HELLO!

As this is my first ever blog post I thought I would introduce myself and tell you a little bit more about me…….

I’m Nina and I’m a surface pattern designer and illustrator with a passion for all things print, colour and pattern! I live in Manchester in the UK, with my husband Rob and my 2 children Lois and Seth. I have been a designer now for over 20 years. I studied Textile Design at university and my first ever job was as a knitwear designer for a children’s supplier to the high street. Before I came a Mum I worked in the Retail design sector working in house for a high street brand working in the Kidswear department as a print designer. I loved every bit of it! I was really lucky that I got to travel all over the world! I still take that love of colour and that fun aspect you bring into kidswear to my design process. I took a career break after having my children and decide that I wanted to start creating designs under my own name. I really love that it also gives me control over my own work life balance, and I can design whatever I feel like.

I love creating my patterns in my little studio with the radio on and a cuppa! My creative design process begins with a combination of different ways of mark making, pen drawings, painting, inky illustrations or paper collage. My next stage is to digitally render my designs keeping the beautiful and textural irregularities to keep the hand drawn feel. Then I combine a bold and colourful colour palette and resulting in my signature style of vibrant, contemporary, abstract designs.

We have recently undertaken a big house renovation and lived in it whilst it was going on, let say we embraced the dust for about 6 months! We still have bits to finish but we are getting there slowly. This has brought out the interior designer in me and I would often produce a mood board for the builders! This also inspired me to start designing patterns for interiors and lifestyle products and move away from kidswear.

When I am not designing, I love getting out of the city and going on country walks, where I like to find inspiration for my designs, my love of the outdoors continues with camping. I enjoy pottering in my garden too. I love growing flowers which I can sketch, so I have a constant source of inspiration. I also have a passion for cooking yummy food for my family and friends or you find me crocheting something, a new found skill!

A little glimpse of my studio…..

I love playing with colour combinations and surround myself with paint chart chips for inspiration. Top tip Valspar paint offer an amazing array of colour sample cards which are great starting point for colour palettes. Also LOVE the Pantone postcards!