Last week I showed some examples of patterned stationery - some with two colors, and others with pattern fading into a plain colored background or as the actual background itself. One of the most common ways that I incorporate pattern into custom stationery, though, is to include stripes of the pattern along the edges of the design - on just the right or left, on both sides, on just the top, or along the top and bottom. It's an easy way to include pattern without distracting too much from the text, and getting the stationery to hold onto its clean, crisp, modern aesthetic. Of course, sometimes there just isn't enough text to adequately fill up the rest of the design, and it starts to look a little plain.
That's where this next idea comes in - using a single unit, or a small part of the pattern as a decorative image or space-holder. It looks like a unique stamp, and it's an easy way to remind your guests that even the quiet white space of your invitations has a hint of personality.
If the pattern is large and attention-grabbing on the sides of the design, I'll make the centered decorative image in the extra white space smaller in scale, like I did in the two images below. It's purpose is just to give a hint back to the pattern design - not to completely replicate it.
If I don't scale the image down, I may rotate it instead, like I did in the next example. That way, the decoration addition feels more similar to the text that surrounds it, since both are more horizontal than vertical, while still tying back into the pattern on either side.
In this set, the invitation has the pattern on the left and right sides, whereas the reply card has the pattern rotated and on the top of the design. The decorative bit of pattern in the center of the invitation, then, is facing the same orientation as the pattern on the reply card, instantly connecting the two pieces into one cohesive set.
There's more than one way to incorporate an already-established pattern into other parts of an invitation, as well. Below, a reply card just repeats a bit of the two-colored pattern further down, just as we've seen in examples above.
But this design, below, which is based on the same pattern but for a completely different event, uses the pattern in an actual illustration, instead of as a simple repeat. Did you notice the curved strip of the already-established pattern into the image of the clock I designed for this anniversary invitation? What about the tiny single units of the pattern in between each of the roman numerals?
Finally, in this last example, I adapted part of the pattern on the side, adding a line to the top or bottom to act as a decorative box around the names of the engaged couple. It adds instant emphasis to the most important text, yet also reflects back to the pattern on the side, even though it's a different color.
Shameless plug time: Love my patterns? Love these designs? I incorporate them into a lot of the artwork I create, from stationery for Invites by Andrea to the watercolors I paint. Check out Invites by Andrea's website to see examples of these patterns or download a catalogue pdf (coming soon!). Or drop me a line at andrea@invitesbyandrea.com to let me know what you think!
That's where this next idea comes in - using a single unit, or a small part of the pattern as a decorative image or space-holder. It looks like a unique stamp, and it's an easy way to remind your guests that even the quiet white space of your invitations has a hint of personality.
If the pattern is large and attention-grabbing on the sides of the design, I'll make the centered decorative image in the extra white space smaller in scale, like I did in the two images below. It's purpose is just to give a hint back to the pattern design - not to completely replicate it.
If I don't scale the image down, I may rotate it instead, like I did in the next example. That way, the decoration addition feels more similar to the text that surrounds it, since both are more horizontal than vertical, while still tying back into the pattern on either side.
In this set, the invitation has the pattern on the left and right sides, whereas the reply card has the pattern rotated and on the top of the design. The decorative bit of pattern in the center of the invitation, then, is facing the same orientation as the pattern on the reply card, instantly connecting the two pieces into one cohesive set.
There's more than one way to incorporate an already-established pattern into other parts of an invitation, as well. Below, a reply card just repeats a bit of the two-colored pattern further down, just as we've seen in examples above.
But this design, below, which is based on the same pattern but for a completely different event, uses the pattern in an actual illustration, instead of as a simple repeat. Did you notice the curved strip of the already-established pattern into the image of the clock I designed for this anniversary invitation? What about the tiny single units of the pattern in between each of the roman numerals?
Finally, in this last example, I adapted part of the pattern on the side, adding a line to the top or bottom to act as a decorative box around the names of the engaged couple. It adds instant emphasis to the most important text, yet also reflects back to the pattern on the side, even though it's a different color.
Shameless plug time: Love my patterns? Love these designs? I incorporate them into a lot of the artwork I create, from stationery for Invites by Andrea to the watercolors I paint. Check out Invites by Andrea's website to see examples of these patterns or download a catalogue pdf (coming soon!). Or drop me a line at andrea@invitesbyandrea.com to let me know what you think!
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