Repeat Pattern Gift Box Designs

Here are some photos from a recent design project I did with year 7 and 8 vis com students. 

They were asked to design a repeat pattern based on flowers/plants.  First off we did a series of drawings using flowers from my mother in law's garden, and then an A3 colour pencil study of a flower from an image.  These drawings were simplified into various possible motif designs.  Students looked at the work of Finish textile design company Marimekko and Irish textile designer Orla Kiely for ideas on simplifying drawings into motifs.  They began the next stage by making a small square motif, which was scanned and imported into Adobe Illustrator.  Students then made 'live traces' of their motif and changed the colours and line thicknesses.  They then created a repeat pattern using reflection and repetition techniques.

The design brief given out at the start of the project dictated that the repeat pattern was to be used by The Royal Botanical Gardens, Melbourne on a series of gift boxes in their gift shop.  Students chose which gift box shape they wanted and then transferred their designs into the templates. 

Here are some of the wonderful end results.....