Notebook Sketches

This year I've been trying to expand the variety of patterns that I use to create my papercutting pieces. 

Many of my pieces are comprised of repetitive patterns within a recognizable shape - my favourite way to create a papercutting is to free-hand cut with the blade into whatever pattern draws me in. But I find that I get stuck within the same patterns again and again. I started my notebook sketches to see that if drawing out some pattern ideas would help me branch out into creating different shapes and designs within my papercuttings. 

Some are totally new ideas...

some are re-working my old favourites...

and some are a bit of both.

It's difficult to articulate my creative process to myself and others - mostly because it usually just feels like a big mess all within my head. My notebook sketches are one attempt at organizing that mess.