Almost a dozen shamrock seamless patterns that can be used as Twitter backgrounds, made from a number of carefully tweaked shamrock and horseshoe symbols. You’ll find two types of patterns: one like that featured in the picture above and another which uses a combination of a three and four leaf symbols in a repeating or alternating manner. All ten shamrock shapes have been saved as swatches along with the horseshoe and a simple green Irish hat. Due to their nature, you can easily tweak the patterns for an endless number of variations.

In one of the archive at the end of this post you’ll find several variations of the example above either with different background colors and/or object colors saved as PNG that you can use directly on your Twitter account.

If you’re interested in using this illustration, please check the licensing page on this blog. You’re allowed to include it in both personal and commercial projects. While, you shouldn’t redistribute it or link directly to the file, you can link to this post instead. Although not required, it would be nice to tweet back to this blog post, if you decide to use them as backgrounds for your account.

To download the source file archive click here.
To download the various ready to use exports archive click here.

An illustration based on the theme of the alleged devaluation of the dollar. It includes an almost solved square jigsaw puzzle with 25 pieces recreating the image of the world’s leading currency seen falling from the sky. Next to it there’s the central missing item with the words “Game Over” written in the middle. In the background there is a seamless pattern made from alternating dollar signs and five pointed stars on a red surface.

The S symbol has been completely redesigned from the initial version of the illustration, and the various graphic styles and effects have been stripped to a minimum to improve compatibility. Also, the tiled pattern has been added along with a couple more variations saved as swatches. You can use it as a whole to illustrate various news posts about the current ongoing economic crisis or you can break it down and use either the patterns or the jigsaw shapes in your own designs.

If you’re interested in using this illustration, please check the licensing page on this blog. You’re allowed to include it in both personal and commercial projects. However, given the nature of the design, bear in mind that you are not allowed to use it for mass distribution (t-shirt sales etc) and you should contact me should that be the case. While, you mustn’t redistribute it or link directly to the file, you can link to this post instead. Attribution is required.

To download the archive click here.

Over a dozen variations of a seamless heart pattern that can be used as a Twitter background, made from a number of carefully tweaked heart symbols. You’ll find two types of patterns: one like that featured in the above pic, with the icons as well as the background of various colors and another which uses one or two symbols in a repeating or alternating manner. There are also included five swatch groups mostly consisting of analogous red hues. Some of them work well as highlight or main colors while the lighter ones are preferred for the background. The initial set of shapes is also saved as swatches in two versions (a complete and a broken heart).

In one of the archive at the end of this post you’ll find several variations of the example above either with different background colors and/or object colors saved as PNG that you can use directly on your Twitter account.

If you’re interested in using this illustration, please check the licensing page on this blog. You’re allowed to include it in both personal and commercial projects. While, you shouldn’t redistribute it or link directly to the file, you can link to this post instead. Although not required, it would be nice to tweet back to this blog post, if you decide to use them as backgrounds for your account.

To download the source file archive click here.
To download the various ready to use exports archive click here.

Several variations of an almost seamless pattern that can be used as a Twitter background, made from a number of hand drawn musical instruments and notation elements. These include: the piano, pan flute, drum kit, violin, guitar, trumpet, a couple of congas, harp, tambourine, triangle, a clef etc. These are mostly outlines of the actual objects. Although they are vector graphics, they work better at smaller sizes, looking more like cartoons. In one of the archive at the end of this post you’ll find several variations of the example above either with different background colors and/or object colors saved as PNG that you can use directly on your Twitter account.

Initially, I’ve drawn them on paper and tried to convert them to vector graphics. Unfortunately, that didn’t render such good results, so i decided to redo them directly on the computer by drawing over with the pen tablet (a bit unpredictable and hard to tame). Yet, the hardest challenge as with any pattern was positioning the elements in a coherent and dynamic manner as far as both the shapes and the colors go. You’ll find the main pattern variations saved as swatches along with the rest of the colors used.

If you’re interested in using this illustration, please check the licensing page on this blog. You’re allowed to include it in both personal and commercial projects. While, you shouldn’t redistribute it or link directly to the file, you can link to this post instead. Please tweet back to this blog post, if you decide to use them as backgrounds for your twitter account. For any other uses attribution is required.

To download the source file archive click here.
To download the various exports (red, green, blue, orange, black etc) click here.

Several groups of shapes in the form of blue and white waves on a soft gradient background. This is somewhat a rework of a previous design, although much of is either changed or added in this version. The original elements are mostly visible in the background. There are four sets of wave shapes that can work either as a group or broken down into individual pieces. There is also a set of three surfing boards vector graphics with hand pointer, leaf and flower drawings.

You can use these vector graphics as a starting point for logo designs, as graphic elements on beach and surf inspired t-shirts or to create seamless patterns for your own websites of twitter accounts. The main issues while creating them was figuring a consistent and flowing rhythm for the paths so they work well together and deciding on a coherent mix of gradients in order to provide both contrast and depth.

