Travel, Prints Anya Toomre Travel, Prints Anya Toomre

Drafting a Portuguese Tile Pattern - Next Steps

See the next step in my process of drafting a Portuguese tile pattern.

Here are some photos of the next stage in working on my Portuguese tile pattern. I’ve inked the four tile group but have left, for the moment, the pencil lines for you to see, both grid lines and approximate sketch lines that I adjusted in ink. I made some adjustments in the pattern between the inking of the solo block and the group of four. I saw different details as I looked over the wall of repeating tiles in my reference photograph. My next steps are to erase the pencil lines, scan the pattern, then paint.

Read More
Anya Toomre Anya Toomre

How I Start Drafting a Portuguese Tile Pattern

The first step in drafting a Portuguese tile pattern in my sketchbook

The first step in drafting a Portuguese tile pattern in my sketchbook

It’s been a while since I’ve worked a Portuguese tile pattern. This is how I start. I find a tile from a picture I took, then try to figure out what the pattern is. I pencil in horizontal, vertical and diagonal grid lines so I can keep things proportionate. I draw it first in pencil just the one tile, and if it looks good then start on the four tile repeat, ink, then paint. I still love all the variation and different kinds of patterns made with just one small tile!

Read More
Prints, Travel Anya Toomre Prints, Travel Anya Toomre

The Process of Drawing Tile Patterns

Recently I started adding color to my drawing of a Portuguese tile pattern that I saw at the National Tile Museum in Lisbon, Portugal last summer (although I wrote Porto in my sketchbook). I love the way one block pattern can be complicated enough that it takes 16 tiles to show it!

These are some pictures taken during its progress to being currently somewhat painted. I typically work on my projects about 30 minutes at a time. For these tiles, I start with a pencil and ruler and mark out on my sketchbook page where I’m going to place them. I like to draw a solo tile, then in a group of four, and then, here, in a group of sixteen to show the additional pattern that is made. I find the center lines and diagonals in each square and then start sketching out the pattern. Sometimes I will draw the whole pattern first then ink it, but here the design was complicated enough and my hand would rub off the graphite, I inked some parts before I did more pencil. Once the whole page was inked, I scanned it so I have it available for the future - I was thinking of a coloring book of Portuguese tiles. Then, I added color to match the tiles I had photographed.

It’s a time consuming but very satisfying process. I will continue to add blue watercolor to the rest of the drawing but I rather like partially complete painting too. I will scan that before I continue. Which do you like better - partially painted or fully painted?

Read More
Travel, Prints Anya Toomre Travel, Prints Anya Toomre

Holiday Bazaars Begin

fullsizeoutput_41f1.jpeg

I am going to be a vendor at a couple of holiday bazaars this fall. The first one is on Saturday, November 17th at the IEOU Hall, 18701 - 120th Ave NE in Bothell from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. I will have a variety of notecards and prints including my most recent Portuguese tiles. I will also have my quilted coasters and zippered bags available. Those are always so much fun to play with in person. I love to see people’s reactions to my coasters and how they want to touch and handle them - which is okay! Come out and support local artists and artisans at the My Friends & Me Holiday Bazaar!

2018 Bazaar Postcard BW square.jpg
Read More