Illustrating Victorian Patterns?

Question

I love Victorian Patterns and I wish I knew how to either draw or create them in Adobe Illustrator (The fancy scroll/ornamental patterns designers love to use.) Are there any books on doing this? Or online video tutorials?

Answer 1

Hi! Look up Damask, Alhambra, Arabesque, Scroll, Paisley...
Look here:
http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?searchterm=damask
http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?searchterm=damask
http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?searchterm=scroll&anyorall=all&search_cat=&search_group=all&orient=all&photographer_name=&searchtermx=&color=
http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?searchterm=paisley&anyorall=all&search_cat=&search_group=all&orient=all&photographer_name=&searchtermx=&color=
http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?searchterm=arabesque&anyorall=all&search_cat=&search_group=all&orient=all&photographer_name=&searchtermx=&color=
William Morris designs: http://www.morrissociety.org/designs.htm
http://www.victorianweb.org/art/design/designov.html
You might want to pick up Dover's copy of "The Grammar of Ornament" by Owen Jones.. (it now comes with CD).... it's the ultimate source. Here's the on-line version. I hope that this helps!
http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/DLDecArts/DLDecArts-idx?id=DLDecArts.GramOrnJones
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_Jones_(architect)
Just grab a pencil and see where it leads. Have fun!

Answer 2

There are some books here:
http://store.doverpublications.com/by-subject-art-dover-design-library.html