Here are some lovely mixed media patterns created by Kelly MacPhee. I like her combination of analog and digital techniques, which makes and interesting mix of spontaneous marks and carefully aligned layouts. She tells us a little more about the way she works.
“I enjoy illustrating many different areas, from children’s book illustration to large fine art pieces.”
“I have a unique process in which I work, which consists of both handmade and digital media. I use plain white paper cut outs for each shape that I use in an image. These paper shapes are then creased up to give them lowlights and highlights, and scanned into Photoshop where I edit them.”
“I find that each process is important. I love illustrations that are natural and rough, therefore use quick, rough cut-outs which I do not spend too much thought over. I like happy little accidents that are not planned, for example, the use of quick, wobbly child-like lines. Or creased up paper which gives unique, uncontrolled shades. One of my favourite quotes is; “the straight line is ungodly” – Friedensreich Hundertwasswer.”
“It is the digital media that I use when concentrating on perfecting my images. I use Photoshop to bring everything together, using it to change colours, compositions, brightness and sizes of my cut outs. I prefer doing it this way, rather than cutting from different paper colours and using purely handcrafted media, as the digital process is quicker. It enables me to make small tweaks to my illustrations with ease, and I can work on many projects at a time as I have more time to spare.”
© Kelly McPhee, 2011
