Pattern is the repetition of a design motif that humans find visually interesting. It provides order and variety, and can be intricate or simple. Texture differs from pattern in that it is more irregular and gives the impression of a surface quality, shown through areas of light and dark. Both pattern and texture are important artistic elements for creating visual interest and illusion through techniques like impasto painting, collage using found materials, and trompe l'oeil which aims to fool the eye into thinking a two-dimensional image is three-dimensional.

1. Design PrinciplesDesign Principles
Chapter 9: Pattern and TextureChapter 9: Pattern and Texture

2. Pattern: Creating Visual InterestPattern: Creating Visual Interest
PatternPattern – Is the repetition of– Is the repetition of
a design motif.a design motif.
Early humankind foundEarly humankind found
patterns in seasonalpatterns in seasonal
change and lunar cycles.change and lunar cycles.
Pattern can be intricate orPattern can be intricate or
simple.simple.
Humans have a desire toHumans have a desire to
add visual interest to filladd visual interest to fill
empty surfaces/spaces.empty surfaces/spaces.
Adrienne Salinger. Fred H. Photograph from Teenagers in
Their Bedrooms (Chronicle Books, 1995).

3. Pattern: Order and VarietyPattern: Order and Variety
““Pattern begins with a unit orPattern begins with a unit or
shape that is repeated.”shape that is repeated.”
CrystallographicCrystallographic – creating– creating
an allover pattern.an allover pattern.
Most patterns areMost patterns are gridgrid based.based.
Abstract, floral motifs andAbstract, floral motifs and
geometrics are frequently usedgeometrics are frequently used
pattern subjects.pattern subjects.
Patterns are built on complexPatterns are built on complex
symmetries, repetitions, andsymmetries, repetitions, and
rotationsrotations..
M.C. Escher. Pattern Drawing (detail). Triangular module. M.C.
Escher’s Symmetry Drawing E94 © 2007 The M.C. Escher
Company, Holland. All rights reserved. www.mcescher.com.
M.C. Escher. Pattern Drawing (detail). Hexagon repeat. M.C.
Escher’s Symmetry Drawing E94 © 2007 The M.C. Escher
Company, Holland. All rights reserved. www.mcescher.com.

4. Texture and Pattern: SimilaritiesTexture and Pattern: Similarities
and Differencesand Differences
““TextureTexture arouses our sensearouses our sense
of touch.”of touch.”
Texture is more of anTexture is more of an
irregular repeat than airregular repeat than a
pattern.pattern.
Texture makes the objectTexture makes the object
feel like it has a surfacefeel like it has a surface
quality.quality.
Texture is shown byTexture is shown by
areas of light and dark,areas of light and dark,
shadow and glossiness.shadow and glossiness.
Gretchen Belinger (fabric designer). Isadora
(pleated silk fabric). 1981.
From Contemporary Designers (London: St.
James Press, 1990).

5. Creating Visual InterestCreating Visual Interest
Texture can evoke aTexture can evoke a
memory of touch.memory of touch.
Jewelry, ceramics,Jewelry, ceramics,
furniture and fiber artfurniture and fiber art
rely on texture torely on texture to
enhance their effect.enhance their effect.
The interior designerThe interior designer
is sensitive to texture.is sensitive to texture.
Elliot Barnathan. Brandywine I. Digital photograph

6. Tactile TextureTactile Texture
Two Categories of artistic texture:Two Categories of artistic texture:
1.1. TactileTactile - can actually be felt.- can actually be felt.
2.2. ImpliedImplied - can be observed, not touched.- can be observed, not touched.
ImpastoImpasto – Creating a painting using– Creating a painting using
thick pigment which creates a rough, 3Dthick pigment which creates a rough, 3D
surface that has texture.surface that has texture.
““Relief” painting brings tactile textures toRelief” painting brings tactile textures to
a painting.a painting.

