Patterns

by Liliana Usvat

Patterns are an event of form, and there are an infinite number of variations and imperfections within each pattern.They are created by pressure between media, usually just two, and in them and their flows of energy, we can find a huge potential for design.Though the variations are endless, there are few core patterns upon which everything is model.

Waves, for example, are a core pattern, and we can observe them as the ocean (pressure between the weather and water) or dunes (pressure between wind and sand).

When a wave is introduced into a medium such as a rope or a snakey, it travels the length of the medium and then reflects back upon reaching the end of the medium. At certain frequencies, the reflected portion of the wave meets up with the original wave to create a pattern known as a standing wave pattern. In a standing wave pattern there are points along the medium which appear as if they are always standing still. These points are known as nodes and are easily remembered as the points of no displacement.

Other core patterns include streamlines, spirals, lobes, branches, and scatters.

Streamlines are a family of curves that are instantaneously tangent to the velocity vector of the flow.

These show the direction in which a massless fluid element will travel at any point in time.

Spirals

In mathematics, a spiral is a curve which emanates from a point, moving farther away as it revolves around the point.

Lobs

Lobes are of the ear or brain or lungs.

Branches of a tree or of a river

Scatter means to throw loosely about; distribute at irregular intervals: to scatter seeds. to separate and drive off in various directions; disperse: to scatter a crowd. Physics. to refract or diffract (light or other electromagnetic radiation) irregularly so as to diffuse in many directions.

All of these are formed by growth and flow.

Lastly, there is a special core pattern, nets, which is formed by shrinkage.

We can set net patterns in series of hexagons, such as honey hives, and we can also see them the cracking, such as with dried mud.

Patterns are events of form caused by pressure between two (or more) media. ∙

While there are many variations and imperfections of pattern, there is a finite number of core patterns. ∙

Core patterns include waves, streamlines, cloud forms, spirals, lobes, branches, and nets. ∙

Most patterns are formed by growth and flow, except nets, which are formed by shrinkage.