Best Composition Tips for Surface Designers

"Composition. It is something that I talk about a lot with our designers and freelancers and it is considering negative space."

"So I've got a few designs here to talk though. I've got some that work and one that's not working, as well," says Bec, Creative Director of Longina Phillips Designs. 

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1. Key composition tip for swimwear prints 

"This tropical design here is a great composition for swimwear because wherever the swim bikini is going to fall you're going to get a similar color distribution on every style. Which means that when it comes to production no matter where it is cut it's going to look very similar to the piece that they bought online."

2. How color factors into your composition

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"This design is great because these flowers have been left alone so it let's the design breathe. Not everything is filled in and just allowing the ground to come through in those couple of areas really gives a lightness to the design and lets the eye flow around. So the composition there is really beautiful and the color distribution is great because you have the flow of the green and then the beautiful little purple highlights are really spaced out quite evenly."

 3. What to be wary of when creating surface designs

"We are seeing lots and lots of these hibiscus designs back again. And this is a really cute design it's just really busy. So your eye isn't quite sure what to focus on. So if I was to have my time again with this design we would probably take out these leaves and open up a little bit of space because all the little motifs are great it's just these leaves where the ground is coming through them just make everything a bit too busy. So that's what I would do to change that design."

More what not to dos here: 
Studio Critiques | What's Wrong with This Tropical Floral?