It is such a treat to share “overlap,” a fascinating project from today’s featured designer, Ildikó Valicsek.
“Overlap is a layered pattern system, 5 basic layers which can generate more and more patterns. The system has been alphabetically coded, A—E, and has been designed to function as a font. (Here’s another video showing overlap fonts in use.)
So this is a concept about how to create an endless and modular pattern collection of a very similar, basic and geometric elements, that communicate with each other. I love modularity and system thinking. I design textiles, patterns and also furniture. I studied textile design and this was my MA graduation project at Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest.
Book design by Éva Valicsek || Pattern design by Ildikó Valicsek
So the modules can be not just repeated, like how we do a pattern normally, but also layered on each other in 5 different ways. These collections are: basic, striped, checked, figured and offset (gallery here.)
For instance, the basic collection consists of 31 patterns:
1 layer: A, B, C, D, E ( 5 patterns )
2 layer: AB, AC, AD, AE, BC, BD, BE, CD, CE, DE ( 10 patterns )
3 layer: ABC, ABD, ABE, ACD, ACE, ADE, BCD, BCE, BDE, CDE ( 10 patterns )
4 layer: ABCD, ACDE, ABDE, BCDE, ABCE ( 5 patterns )
5 layer: ABCDE ( 1 patterns )
Here is an infograph which shows this better:
But pattern layers can also be used in striped or checked, figured and offset by moving the layers on each other.
So that’s why we can find there basic, clean patterns and also graphical or difficult ones, but all of them was made by 5 basic layers.
I wasn’t decided on the real use of these patterns, because it can not just be a textile pattern, like printed material or a woven textile or both of them, but it can also be a part of a dynamic brand or covers or tiles or a real pattern font.
I think the uses are also endless like my patterns because it is a very simple and easy to use system. I am searching now for the best way to use them.”
If you would like to learn more visit Ildikó on Behance or her Tumblr blog.