If you’re interested in using this illustration, please check the licensing page on this blog. You’re allowed to include it in both personal and commercial projects.  However, given the nature of the design, bear in mind that you are not allowed to use it for mass distribution (t-shirt sales etc) and you should contact me should that be the case. While, you shouldn’t redistribute it or link directly to the file, you can link to this post instead. Attribution is required.

To download the archive click here.

Large old style brown cuckoo clock with ornate decorations featuring curls, leaf motifs and a couple of abstract figures.  The clock has a cream and silver display with long black roman numerals. On either side of the two doors near the top there is a strange looking figure appearing to blow smoke into the air. On the background there is a dimply lit seamless checkerboard pattern with alternating blue and brown joker hats.

Again, this is a rework of a previous design with different ornaments, less effects and a more simplified structure. I didn’t really like the curls around the dial in the previous version, so i decided to replace them with a more consistent design. You can use it as a whole or deconstruct it to bits and include the various elements in your own projects.

If you’re interested in using this illustration, please check the licensing page on this blog. You’re allowed to include it in both personal and commercial projects. While, you shouldn’t redistribute it or link directly to the file, you can link to this post instead. Attribution is required.

To download the archive click here.

A common nightstand lamp with a classic light bulb, next to a gray metallic, retro styled flip clock which shows the time to be 12:45 AM. The clock has a shiny rectangular case with round corners. On the wall behind them, covered with a seamless pattern of fleur-de-lis and medieval cross symbols there is a small oval photo frame. The table lighting source has a soft lampshade with a simple floral repeating pattern and a shiny circular base. It projects some bright light areas behind it.

The idea for this project came when i decided to combine two of my previous graphics which felt like they would just might work very well together. In the original design, the lighting source was a blue desk lamp with a curved arm. However, it wasn’t long before i decided to switch it with the current version. Besides the fact that it would have made for a very (unnecessarily) elaborate graphic, the old one made less sense as far as general style and purpose goes.

Just like with pretty much all of my reworked pieces, i tried to keep it as simple as possible with just a handful of paths and effects which couldn’t have been replicated otherwise. That’s how i gave up on a lot of clipping and opacity masks, along with plenty of inner glow and drop shadows. Instead, i went for stacks of fill layers with various gradients and blending modes. The two patterns used for the wall and the shade were variations of symbols I’ve drawn during an earlier session. You can deconstruct it and use  just the elements you need in your designs, or the whole image for your blog. Of course, you can even substitute that cute dog with a photo of your favorite pet.

If you’re interested in using this illustration, please check the licensing page on this blog. You’re allowed to include it in both personal and commercial projects. While, you shouldn’t redistribute it or link directly to the file, you can link to this post instead. Attribution is required.

To download the archive click here.

A long, simple compact fluorescent lamp composed of one u-turn shaped white tube. The energy saving light bulb has a green recycling sign on the white plastic where the electronic ballast resides. The eco-friendly household item is featured against a green seamless background pattern made from the repeating image of a maple leaf.

This is a rework of a previous illustration which had a more  complicated structure, employing mostly basic visual effects of a considerable number of shapes. For this version, i went in a completely different direction in order to achieve a much more simple solution with just a handful of paths. Most of the lighting is done by superimposing stacks of  fill layers, either solid or gradient (both linear and  radial). The background symbol was created from a photo taken a couple of years ago, which i traced and then managed to reduce the number of anchor points.

If you’re interested in using this illustration, please check the licensing page on this blog. You’re allowed to use it in both personal and commercial projects. While, you shouldn’t redistribute it or link directly to the file, you can link to this post instead. Attribution is required.

To download the archive click here.

The design process involved drawing the basic shapes with a graphic tablet to achieve some natural shapes. Once that was done i went and simplified the paths. You’ll find the character, background and  foreground on separate layers for easy editing. This was actually a remake on a previous illustration, improving mostly on the man’s figure and fixing some lighting issues.

If you’re interested in using this illustration, please check the licensing page on this blog. You’re allowed to use it in both personal and commercial projects. While, you shouldn’t redistribute it or link directly to the file, you can link to this post instead. Attribution is required.

To download the archive click here.

Groups  of floral ornaments inspired mainly by the lavishly ornate mihrab from the Great Mosque of Cordoba. The set consists of over 20 symbols with all sorts of Moorish themed designs ranging from simple leafy swirls to intricate curly fleurons.  It also  includes three seamless background patterns made by combining some of the graphics. All the elements are saved as swatches for ease of use. You can simply drag and drop them into your files, either as they are or tweaked to your own needs.

The design process involved manually tracing the paths and then fine tuning each anchor point to achieve curves with a natural, flowing rhythm. For the patterns, the biggest issue as  usual was ensuring continuity and coherence between the several items used in each case. You might find them to work best as background elements either in a website or to complement some ornate romantic design  for print.

If you’re interested in using these ornaments, please check the licensing page on this blog. You’re allowed to include them in both personal and commercial projects. While, you shouldn’t redistribute it or link directly to the file, you can link to this post instead.

To download the archive click here.