Tips and Tricks: Checkerboard/Gingham Patterns

CHECKERBOARD & GINGHAM PATTERNS FOR BACKGROUNDS

As an up and coming trend in handmade greeting card design, we’re seeing more “country” and folk art inspired themes.  (BONUS: Butterflies are beginning to gain popularity against birds, too. And it looks like Laura Astley-type floral patterns may be making a comeback).

Think bonnet wearing girls in Swiss dotted dresses, sunflowers, cottage roses, kittens, watering cans, etc. but the presentation is a little more sophisticated these days than Holly Hobby.

One of the cornerstones of this trend is checkerboard/gingham patterns used as backgrounds or embellishments. Don’t know what gingham looks like? Take a gander at the background of the card above and check out Pinterest: Gingham and Pinterest: Checkerboard.

These kind of seamless backgrounds are pretty simple to make yourself. We’ve gathered some tutorials for you if you want to try your hand at it. Have fun!

Tablecloth Checks in Paint Shop Pro

Paint Shop Pro Gingham Check Pattern (video)

How to Create Seamless Gingham Patterns in Photoshop (video)

How to Make Gingham in Photoshop

How to Make a Gingham Pattern in Gimp

Tablecloth Check – Adobe Illustrator (video)