Most people don’t realize there is a systematic way in creating repeat prints that are seen in wrapping paper, children’s playful pajamas and even on men’s boxers or ties. Understanding how to create a repeat print is essential for any designer and, at Accent Printing, our designers use repeat prints to help our customers create attractive and eye-catching banners and trade show displays.
There are a variety of ways to create a repeat print, but I’ll focus on the main repeat styles – block, brick and half/brick, drop and half/drop.
Block
The repeating art is horizontal from left to right and vertically inline. It’s also known as a straight or square repeat. It’s the most basic repeat pattern.
Brick/Half Brick
This repeat pattern has every second horizontal row shifted halfway. Like laying bricks – thus the name:
Drop/Half Drop
Like the Brick/Half Brick except the patterns are shifted vertically:
Other repeats include diamonds, checks/plaids and stripes. Signature patterns are common in the fashion industry for branding their product. Traditionally done in a diamond pattern, designers have ventured into other repeat patterns for more modern signature pattern compared with the traditional diamond pattern:
Corporate logos used in repeats are very commonly seen at trade shows – on backdrops, banners, media kits and table runners. According to trade show advisers, “The booth environment as a whole, if designed well, becomes an experience in itself, creating memorable customer experiences that retain information.”