What originally started as an unused idea for a company holiday card became my Happy Holidays downloadable wallpaper. Here is a quick overview of the steps I took to create it.

1. Sketching

(left) I was tasked with creating the company holiday card so I set to sketching and jotting down ideas. Sketching can lead to surprises like an A becoming a santa hat. (right) This was my favorite since it was typography based. It didn’t quite fit the aesthetic of MAKE, so it wasn’t used.

2. Start Over

I was due to create another free goody for my site, so I turned to abandoned ideas from the MAKE card. Even though my first instinct was to work with sketch that I highlighted above, I started with another. I went with it because I thought it would be quick to put together and still be cool. I was wrong. The typography felt too much like a Star Trek themed holiday card so I ditched it. I kicked myself for not going with the better idea in the first place.

3. Build

Now I was back on the right track. Even at this early stage of the build, I knew I would be happier with the end result. It was more fun and more challenging-a good combination to have on any project.

(left) I created a few basic shapes and roughed in letters. I make copies of the shapes before significant changes just in case I screw something up. (right) All of the letters are created but something is missing.

4. Detail

I reinforced the curve of the words by creating a solid baseline in the letters. The extra lines add detail and cut down on gaps in the letter forms making the piece feel more cohesive.

About 75% of my time/effort on a project is spent by now. No amount of color or effects will give you a good end product if you’re starting with a bad piece.

5. Texture & Color

I already knew I would be using a wintery color palette, so there wasn’t much experimenting there. I started applying texture.

It’s good to know what kind of mood want to achieve when applying texture. For this piece, I wanted it to feel like you’re looking out a frost covered window into the kind of whiteout that makes you feel happy to be inside.

6. Polish

Finally, I added some finishing touches: pushed the color a little, adjusted some textures, added highlights and shadows. I keep pushing and pulling details until I feel it’s done.

This was meant to be just a really quick overview of the process. If you would like me to elaborate on any part of it, just let me know!

Download the wallpaper in various sizes from the Free Goodies section.