10 Best Hunting Books For Beginners

Best Hunting Books For Beginners in 2023

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

How to Design and Create Pattern Packets

First, decide whom you are designing this packet for. Beginners? Intermediates? Advanced? This is an important consideration for various reasons. A beginner doesn't want to spend a lot of money for a painting surface that may end up hidden in the closet.

Target your market

First, decide whom you are designing this packet for. Beginners? Intermediates? Advanced? This is an important consideration for various reasons. A beginner doesn't want to spend a lot of money for a painting surface that may end up hidden in the closet. An advanced painter may be willing to spend more on quality, especially if it is a unique piece that is decorative and functional. Functional is the "key" word here. Painters can justify spending a bit extra on a piece that serves a purpose in their home, e.g., spice cabinet, towel rack, memories box, bread box, clocks, lamps, etc. Knowing the level that you are targeting will guide you when writing your instructions.

Instructions

Instructions for a beginner packet should be simple, clear, with no assumptions that the painter knows the various techniques used. Clearly define the techniques at the beginning of the packet before you give the rest of your instructions. Mark clearly on the packet front (or back) the level for which the packet has been designed is one suggestion. Guidelines for this idea include:

• No previous experience necessary

• Basic Beginner - has completed several classes, but is still inexperienced

• Beginner - can follow instructions for simple packets, has fundamental painting knowledge

• Intermediate - has a good understanding of painting fundamentals

• Advanced - has advanced skills, requires minimum assistance and less instruction

Written instructions

Writing the instructions for your design packet may be trickier than you've thought. This is especially true if you created the project several months ago. You may find you have forgotten the colors used, plus all other information you intended to give the user. A great tool to keep you organized is a small tape recorder. Keep it handy and describe everything you do. Later when you are prepared to write your instructions, the information is at your fingertips. Have another artist proofread your instructions for errors. Better yet, have them to paint from your instructions.

Picking a Design

How do you select a design? At first, this may feel overwhelming. Once you open your eyes to your environment with designing in mind, the ideas will come flowing. This might take time but so did learning color theory, brush techniques, etc. Look at your taste. Primitives? Florals? Still Life? Stick with something you've had success with. This is not the time to start something new. Look at your painting surface. Often this will tell you what designs would be best suited. Reproduction tin pieces favor stroke work, primitives and florals. Something more delicate like ceramics might lend themselves to florals and fruit. An item to be used in the kitchen would suit a still life with a grouping of food.

Children's books are a wonderful source for ideas and inspiration. Magazines are also a great resource. Wallpaper books, greeting cards, and fabrics are also great guides. You may find the local library has a wealth of inspirational books. I have started my own resource library. I enjoy having the books at my fingertips. My books range from farm animals to wild animals, birds, fairies, gnomes, children's books, and the odd antique book that I've found at the second hand bookstore. This is my pleasure, but it also offers me a wealth of ideas to get me going. Don't omit cookbooks. They are a good source for food and herbs. Gardening books are also valuable to the designer.

Before you begin your painting, determine the color family you will be using. If color theory is not your "thing" then study groups of colors used in wallpaper or fabrics. Professional designers chose colors that work well together. Do not forget to create interest in your design. Walk the viewer into the design with objects or color. Remember that dark colors recede to the background and that light colors come forward. Decide where the light source is coming from. As objects get closer to the light source, they should be brighter and warmer (i.e., incorporate more yellow in highlights). Do you have a center of interest? Where do you want the viewer to look first? Do not clutter your design or confuse the viewer's eye. Your first attempt at designing should be kept very simple. As you grow and learn from experience, your "big" ideas will evolve. Have a little book to jot down ideas as they occur. This can be kept in your purse, in the car or at your desk. You will be amazed at how many ideas will come to mind, but equally amazed at how quickly you forget them!

Photography

Photography is a subject that is foreign to most of us. When your project is completed, do not varnish it. The varnish creates a glare for the camera that will show in your photo. You can use a professional, which may be pricey, or do the photos yourself. A cloudy day is the best weather condition. Take your project outside. Use a tripod for the camera (a 35 mm camera is fine). Using 200-speed film set yourself up where sunlight will not create a problem (shadows!). Set up a backdrop for your project. A contrasting background works well. If you have a dark project piece, you will require a lighter background. A lighter piece requires a darker background. Mat board, purchased from an artist shop, also works well. Use two to three pieces of mat board; one to set your object on, and one to go behind it. The focus should be on your painting surface. The background color should never be white because it reflects light, nor black, which absorbs the light. The best choice is a mid value color, like a blue or green which doesn't "compete" with your piece. Try using a small prop that won't distract from your work; e.g., I used a loaf of bread placed in the background for my breadboard pattern.

Take lots of pictures! Move the object around to get a choice of different perspectives. Remember you want to see value changes! Have as much of your design in the photo as possible. Having a lot of visible background in the photo is wasted space. Painters want detailed close ups.

Your end photo is what the future consumer will see. This is what will determine whether he or she will buy the packet. In other words, the photo is what sells! Mount the photo on a framed card. This presentation is important, so design a card that is simple and does not detract from the photograph. Make it special, as the design will become your image.

Pricing

This is also tricky! There is that fine line between charging too much and your packet will sit on the shelf, and under pricing, the result of which, you make nothing. When pricing, take into consideration: cost of film, photos, paper, photocopying, packaging, cover page, mailing and most precious of all, your time. Review what comparable packets are selling for and evaluate your personal investments. Remember that this is not a "get rich overnight" scheme to make money. You should be in it for the long run, slowly building your image and gaining exposure. Your future patterns will be successful if your instructions and photos are clear.

Marketing

Marketing strategies involve different options, such as stores, studios, magazines, trade shows, and catalogues. You must examine the costs of advertising in magazines. Distributors who sell to stores and studios will carry your packets in their catalogues (providing that it enhances their image). They purchase the packet for 60% less than the retail price. In return, they will sell wholesale to the stores for 40% (a general rule). Do not begrudge this markup, as the stores have their overhead too and they are the inventory carrying risk takers. Exhibiting at a craft show is another option; you can personally bring your samples for people to see.

Copyrights

Copyright law is a touchy subject. It will vary from country to country. Have you ever photocopied a packet for a friend you've purchased for yourself? You should now realize the work involved and that the designer is being deprived of her or his earned dollar. We want to encourage designers, but this is a deterrent when people knowingly give patterns away for free. Protect yourself by clearly stating on your packet that the enclosed design is for personal use. Many designers state that their designs may be used to teach or painting for fun or profit. What you may not do is: mechanically reproduce any pages on a copy machine (except for enlarging or reducing patterns for personal use). They are not meant for resale or publication. Make sure you have at least signed your design with the year and the copyright symbol, ©. Clearly state your stipulations to protect yourself.