To find that perfect print for you, a piece of the puzzle is to analyze the print scale. You’ve already learned to analyze prints:
Have you ever tried on a dress with a small print and it looked like a solid on you? Or with a large print, the print took over the whole show? The prints on these dresses weren’t right for you. It’s key to understand what print size enhances your natural beauty. Every other design detail might be right but if the scale of the print is off the whole outfit is off.
The next step in analyzing whether a print is right for you is analyzing the scale of the print. You’ll learn in this post:
- What is scale
- What Body Elements give you clues as to scale of prints
- How to analyze print scale
Analyze Print Scale -- What Is Scale?
The scale of a print includes both the actual size of the print and the visual weight of it. Actual size is an easy concept. These poke-a-dots are different sizes.
However, the scale can change if the dot is turned into a circle.
Notice how the left hand poke-a-dots feel larger than the right ones. Even though they are exactly the same size, the mass of the right hand ones is less.
When looking at the scale of any print, consider both the actual size and its visual weight.
Analyze Print Scale -- Body Element Clues
How do you know what scale of print is right for you? Look to these Body Elements:
To bring these clues into a Scale Strategy go to: Scale Strategy — Bring It Together.
Analyze Print Scale
Now the fun starts. Using the prints from the last two blog posts, let’s analyze their print scales.
The first print is definitely small scale.
The second print is small/medium scale. At first glance one might think medium or medium/large. But, if you look at the visual weight with so much white space between the flowers, the scale decreases.
The third print’s actual print size is medium/large but again the white space around the flowers (visual weight) causes the overall scale to be medium.
This first print scale is medium/large. Both the second and third ones are medium.
This first print is large scale. Notice how a swirl is as big as a body section.
The print in the middle is small/medium scale and the right one is medium.
Compare the first and second prints’ flower sizes; they’re close in size. However, looking at the whole dress, the feel of the second one is smaller than the first one. This is visual weight at work.
The last print on the right is medium scale.
Summary
When you analyze print scale, you need to take into consideration both actual size and visual size. I think it’s interesting how something can be slightly larger in actual size but when considering visual weight it can have a smaller overall scale.
This spring there are a lot of dresses with beautiful prints. Now you’re able to analyze the print scale to determine if it’s right for you.
Next week’s post is about the last piece of the puzzle in analyzing prints. It’s the shape of the print. It’s called: Analyze Print Shape.
Wear Your Greatness!
