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Description
Portfolio created for the 2020 Senior Art Exhibition as part of the requirements for ART 499. The work includes several repeating patterns made with watercolor and colored pencil.
Semester Completed
Spring 2020
City
De Pere, WI
Keywords
patterns, pattern design, surface design, watercolor, illustration
Disciplines
Art and Design
Recommended Citation
Van Beckum, Bridget, "Bridget Van Beckum, Senior Art Exhibition Portfolio" (2020). Senior Art Portfolios. 51.
https://digitalcommons.snc.edu/artportfolios/51
Copyright
Copyright Bridget Van Beckum
Artist Statement
Patterns appeal to me because I am fascinated by their almost infinite potential for uses. They don’t have to be limited to simply being hung on a wall or sitting in a frame on a desk. Rather, they can appear on pajamas, shower curtains, notebooks, and so much more. They could be something that you wear, decorate with, write in, or use to give gifts. Patterns could be found on something valuable, like a fancy dress, or on something disposable, like wrapping paper. I love that they can be used on so many different everyday objects because it allows us to engage with art on a daily basis. This is why I also like to create patterns with fun or cute subject matter, such as animals, food, or flowers. My hope is that my patterns and the objects they decorate will brighten someone’s day, even if this means something as simple as slipping on a fun pair of patterned socks that no one else will see.
This collection largely features patterns that were originally painted in watercolor, which I then scanned and digitally manipulated into a seamless repetition. I find that the use of watercolor or other traditional media adds a touch of the handmade to my designs that couldn’t be achieved using digital methods alone. Alternatively, the ability to digitally edit and seamlessly repeat these designs gives them a flexibility of size and scale that would not be possible otherwise - they could cover entire walls, or simply be used on a small phone case. By combining both digital and traditional methods, I am able to bring out the strengths in both techniques and create something that is truly my own.