Finding Formshift: How One Image Sparked a Whole New Pattern
- Smother Colour (Natalie)
- Jul 8
- 2 min read
Every now and then, you come across an image that just sticks in your mind. That’s exactly what happened when I found this beautiful digital artwork, on Shutterstock, made up of overlapping circles in soft, pastel colours—pinks, oranges, teals, purples. The shapes seemed to float and shift, and there were these fine white lines forming concentric circles inside them. It was clean, modern, abstract—and even though it wasn’t “me” exactly, it lit a creative spark.
Instead of copying the look, I wanted to make something that captured the feeling it gave me—calm, ordered, but still full of movement.
I opened Illustrator and started building my own shapes. Rather than overlapping circles, I leaned into a more structured, geometric style—squares, circles, and a repeating layout. It started to take on a bit of a mid-century modern or Art Deco vibe, with crisp edges and balanced forms. I used subtle gradients inside the shapes to create depth, and kept the lines thin and clean.
For the colours, I pulled from Color Cube Palette #242—a mix of magenta, hot pink, light pink, mulberry, purple, and a really deep, inky blue. The combo had the richness and punch I wanted, but still felt soft and wearable. It also worked beautifully across the layers and curves of the pattern.
The final design became 3094 Formshift—a name that felt right, since it’s all about shifting forms and repeated geometry. The structure of the pattern balances perfectly with the movement of the fabric. It’s bold, but not loud. Colourful, but still elegant.
My favourite part—a photo of the fabric in action, worn as leggings.
I love how something as simple as a colour or a shape can grow into something completely new. That’s the magic of design.
Available in store in July 2025.