PatternMirrored

A pattern is a design in which lines, shapes, forms or colours are repeated. The part that is repeated is called a motif. Patterns can be regular or irregular.

Part ofArt and DesignElements of art

Mirrored

Another way of creating patterns is to mirror the motif.

Motifs can be mirrored horizontally or vertically.

Mirrored pattern - 4 rows of 4 goldfish every odd fish points left to right, every even fish points right to left
Swan, Rush and Iris, Walter Crane, 1877, wallpaper design, V&A Images / Alamy Stock Photo
Image caption,
Swan, Rush and Iris, Walter Crane, 1877, wallpaper design, V&A Images / Alamy Stock Photo

Swan, Rush and Iris (Walter Crane, 1875) is a wallpaper pattern than uses a mirrored motif.

The swans and the leaf pattern behind are arranged around a vertical line of symmetry creating a well-balanced image.

Swan, Rush and Iris, Walter Crane, 1877, wallpaper design, V&A Images / Alamy Stock Photo
Image caption,
Swan, Rush and Iris, Walter Crane, 1877, wallpaper design, V&A Images / Alamy Stock Photo

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