One of the ways you can take your designs to the next level and make them more interesting is by thinking about using different types of pattern repeats. In this blog post, we’re going to be talking about the full drop, half drop and brick pattern repeats and the basics to creating them.

Full Drop Pattern Repeat

The most common pattern repeat system that is usually used by people who are beginning to create designs is the full drop or block repeat. At its simplest form, it is a design that is repeated on the same horizontal and vertical plane and it’s one of the most commonly used repeat systems and it’s the simplest one to create. If you are new to creating pattern designs then I would definitely recommend that you start with the full drop repeat as it’s the easiest to create and a great place to start. Sometimes when you’re creating your full drop you might find that the repeat is a little obvious so and you want to be able to make a more complex design. One of the ways you can do that is by using a different repeat system and the half drop and brick repeats are great options.

Half Drop Pattern Repeat

A half drop is a design that is repeated on the same vertical plane but when it moves across horizontally, it’ll move across and then down half the size of your repeat square. This will allow your design to appear less obvious so it’s a great option if you’re looking to create a more organic and less obvious design where it’s harder to see where your repeat starts and finishes.

Brick Pattern Repeat

The brick repeat system works in a very similar way to the half drop repeat except it works in a brick format. It is repeated by moving your repeat across on the same horizontal plane but when you move your repeat down, you’re going to move it down the size of your repeat square and then across half that amount. So it works in a very similar way to a brick wall. So if you’re finding that you want to really mix up your designs and you’ve really got a good handle on the full drop repeat, I would definitely recommend jumping in and having a little play and learning how to do the half drop and brick repeats because they can be a really good way of mixing up your design and making it less obvious

If you want to learn more about different types of repeat systems, then be sure to download my Free PDF guide which will explain and give examples of the most common repeat patterns and how to create them