense days getting to know the tools in each software to make seamless repeats, layers and more. Several of our class exercises will build on concepts presented in The Spoonflower Handbook, taking these projects “beyond the book” with more advanced tools and skills, as well as one-on-one instruction.

This session will focus on working with Adobe PHOTOSHOP to design fabric. Becka will teach you how to use the basic tools in Photoshop to edit, add layers and design seamless patterns using Photoshop. The goal is to help you understand how the Photoshop tools and techniques work so that you can make the designs you have in your head. Class time will be focused on practice with tools and techniques like creating seamless textures, learning how to work with layers, and understanding the settings for tools to accomplish specific effects. Becka will have samples of all of the Spoonflower fabrics and talk about optimizing your design for printing on different surfaces, troubleshooting your designs and choosing the right fabric for your project.

For this class, you do not need drawing or painting skills; no experience with Photoshop, Illustrator or fabric design is necessary, although you should be familiar with the Spoonflower site and comfortable with basic computer functions.

See all of the details at https://www.beckarahn.com/masterclass

28 September, 2016

A Taste of Digital Fabric Design

2016-09-28T10:15:59-05:00, |Comments Off on A Taste of Digital Fabric Design

Have you ever dreamed of being a fabric designer? Online services like Spoonflower.com allow you to digitally print fabric with your own designs, from just a swatch to yards of fabric. Led by co-author of The Spoonflower Handbook, this seminar will give you the basics to get started designing your own fabrics, from how to deal with colors to resolution and file set up. See lots of samples and create a collaborative fabric design in class. No laptops needed, just paper and pencil for notes.

10 August, 2015

Upcoming Classes: Repeats

2015-08-10T21:52:11-05:00Classes & Teaching, UpcomingClasses|Comments Off on Upcoming Classes: Repeats

Just a quick note about a class coming up on Monday August 17 (that’s just 1 week!).  I have had a lot of requests for exactly this topic, so this class is really designed by you: creating seamless repeats from your artwork.  The idea is that we will take your art, whether it is a texture or a drawing or a painting and we will learn 4 or 5 different techniques for making it be able to tile seamlessly.  What does that mean?

Here is a pattern that is not seamless.  You can easily see the edges of each repeat tile.  It looks like a set of playing cards set side by side.

Screen Shot 2015-08-10 at 9.46.59 PMThis is the seamless version of that tile.  I copied and flipped the peacock and added in extra feathers so it disguises the edges of the tile.  You can’t see the edges of the rectangle, but it is still just one rectangle repeating over and over.

Screen Shot 2015-08-10 at 9.47.53 PM

 

This is a complex version.  We will try different techniques in class from really simple (mirrored repeats) to learning a tiny bit about the healing brush and clone in Photoshop.  You can register for class at Textile Center’s website.  Hope to see you there.

 

20 January, 2015

Upcoming Classes: Digitizing Lecture

2015-02-24T23:33:45-06:00Classes & Teaching, Out & About, Spoonflower & Fabric Design|Comments Off on Upcoming Classes: Digitizing Lecture

Screen Shot 2015-01-08 at 4.22.33 PMIt’s the month for classes for me.  Another fun class you can come to is a panel discussion called “Digitizing for Dollars” that I will be participating in on January 29 at 6:30 pm at NE Bank Community Room in Minneapolis.  It is presented by WARM (Women’s Art Resources of MN).  Several panelists will be talking about digitizing your original art and selling it online.  I will be talking about Spoonflower and using your original art to make fabric.  The other panelists will be talking about things like making patterns, digital prints and putting your artwork on objects (totes and coffee mugs).  I have worked with this group before and there is always great discussion and good questions, so I am looking forward to it.  (The event is free for WARM members, $5 if you come as a guest of a WARM member or $10 for the public.)

