Pattern Sourcebook: Around the World: 250 Patterns for Projects and Designs

by Shigeki Nakamura

250 Inspired Patters to Use in Creative Projects and Designs This book is a magnificent and useful collection of World-style patterns. The carefully selected images are organized in 10 categories making this book a wonderful resource for crafters, artists and professional designers. The CD ROM provides 250 patterns in both high definition JPEG format and PSD with a layer so you can freely create your own patterns by coloring and modifying the PSD files. This is highly inspirational and practical design tool for anyone.

160 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2008

Reviews

[LeMing · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heavily focused on European patterns, and I was hoping for more Latin America, Southeast Asia, Africa focus. I also wanted more about the patterns’ roots, for example, “popular in the [era], this [flower/wall decor/animal pattern] represents [blablabla] to the [blabla] people and often was used in [temples/pottery/household textiles/whatever]”. There was a little of this, but not consistently. More often, we get the authors nondescript and subjective feelings / commentary such as “the expression of ethnic tones and magical religious beliefs” or “[England] Book design. The originality in this pleasing design conveys a neat and warm atmosphere” or “Clay dyed cloth, West Africa. The way that all of the animals are facing the same ways creates a supurb design and depicts lively motion”. Plus, I am not a fan of when people call Black, brown, and Indigenous cultures/ancient civilizations and patterns are at times labeled words like “primitive” while old European cultures get called words like “dignified”.

I think if you’re looking for pattern art in context of how it’s used historically, especially with a decolonized perspective, this is not the book. But if you’re into flipping through patterns like a pinterest board, especially European patterns, this could be your book.