Pattern in expressive arts
Pattern is a key part of organising and decorating design.
In expressive art, pattern can be used to add variety to a composition, to reflect patterns used in the real world, or to help create a sense of rhythm, movement or unity.
Gustav Klimt often used patterns in his paintings and murals.
The Kiss (1907-8) is composed of flat areas of irregular patterns. A repeating rectangle motif is used for the man鈥檚 body, while circles are used for the woman and flower and leaf shapes are used to create a field they are kneeling on.
The patterns are all irregular but they are tied together by shared colours and details that flow into each other.
In The Letter (1890-91) Mary Cassatt fills most of the frame with large patches of detailed pattern. These reflect the style of women鈥檚 clothing and interiors from that time.
The clashing patterns dominate the print but they also contrast with the plain areas, drawing attention to the woman鈥檚 features, the envelope and the letter on the desk.
Van Gogh鈥檚 Starry Night uses thick textured paint and brushstrokes applied in a way that creates patterns.
The flowing patterns in the sky and around the stars create movement and energy, allowing the viewer to almost see the twinkling of the stars.
The use of pattern in a painting can be very simple.
Castle and Sun (Paul Klee, 1928) uses repeated squares, rectangles and triangles that add together to create an impression of architecture.
The motifs create different patches of regular pattern but the overall composition is irregular.