Bird motifs in pattern designs

Spring is the season when thousands and thousands of birds migrate from south to north where they breed. As the headquarters of Patternsfrom Agency is along the birds’ migration route, by the Baltic Sea, we see and hear huge flocks coming and going. Usually, the birds stay in this area for a day or two to eat before they continue further north.

Bird motifs have been used in pattern designs for ages, and they are thought to be purely timeless. No matter if the birds are abstract or describing, they appear on pattern designs around the world from one year to another.

What kind of thoughts do you get from bird motifs? Feeling of freedom? The softness of birds’ feathers? Their cute, round, oftentimes colorful shape?

A selection of bird motifs in Patternsfrom Agency’s pattern library

In Anna Kuukka’s Songbirds pattern the garden is filled with not only colors, greenery, and fragrances, but also birdsong! Hiding in the lush foliage, these songbirds give an elegant finish to the visual storyline. The design is well suited for both interior surfaces and paper print products alike.

Tanja Kallio’s colorful Pientare pattern tells a story of what happens in and around the forest in Spring. You can see Spring flowers, ferns, and blackbirds jumping here and there. This two-way pattern has a vintage atmosphere.

Anna Kuukka’s second pattern, Flock, is a hand-drawn pattern with a pencil. The migrating birds form haphazard formations in the sky, only to diverge and converge into new arrangements. There is interesting grace in the movements of a flock, underlined by the open space. This design works magnificently on large surfaces.

Miira Zukale’s lively and fresh In the sky -collection looks at the sky. In the patterns, there are clouds and cheerfully flying birds. A flock of seagulls is flying in the sky in this Seagulls pattern.

The birds on Nonodd Design Studio’s Chirp pattern sing also the songs of spring. After a long and harsh winter, the sun is back with its light and warmth.

Tanja Kallio’s second pattern, Lagobus lagobus, tells another story: I have heard and saw lagobus lagobus many times. Lagobus lagobus is Latin and means a white willow that are typical wilderness birds in Scandinavian Lapland. These birds symbolize to me freedom because when I hear these birds chatting singing in wintertime and see these birds jump in the air I am free having in my special time in the wilderness. I inspired to design this pattern when was cross-country skiing and a big group of white willow grouse jumped from under the trees next to me and flew away beautifully. The print captured this memory of this single occasion.

Editor’s Picks are curated patterns designed by Finland-based textile and surface designers. The editor chooses a theme, makes a search in our digital pattern library, picks some of the best matches to the theme, and presents the patterns for you. These patterns are available for licensing in various product groups and markets. Get in touch for more information!