If you’re an artist or new to design, you may be wondering whether it is essential to be able to create repeating patterns or not.

Is it necessary to create seamless pattern repeats?

There are a couple of things to consider when thinking about this topic.

Firstly, I will say that one of the key differences of a surface pattern designer in comparison to other designers is the fact that you can create repeating patterns.

If you don’t understand what a repeating pattern is, it’s a pattern that forms a continuous length. One of the easiest ways to think about this if if you think about a roll of fabric that you might find at a fabric store where y the pattern is continuous along that length of fabric.

Now if you want to be able to get work and you want to have, diversity as a designer, you absolutely 100% want to be able to learn how to create your designs in seamless repeat. Creating seamless repeats is a really important skill for you to work on and to master.

Now, having said that, I will also point out that there are some exceptions to this. You may come across print studios or companies that may be happy to buy design ideas off you rather than your designs in technical repeat. In this case, you would usually give them a design that shows an implied repeat but is not in technical repeat.

Implied Repeats

An implied repeat will show them an idea of how your design would repeat, but it won’t be in technical repeat. In this case, after the design was purchased from the client they would either the design studio would get one of their design team to put it the design in technical repeat if that was required.

If you do decide that you’re not going to learn how to create your designs in technical repeat and you do want to be a surface pattern designer, then you will be reducing the chance of work available to you. So I would highly recommend that even if you’re able to work for someone who is happy to buy some of your designs, not in technical repeat, I would still advise you to work on this skill as it will actually open up your job opportunities.