From Hand-Drawn Sketch to Silk Scarf: The MONTKYO Design Process

Every MONTKYO scarf begins with an idea, but no two designs follow exactly the same path. I love experimenting with different techniques, exploring colors, and discovering where a simple sketch might lead me. Sometimes I know what I want to create from the beginning. Other times, the design develops gradually, one drawing at a time.

Watercolor for Quiet Garden

Depending on my inspiration and even how I feel that day, I might start with nothing more than a pencil and a blank sheet of paper. I draw, collect ideas, and see what happens. Not every sketch leads somewhere. Quite often, drawings end up in the bin or tucked away in a drawer. That's simply part of the process.

On a good day, the flowers and leaves begin to take shape in watercolor. This is how I approached Quiet Garden, which I consider the most elegant design in my first collection for 2026/27.

Creating a watercolor design takes patience. Over several days, sometimes even weeks, I paint individual flowers, leaves, and other elements until I have a collection that feels right and enough material to build an entire scarf.

Once the illustrations are ready, I scan them and bring them into the computer, where I begin composing the design. This is a time-consuming process. Every element needs to find its place, and the individual illustrations must come together to form a harmonious whole.

Experimenting with Sketches and Digital Drawing

Other designs begin with pencil and paper, but then move to the iPad. Using a digital pen, I draw individual flowers, leaves, and other elements by hand.

Working digitally gives me more freedom to experiment with colors than I have with watercolors on paper. I can try different combinations, adjust individual elements, and explore possibilities until the illustrations feel right.

Once I have enough elements, I begin the composition on the computer. For me, this is always the most challenging part. Having beautiful individual drawings is one thing; bringing them together into a balanced design is quite another.

The border is also created digitally. It needs to frame the illustrations and give the overall pattern a sense of rhythm and structure.

This process led to two designs in my first collection: Dancing Flowers and Blue Wings.

A Different Approach for Wild Bloom

For Wild Bloom, I returned to a more traditional technique, drawing the entire design directly onto paper with black ink at its actual size.

I worked on the drawing over several days, adding new flowers, leaves, and other details each day. Rather than assembling separate illustrations, I developed the design as one large drawing.

When it was ready, I photographed it and transferred it to the computer. There, I could refine the composition, make adjustments, and experiment with different colors.

From the first ink lines to the final color decisions, the process took several weeks.

Losing Myself in the Creative Flow

The joy I feel during these creative phases is difficult to describe. When I get into the flow, I can lose track of time completely. Sometimes I simply cannot stop because I am so absorbed in what I am doing. Only in the evening do I realize how much my neck, shoulders, or back are aching.

There is something almost addictive about the process: one idea leads to another, and suddenly I want to try just one more variation.

Music is often playing in the background. Alicia Keys and Alejandro Sanz are my favorite singers, and many of my scarves took shape while I was listening to their music.

Each design has its own story and its own way of coming to life. Some begin with delicate watercolor paintings, others with digital drawings or a large ink illustration. What they all have in common is the time, experimentation, and attention that go into bringing the individual elements together.

For me, that is one of the most rewarding parts of creating a MONTKYO silk scarf: watching an idea gradually become a design that is ready to be printed on silk.