Coordinate prints are supporting prints used within a collection, typically in textiles or design. They are designed to complement and enhance the main, or focal, prints in the collection.
Role and Purpose
As referenced, coordinate prints serve several purposes. They play a crucial role in creating a cohesive and visually appealing collection:
- Support the focal print: They provide a backdrop or complementary pattern that doesn't compete with the main print but rather highlights it.
- Bring balance to the collection: By offering variety in scale and density, they help create visual harmony across all the patterns presented together.
- Help reference the overall theme: Their colours, motifs, or style align with the overarching theme or inspiration of the entire collection.
Fitting into a Collection
In many design contexts, particularly fabric design, prints are developed as a collection with different scales and types. Coordinate prints are usually smaller or less complex than focal and medium prints.
Ideally, when building a collection, designers aim for a nice balance between:
- Focal prints (the main, often largest or most detailed designs)
- Medium prints (intermediate scale patterns)
- Small coordinates (the focus-supporting, balancing prints)
A common guideline suggests having perhaps 3-4 of each type (focal, medium, and small coordinates) to create a well-rounded and versatile collection.
Essentially, coordinate prints are the team players that make the star (the focal print) shine, ensuring the whole collection feels harmonious and complete.