7. Actual TextureActual Texture
Texture as paint.Texture as paint.
As the need forAs the need for
illusionism in paintingillusionism in painting
faded, tactile texturefaded, tactile texture
in painting becamein painting became
more common.more common.
Van Gogh was anVan Gogh was an
early artist who usedearly artist who used
actual paint texture onactual paint texture on
his canvases.his canvases.
Vincent van Gogh. Portrait of the Artist. 1889. Oil on
canvas, 65 54.5 cm. Musée d’Orsay, Paris. Wharton
Esherick. Esherick House. Wharton Esherick

8. Implied TextureImplied Texture
A surface that gives theA surface that gives the
illusion that textureillusion that texture
exists when in realityexists when in reality
the surface is usuallythe surface is usually
flat and smooth.flat and smooth.
Roy Lichtenstein, Brushstrokes. 1967. Color screen print, 1' 10" x 2' 6" (55.88 x 76.2 cm)
(image) 1' 11" x 2' 7" (58.42 x 78.74 cm). © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein.

9. Tactile Texture -Tactile Texture - CollageCollage
Collage -Collage - Creating a design by cuttingCreating a design by cutting
and pasting bits of cloth, texturedand pasting bits of cloth, textured
and colored paper, and otherand colored paper, and other
materials.materials.
Why use Collage?Why use Collage?
Collage is an excellentCollage is an excellent mediummedium
for beginners.for beginners.
The materials are easy to use andThe materials are easy to use and
saves the artists time in trying tosaves the artists time in trying to
recreate the desired texture.recreate the desired texture.
Forms can be altered andForms can be altered and
reshaped quickly and easy withreshaped quickly and easy with
scissors.scissors.
Compositional arrangements canCompositional arrangements can
be easily tested and altered.be easily tested and altered.
Anne Ryan. Untitled, No. 129. c. 1948–1954. Collage
on paper, 4 3/4" x 4 1/4 " (12.x10.8 cm). Courtesy
Joan T. Washburn Gallery, New York.

10. Tactile Texture:Tactile Texture: Using FoundUsing Found
MaterialsMaterials
Artists often use found materials.Artists often use found materials.
Many artists enjoy working withMany artists enjoy working with
materials they find, not purchase.materials they find, not purchase.
Recycling materials and notRecycling materials and not
wasting them had its roots in art.wasting them had its roots in art.
An unpleasant material can beAn unpleasant material can be
transformed into somethingtransformed into something
pleasing.pleasing.
Folk ArtFolk Art – often works with found– often works with found
materials.materials.
Anni Albers and Alex Reed. Neck piece. c. 1940. Aluminum
strainer, paper clips, and chain, 4 1/4" x 3 1/8 " (10.8 x 8
cm). © 2003 The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation/Artists
Rights Society (ARS), New York. The Josef and Anni Albers
Foundation, Bethany, Connecticut. Photo: Tim
Nighswander.

11. Visual Texture: VerisimilitudeVisual Texture: Verisimilitude
Visual Texture: “Visual Texture: “texture istexture is
purely visual; it cannot bepurely visual; it cannot be
felt or touched….it is onlyfelt or touched….it is only
suggested to our eyes.”suggested to our eyes.”
Verisimilitude:Verisimilitude: Creates theCreates the
impression of texture on aimpression of texture on a
flat smooth paintedflat smooth painted
surface.surface.
• Means “truly the same”.Means “truly the same”.
Pieter Claesz. Still Life with Two
Lemons, a Façon de Venise Glass,
Roemer,
Knife and Olives on a Table. 1629.
Oil on panel, 1' 47⁄8" × 1' 113⁄8"
(42.8 × 59.3 cm). Anonymous loan.

12. Visual Texture –Visual Texture – Trompe L’OeilTrompe L’Oeil
Trompe L’OeilTrompe L’Oeil
French Term – meansFrench Term – means
“To Fool the Eye”“To Fool the Eye”
Can also be defined asCan also be defined as
“Deceptive Painting”“Deceptive Painting”
Is it “real”? The pictureIs it “real”? The picture
and object are so realisticand object are so realistic
that the viewer isthat the viewer is
momentarily fooled.momentarily fooled.
Very quickly our humanVery quickly our human
vision realizes the trickvision realizes the trick
being played.being played.
Jan-Marie Spanard. Broadway Gateway Mural
(north wall detail). 1999 - 2000. Albany, New
York.

13. Trompe L’oeilTrompe L’oeil
Artists use:Artists use:
• a skillful attention toa skillful attention to
detaildetail
• a low reliefa low relief
• shallow spaceshallow space
texturestextures
All to fool our eyes!All to fool our eyes!
Ed Ruscha. Rancho. 1968. Oil on canvas,
5' height x 4' 6" width.