Exploring Patterns and Composition.

The fundamentals of pattern recognition:

Pattern collections are very personal style statements and fabulous opportunities for self-expression. We are looking to develop their skills with color, texture and personal style.

Dots, Lines, Grids, Patterns.

Every pattern begins with just one dot. Dots are the smallest element of patterns. They can be combined, manipulated, etc, to make stripes, and then stripes in turn can be combined and manipulated to make grids. Grids form the repeat of our patterns. A Grid reveals system to create a structural pattern.

When several dots with a single shared characteristics are arranged in a stripe, the dot has been repeated, even if other characteristics of the dots are different. When the repeated dots have more than one feature in common, the most dominant common feature is selected to describe the repetition.

When all shape of dots move together they create lines. The more interesting your dot is, the more interesting your pattern will be. Strips could be in geometric forms or organic. Strips can be very iconic figures such as zebra strips. Strips can be very solid so make sure you have a good idea how to emphasise them in a grid.

How to build a basic pattern: by repetition of geometric shapes

We can build a pattern by using tessellation of four main geometric shapes; squares,rectangles, hexagons, triangles.

Only those certain shapes tile seamlessly and they are easiest to work with.

Making Tessellated Designs:

You can manipulate basic tessellated shapes to get a creative result by repetition.

For example of a tile design by using contrast of straight vs curve lines ;

1. Create two repeating pattern tiles that illustrate opposing forces. (such as Straight vs Curved lines)

2. Each tile should be 5" x 5 " square.

3. Use two different colours only.

4. Explore formal contrast to to inform your composition and conceptual contrast to inform your concept.

The Stages of Strong Composition

1. Figure & Ground Relationship

2. Structure (grid)

3. Focal point (contrast)

4. Balance

1. Figure and Ground : Figure and ground relationship is about the way our eyes travels though the art work. What's in the front what's at the back. The main aim is to create harmonious relationship between figure and background. A real artist works effortlessly between the figure and ground to create amazing patterns.

A)Reversible: Figure in ground, your eyes goes back and forth easily and intentionally what's in the front and the back. They are vibrant and gives energy to the artwork. Reversible figure and ground relationship has equal visual weight in both sides. Figure has same visual weight as ground.

B) Ambiguous: Figure is enmeshed in ground.

C) Interwoven: Figure informs the ground and vice versa.

figure and ground 0

figure and ground 1

figure and ground 7

figure and ground 4

figure and ground 5

figure and ground 7

figure and ground 6

figure and ground 2

figure and ground 3

focal point

2. Structure: Division of space. When you are creating a composition, you are dividing the surface that you are working on different areas. There areas can be composed organic or geometric shapes. Imagine dividing a square into 5 x 5 little squares and you have different elements to divide them in 25 different squares. This is called spot repetition.

1. Start by dividing your foundation into a square grid. ( example, 5 x 5 cm)

2. Place motifs that each one gets a row and column itself. Vary each motif rotation to make a tossed print.

3. Once the units are in place than you can improve by increasing the variations of scale, rotation, colour, size, thickness contrast.

1. Grid for structure

2. Tossed print with grid structure.

3. Final tossed print

3. Focal point (path): Exploring opposing forces. Let's brainstorm a lot of forces of contrasts.

By Size,