Wallpapers by Lina Schnaufer
Illustrator & Pattern Designer, based in Gothenburg, Sweden. To bring forth unique and interesting lines and expressions, I often draw without references. Creating my own interpretation and identity feels crucial to me in my work.
My Analog & Digital Workflow
Working both analog and digital is part of my process when creating patterns. Typically, I start with a simple sketch or line drawing on A4 or in my notebook. I try to get a feel for the idea but ignore the actual pattern repeat at this stage. This happens later when I bring the sketch into the computer. There, I can scale up or down the sketch, test colors, and the feel of the pattern endlessly, without having to erase or start over.
Most of the time, I work on my drawing tablet in my studio. If I am on the go, my iPad is with me.
From Fascination to Profession
Wallpapers from my childhood have always stayed with me. They both puzzled and fascinated me at the same time. I couldn’t understand how the pattern seamlessly came together. Solving this mystery in adulthood was like cracking a secret code.
I love how a wallpaper can quickly change the feel of a room and how they can stay up for decades. Unfortunately, much of what we buy today is replaced far too quickly or falls into oblivion. A wallpaper you love should bring joy to several generations.
“My goal as an illustrator and designer is to find new expressions while ensuring that my patterns can be loved for a long time. I owe that to both myself and the environment.”
A trend doesn’t have to be temporary or fleeting. What trends today will be considered classics in 60 years. To create something new and still think sustainably, I must be in touch with what is around me at this moment and consider what has been historically loved. Then, I try to go back to myself and trust my intuition in creation. That’s exactly when I believe sustainable, timeless trends are born.
Photo: Amanda Falkman
The Final Result
Choosing wallpaper for one’s home, I know from experience, takes time and sometimes requires a lot of searching. The selection is vast, and it can be both expensive and challenging to choose when you intend to keep the wallpaper for a long time. When someone finally chooses something I’ve created to have in their private space, it is an honor and always a beautiful thing. It’s especially exciting to see how the patterns live in homes around the world.
A Tribute to My Grandfather
Ewald, my grandfather, and his garden are close to memory and have inspired this wallpaper. The vegetable garden, currant bushes, and fruit trees – all cared for with a loving and gentle hand – are depicted in it. In the Ewald pattern, I have returned to my grandfather’s small garden on the island of Orust.
Grandfather’s Cherry Tree
The pattern ‘Kirke‘ is the mental image I have from my grandfather Ewald’s cherry tree, which I climbed when I was little. I vividly remember picking the dark red berries with an embracing foliage around me. Kirke is a pair of gentle hands holding you steady. A roof, a room – a protective sphere and moment.
