Behind the Design: Poppies & Tulips and Foliage Doodle
Seasalt print designers Alice and Rachel take us behind the scenes of two of this season’s standout prints.
Every season, our in-house print designers fill their sketchbooks with Seasalt prints, taking inspiration from the landscape, culture and colours of Cornwall. Their beautiful designs are created using pencil sketches, watercolour brushstrokes, linocut stamps and more.
We’re excited to take you behind the scenes to discover the stories of these prints and how they are made. We caught up with Alice and Rachel, who share how they turned their spring-ready drawings into wearable works of art.
Poppies & Tulips
Designed by Alice Preston
“As we head into spring, a riot of colour unfurls in Cornwall’s hedgerows, gardens and meadows. I was inspired by the abundance of poppies and tulips, which I wanted to merge with the drawing style of vintage Cornish holiday posters, with their use of joyful colour and screen-printed textures.
“I sketched all the flowers and leaves out in pencil before drawing into them with fine line pen to get the delicate detail I wanted for the design. I then painted over the top of my drawings using tracing paper to add layers of colour before scanning my artwork into the computer to play with composition and colourisation.”
You can find Alice’s print on our stylish Treen Cove jumpsuit. Crafted in lightweight linen with an easy-to-wear shape, soft V neck button-down front and short sleeves, it’s perfect for parties, weddings and spring days out.
Foliage Doodle
Designed by Rachel O’Sullivan
“In the first flush of a Cornish spring, you can find vibrant pops of wildflowers dotting windswept headlands that jut out into the Atlantic beyond.
“Inspired by this scenery, I created Foliage Doodle using loose and bold freehand painting with watercolour inks. I wanted this print to capture the vibrancy of these brave flowers that herald the arrival of warmer days, so I chose a simple, classic nautical palette that is easy to wear and style with existing pieces in your wardrobe.”
We think Rachel’s print looks particularly pretty on the folds of our fit-and-flare Belle Dress. Made from lightweight cotton poplin, the soft pleats through the skirt lend a flowing movement to Rachel’s hand-painted brushstrokes.