Week 35: Adobe Illustrator

Starburst Spiral 1 © Karen Thiessen 2012

It took nine weeks of Adobe Illustrator practice to figure out how to make a starburst pattern and another eight weeks to learn how to create Ziggy Zag. Now I've discovered the twist filter and it is fun to play with. The above Starburst Spiral 1 is my take on a large lollipop except with a softer colour palette. Up until recently I've created most of my patterns using the basic colours offered in AI, but now I'm beginning to play with a broader range of tints and saturations.

Starburst Spiral 3 © Karen Thiessen 2012

Starbust Spiral 3 is my current favourite pattern (for now). I've layered two colour-ways of the pattern at a reduced opacity and I love how it shimmers. Lately I've made progress in subtle ways: colour palette, dotted lines, reduced opacity, the twist filter. There's so much more to explore and I'm eager to see how my designs will evolve and improve. Now I just need to consult the manual a few times a week to fuel the progress.