- I've been accused of being unimaginative and monotonous,
in relation to meals and dining choices.
I'm happy to eat the same breakfast and lunch every day,
and follow a rather consistent pattern
of choices for dinner.
But repetition and design can create excitement,
as opposed to my boring eating habits.
There are many kinds of repetition
in layout and composition.
Duplicating the same form, can create repetition.
Presenting the same concept over and over again,
in different ways creates repetition.
Or a consistent element that helps guide the viewer,
is based on a repeating form.
Multiplicity is based on the idea
that if one thing is good, 20 is better.
Seeing the same form over and over,
gives the viewer a sense of comfort,
it also communicates a sense of quantity and abundance.
One headline of a tight phase with a single stroke,
in this instance, might be simple and strong.
The same headline, however, duplicated many times
in multiple colors, with the same line weight,
expresses the range of creativity,
and in this instance, many paths possible.
A singular image of a pool for a calendar cover is nice.
But since a day in January
can look the same as a day in August in Los Angeles,
multiple images of the same scene,
are used to represent each month on this calendar.
One image alone couldn't do this.
The repeating scene solve the problem
of communicating this concept.
This device also minimize the importance
of only one image of the pool on the cover.
And frankly, none of the photos have the quality
required for that scrutiny.
Repeating forms are a great way to direct the viewer.
When you use the same shape or icon
in the same way throughout a piece,
you create a recognizable language.
If the viewer sees the same shape and typography,
in this instance, used to identify headlines,
he or she will know where to look
for this information on each page.
However, there is a danger here.
It is said that, "Consistency is the hobgoblin
of the mediocre."
There is a difference between using repeating forms
to enhance communication,
and simply duplicating to maintain a uniform appearance.
The goal must be to enhance communication
as powerfully as possible.
While functionality and legibility are critical,
today's audience expects to be entertained
and excited by design.
A bold use of repetition
can be a useful tool to achieve this.