From Analogue To Digital: Patterns And Structures Teaching Notes

1. Eleanor—Jayne Browne | Printmaking Class Notes | From Analogue To Digital: Repeat Patterns & Structures 1
Repeat patterns have been used in
ornament, decoration and design
since the beginning of civilisation.
Their use not only links cultures
across the globe, but also forms a
bridge between the natural and the
manmade worlds.
The Greek Key Pattern or Meander,
which takes its name from the river
Meander which had many twists, is
a repetitive ornamental pattern of
lines winding in S—forms, and may
be connected, opposed or separate.
It was the most important symbol in
Ancient Greece, symbolising infinity
or the eternal flow of things and many
temples and objects were decorated
with this motif. Alternatively, the
Chinese describe this motif as being
derived from pictograph's of the
Shang dynasty which represent clouds
and rolling thunder, hence it is known
as the “cloud and thunder” pattern.
A pattern can be defined as a design
composed of one or more motifs,
multiplied and arranged in an orderly
sequence; and a motif as a unit with
which the designer composes a
pattern by repeating it at regular
intervals over a surface. A motif is
not a pattern, but it is used to create
patterns, which will differ according
to varying arrangements.
The 4 most common types of repeat
organisation are— the block, drop,
brick and composite. The first three
kinds offer the most comprehensive
range of variations as motifs can be
mirrored or rotated to create different
kinds of movement and tempo.
Block Repeats—
Variations include:
(a) block repeat
(b) stripe
(c) pillar
(d) open
(e) diaper
From Analogue To Digital:
Repeat Patterns & Structures
(a)
(b)
(e)
(c)
(d)

2. Eleanor—Jayne Browne | Printmaking Class Notes | From Analogue To Digital: Repeat Patterns & Structures 2
Block Repeat Variants—
Variations include:
(f) horizontal mirror
(g) vertical mirror
(h) vertical rotation
(i) stripe
(j) diaper
(f)
(g)
(j)
(h)
(i)

3. Eleanor—Jayne Browne | Printmaking Class Notes | From Analogue To Digital: Repeat Patterns & Structures 3
Drop Repeats—
The half drop repeat is the most
common of all the repeat systems
and widely used in the wallcovering
industry as it helps to visually increase
the width of a pattern.
Variations include:
(k) half—drop
(l) step
(m) one—third drop
(n) quarter drop
(0) repeat pillar rotation
(k)
(l)
(m)
(n)
(o)

4. Eleanor—Jayne Browne | Printmaking Class Notes | From Analogue To Digital: Repeat Patterns & Structures 4
Brick Repeats—
Variations include:
(p) brick repeat
(q) one—third brick
(r) quarter brick
(s) pillar rotation
(t) horizontal rotation
(p)
(q)
(s)
(t)
(r)

5. Eleanor—Jayne Browne | Printmaking Class Notes | From Analogue To Digital: Repeat Patterns & Structures 5
Composite Repeats—
Variations include:
(u) Four—way mirror
(v) Rotated vertical mirror
(w) 90—degree rotation
(x) 120—degree rotation
(y) 60—degree rotation
(u)
(v)
(x)
(y)
(w)