KNOW-HOW

Seamless patterns are usefull for textile and wallpaper designs. Let's see how you can draw an asymmetrical, repeating pattern made of intersecting ribbons.

Step 1: Draw a grid of four squares

Step 2: Draw a haphazard design, for example two intersecting, curved ribbons.

Step 3: Copy the design to the other squares

Step 4: Readjust and connect the two opposite curves to make a continuous ribbon.

Step 5: You'll probably need to extend some curves to the other squares

Step 6: Extend more curves if required.

Step 7: Trim some curves to make them look one above the other.

Step 8: Isolate the central part of the design. This will be your pattern.

Step 9: Delete the grid lines.

Step 10: Copy the pattern horizontally and vertically to check how it works. The result is seamless and complicated, thought it has a small problem. Some ribbons are not continuous.

Step 11: Go back to the pattern and lets examine how we can fix the problem. If you carefully notice your pattern you'll understand that you have to copy some lines (the red lines) to one more square.

Copy the red lines to the other square.

Step 12: Readjust and connect the lines to create a continuous ribbon.

Step 13: Isolate the pattern again and repeat it horizontally and vertically

This is the final result.

Step 14: Experiment with color. There are many different ways to add solid color to the pattern and each time the result will be different. You can paint only some areas and leave other white or you can experiment with different color schemes.