Patterns are one of the easiest things you can learn to draw; they’re fun, too. In this article, you will learn how to draw various patterns – geometric, line, nature, and basic zentangle designs, to name a few.
Drawing patterns can be relaxing because of their repetitive nature. Coloring them can help you to relax, too.
Patterns are also a great addition to your art journal. For example, you can practice drawing different types of line art designs before adding them to walls, clothing, and other objects in your sketches.
When you doodle, it can also help you be creative and serve as an inspiration for future work.
What will your pattern or zentangle art consist of? The drawings below are easy and simple. They may start with a line, dot, circle, square, or zig-zag.
Then, as you repeat the pattern, you will find they become cool and complex. You might want to use a compass or traceable object to make perfect circles, or a ruler to make straight lines.
Geometric Patterns 1
Geometric patterns are made from shapes. Many patterns are made by placing the shapes side by side. For example, look at the irregular nonagons on the top row or the circles, hexagons, and cubes on the bottom row.
You can make this type of pattern more complex by placing smaller shapes inside the original shapes, as in the diamond and triangle patterns on the second row.
You can also cause the shapes to overlap. Notice, for example, the circle pattern on the second row. The diamonds inside the circles aren’t drawn separately – they are the result of intruding circles on all four sides.
Geometric Patterns 2
But you can also make geometric patterns that are not so symmetrical, as demonstrated in set 2. Look at the overlapping lines and rectangles on the top and bottom rows, for example.
These patterns are unique and organic rather than orderly and in rows.
Even in the plaid pattern on the third row, samples could look different since some rows have an extra horizontal line. We will examine line patterns more in the next section.
Line Patterns
Geometric and line patterns are closely related; after all, lines make up geometric patterns, too.
You can make patterns using straight, parallel lines – equally spaced lines, lines of different thicknesses, or lines with different spacings. In one example, you will see how vertical lines are placed between diagonal lines to indicate stripes.
You can also use lines that intersect. Perpendicular lines will form a checkerboard or crosshatched pattern. On the bottom row, intersecting lines have been used to create a trippy “X” pattern and the appearance of bricks.
Finally, you can use rows of zig-zag lines, solid or dashed, to create a pattern.
Patterns With Shapes 1
Other line shapes can be used to create patterns that aren’t strictly geometric. In set 4, you will see lines of “X”s, swirls, dashes, dots, and wavy lines.
Patterns With Shapes 2
Set 5 will help you get a little crazy and think outside the box. You can doodle a pattern using only a long, swirly line that crosses over itself again and again. Or, you can draw organic shapes of different sizes to create confetti, broken glass, or giraffe spots.
These types of patterns were especially popular during the 1990s. You’ll see them in backgrounds of classic cartoons like Rugrats or Rocko’s Modern Life, and on merchandise from Taco Bell or The Lion King.
Patterns With Shapes 3
Set 6 demonstrates patterns that look woven like cloth. Can you see what represents threads or embroidery in the images? These are great for patterning the cloth of your character’s clothing.
Zentangle Patterns 1
Zentangles are meant to free your mind from stress and emotion as you draw. Set 7 shows how some of the patterns we’ve discussed above can be used in a zentangle, and also introduces new ones that resemble flowers, plants, spider webs, fish scales, and cracks.
Zentangle Patterns 2
In set 8, notice how different types of patterns are combined to suggest organic shapes – for example, a geometric triangle pattern in which half the shapes have fish scales.
Try combining many zentangle styles in a single drawing.
Nature Patterns 1
If you look at nature, you will find an abundance of repeating patterns. In set 9, you will see many organic, irregular shapes that make up the patterns on animal’s furry coats. There are spots like those of cheetahs, leopards, jaguars, and stripes like tigers and zebras.
Nature Patterns 2
Nature patterns aren’t limited to animal spots, in set 10, notice the raindrops, fern leaves or feathers, and squiggles that could be microscopic organisms.
Doodle Patterns
Doodling is a fun way to pass the time, and it helps some people think and concentrate. To doodle, find small objects or patterns that you like, and draw them over and over again.
Doodles can be as diverse as planets and rocket ships, leaves and flowers, summer beach items, hearts, or musical notes. You can also doodle by writing a word or series of words, perhaps using different font styles.
Spiral Pattern
You can get lost in drawing spiral patterns. These range from super simple – a single spiral line or a series of successively smaller shapes – to more complex patterns like the staircase-like twisted triangles that seem to draw you into a central point.
Copying the patterns above can be a great way to get started. When you see the lovely patterns in your own sketchbook, your confidence in your skills will grow.
After you’ve tried your hand at a few, why not create your own fun patterns? You could make them for a specific purpose or to simply fill a page for fun.
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