14 January, 2015

Upcoming Classes: Intro to Etsy and Intro to Fabric Design

2015-02-24T23:41:38-06:00Classes & Teaching, UpcomingClasses|Comments Off on Upcoming Classes: Intro to Etsy and Intro to Fabric Design

I am teaching two classes for the Dakota County Libraries this month.  They are a little outside of the Minneapolis area but they are free classes (funded by a State Arts Legacy Grant) so it might be worth the drive.

First up is “A Taste of Digital Fabric Design” on January 22 at 6 pm at Wescott Library.  You can register here.  (It’s free, but we like to know who’s coming.)

This class is like the “get your toes wet” experience for designing your own fabric and printing it through Spoonflower.  We will make a collaborative design in class and I will show you all of the steps to get it printed: scanning, resizing and setting resolution, uploading, repeats and so forth.  You don’t need to bring anything – it’s presented demonstration style so you can take lots of notes and follow along without your laptop.  I hope it will be just the right amount of information to get you started and give you confidence to try your first design and not so much technical stuff that you will fee lost and overwhelmed.  After class, I will order some of our collaboratively designed fabric and I will mail you a swatch of it so you can see it in person.  If you have ever wanted to try your hand at making a custom fabric, this is the class to get you started.

Here is a sample of a fabric we made in another class.

Valentine Grid repeat at Spoonflower. Collaborative class project.

Valentine Grid repeat at Spoonflower. Collaborative class project.

On January 26th, it is “Etsy Behind the Scenes” at the Farmington Library at 6:00.  You can register here.

This class is a tour behind the scenes of running an Etsy shop.  Not just tips and tricks, but I log in and take you on a live tour of what my shop looks like from the seller’s perspective.  I will show you how to use the built in tools and talk about options and ways you can run your shop.  I have had an etsy shop for more than 9 years, so I will give you a wealth of ideas from what I have learned:  what works, time savers and time wasters, Etsy vocabulary and more.  If you are on the fence about opening a shop or you have one and aren’t sure what to do next, I think you will find something in this class to help you.

I hope to see you there!

 

5 January, 2015

Upcoming Classes: Digital Photo Pillow

2015-02-24T23:41:52-06:00Classes & Teaching, Spoonflower & Fabric Design, UpcomingClasses|Comments Off on Upcoming Classes: Digital Photo Pillow

I am delighted to be teaching some digital design classes to start off the new year!  In February, I am going to teach a photo collage pillow class. The class is February 2 & 9 in Minneapolis and all of the details are here.

RahnPhotoPillow

You may not be in to pillows.  I get that.  Pillows aren’t really my thing either, but I love these two I made as samples.  You can use this photo collage for many other fun things once you know how to do it: photo placemats, tote bag, quilts.  There are lots of options.  So don’t let the “pillow” part of the project stop you from signing up.

Screen Shot 2015-01-05 at 6.16.16 PMOne collage is “Chester and Leo” themed.  It is all their puppy pictures with a border “kaleidoscope” design made from a photo of someone’s nose.  Their names are on the bottom corner.

Screen Shot 2015-01-05 at 6.16.29 PM

The other sample is photos from my trip to Italy last year.  The border on this one is a detail from a photo of a green door that is tiled so that it makes neat leaf shapes around the outside edge.  I know it sounds complicated, but it’s really easy to do and I will show you how to do both the collage and the border designs.

In class we will talk about collecting your photos, putting together a collage that is balanced and works together.  We will set it up to print exactly the size we need (it fits on a fat quarter), make a coordinating border print and get our collages uploaded and printed at Spoonflower.  I printed mine on super soft faux-suede.  I will also show you how to do the simple sewing steps to finish up the pillow and a few other project variations.  We will meet one more time to “show and tell” and troubleshoot for your next project.  You need a laptop for class but you don’t need to have Photoshop or any other special software. Really!  Just a collection of photos and a web browser.

Share with your friends.  Sign up.  Pass it on.  See more of my upcoming classes here.

Go to Top