A kid running wild in a sweetie shop!

One of the aspects of the course I'm really looking forward to is that they promise to help me hone in on my personal style. In a world crammed full of wannabe designers, this will ultimately form a large part of my USP. I've just this second read a post from one of the course alumni that really reinforces this.

I started designing with Photoshop elements - just as a toe in the water. But ooooooh! The possibilities it offers are endless. Here are a few early ones.

On a day out to Quenington Fresh Air sculpture exhibition I'd taken lots of photographs. I didn't like to use the ones of the actual sculptures, but there was a ramshackle shed across the stream......

.....and just look at some of the things you can do with it!

Discovering I could reduce the number of colours in an image, I also experimented with smudging the surroundings. With much trial and error I even mastered  putting this one in repeat.

These are purely photographically based and I'm barely doing much more than 'ooh, I wonder what happens if I press this!' with lots of 'oh wow!' moments to accompany it. Not really designing, more 'happy accidents'. But a good way to get comfortable with a new piece of software.
I have also experimented with my painted and hand-drawn work:

Scan from original painting

Playing with the tree element

More playing

Fully worked up design

This is what my husband believes will lead to the development of my 'style' - he thinks how I paint and doodle is often different from what he sees around and about. And I do think what's in this post shows more of my originality than did my scholarship entries, when I got waylaid attempting to fit a trend.

Scan of original 'doodle'

Refined and colour added

Changing the pattern then mirroring for repeatability

But do you see what I mean? There are just so many options to discover, pinning myself down is going to be hard. I want to taste & try it all. Less of a personal style evident here, more a 'pick and mix'!