Finding My Voice Through Texture: An Illustrator Workflow for Organic Depth

I think a lot of us in the surface pattern design world are constantly seeking — seeking new skills, new techniques, new ways to express ourselves. We’re surrounded by so much art, and so many incredibly talented artists, and while I can deeply admire someone else’s work, it doesn’t always mean it reflects how I want to create.

When I first started, I felt overwhelmed. There were so many artists doing flawless, polished, illustration-heavy work, and I remember thinking, I don’t know if that’s me.

What I kept coming back to, over and over again, was texture. Organic texture. The kind you don’t draw — the kind that already exists in nature.

I’m not an illustrator in the traditional sense. I can’t draw the way some artists can, and for a long time I thought that meant I was lacking something. But what I can do is notice the quiet beauty in natural, imperfect things — pressed botanicals, weathered leaves, sun-exposed paper, soft fibers, and marks created by time and environment rather than intention.

That’s how I want my work to be experienced.

And honestly, there were moments where I questioned it.Is this what people want?Will this sell?Is this even worth making?

Over the past year, I’ve really given myself permission to explore this one lane — working with organic elements from nature and translating them into surface design. Whether it’s botanical impressions, cyanotypes, or naturally occurring textures, I’ve focused less on trying to create what I thought I should be making and more on honoring what I’m genuinely drawn to.

I remember listening to a talk by Liz Kohler Brown where she shared advice that stuck with me, especially for artists early on: stick with one thing. If you do everything, how does someone know what you’re known for?

That idea helped me let go of the pressure to be everything at once. Instead, I’ve been practicing consistency, curiosity, and trust — trusting that my love of organic texture isn’t a limitation, but a specialty.

Growth, Frustration, and the Need for More Depth

Over the past year, I can clearly see the evolution of my work. Every collection I’ve created, I’ve loved while I was making it — even when the process itself felt messy, slow, or frustrating.

And most of the time, it is frustrating.

There’s a lot of trial and error. A lot of moments where something feels off and you can’t quite figure out why. It’s usually not until you hit that sweet spot that everything clicks and the struggle feels worth it.

What’s interesting is that with every collection, I’ve felt proud of what I made at the time. But when I move on to the next one and look back, I can suddenly see what’s missing.It needs more depth.More detail.More texture.

I don’t see that as a negative anymore. I think it’s just part of growth.

That realization is what pushed me to refine my Illustrator texture workflow. I wanted a way to preserve the organic feeling of my original materials while adding richness and cohesion digitally. I didn’t want the work to feel overly polished or sterile — I wanted it to feel layered, grounded, and tactile.

I’m still very much in the middle of this process. I’m still fine-tuning it, figuring out what I like and what I don’t. But with my most recent collection, something really clicked. For the first time, I felt like the work had the depth I’d been craving without losing the softness and imperfection that drew me to organic textures in the first place.

That’s why I’m sharing this workflow.

Why I Add Texture Overlays

Texture overlays are one of the simplest ways I’ve found to add depth, warmth, and visual interest to otherwise flat motifs. When working digitally, it’s easy for artwork to feel a little too clean, especially when the inspiration comes from nature.

Subtle woven, linen, or lightly grunged textures help designs feel more tactile and lived-in. Instead of relying only on color or shape variation, overlays introduce gentle irregularity — the kind you’d naturally see in fabric, paper, or printed surfaces.

When used thoughtfully, texture should enhance a design rather than overpower it. The goal isn’t to make something feel busy or heavy, but to create dimension that feels intentional, organic, and quietly supportive of the artwork underneath.

Choosing the Right Texture

Not all textures behave the same way in Illustrator. Through a lot of trial and error, I’ve found that soft, mid-tone textures work best — things like woven fabric, paper grain, or very light grunge textures with visible tonal variation but no harsh contrast.

Textures that are too dark, overly detailed, or high-contrast tend to compete with the motif instead of supporting it. They can flatten colors or pull the eye away from the artwork itself.

A good texture overlay should almost disappear into the background. You should feel it more than you see it.

Why This Workflow Works

This workflow treats texture as tonal information, not color information. By using transparency and masks instead of blend modes during the working stage, Illustrator reads the texture as depth and variation rather than as a visible image layer.

This makes textures:

• more predictable

• easier to recolor

• more consistent across documents

• safer to reuse across repeats and collections

It also prevents common issues like textures turning into flat blocks, shifting color unexpectedly, or breaking when files are copied, resized, or exported.

Adding Depth Without Losing Flexibility

One of the biggest advantages of this approach is flexibility. During the design phase, I can experiment freely with color, opacity, and placement without committing too early.

Once the texture and color relationship feels right, the artwork can be locked into place for production. That means fewer surprises later and a final result that looks exactly as intended.

That balance — between experimentation and stability — has been especially helpful for me when building cohesive collections.

Quick Summary Guide: Illustrator Texture Workflow

Working Stage (Editable)

• Set document color mode:File → Document Color Mode → RGB Color

• Set raster effects:Effect → Document Raster Effects Settings → RGB, 300 ppi, Transparent

• Place texture image (PNG or JPG)

• Set Opacity to 100% and Blend Mode to Normal

• Duplicate texture (Cmd+C, Cmd+F)

• Convert duplicate to grayscale:Edit → Edit Colors → Convert to Grayscale

• Rasterize the grayscale duplicate:Object → Rasterize → Grayscale, 300 ppi, White background

• Keep or hide the original color texture as your master copy

• Draw a rectangle behind the grayscale raster (this supplies color)

• Select the grayscale raster and rectangle together

• Open Transparency panel → Click Make Mask

• Set Invert Mask ON and Clip OFF

• Click the left thumbnail to exit mask editing

• Change color by editing the rectangle fill only

• Do not apply blend modes during the working stage

  
  

Locking Stage (Final Look)

• Duplicate the masked object (Cmd+C, Cmd+Shift+V)

• Keep the original masked version hidden or locked as your editable master

• Select the duplicate (locked version)

• Rasterize:Object → Rasterize → RGB, 300 ppi, Transparent

• Apply blend mode (Multiply, Soft Light, Screen, etc.)

• Adjust opacity as needed

• Use this rasterized version for repeats, exports, Spoonflower uploads, mockups, and licensing

Note: Rasterizing before applying blend modes preserves color strength and prevents transparency flattening issues.

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Yes, Please!

Thank you for being here. I’m excited to see where this journey takes us!