Guidelines for good tartan designs

Designing a tartan can be a fun and creative process, but it also requires careful consideration of several important factors. Here are some guidelines and tips to help you design a good tartan:

Consider the purpose and inspiration

The first step in designing a tartan is to consider its purpose and inspiration. Is it for a company or club, a family or clan, or a personal project? What message or values do you want the tartan to convey? Once you have a clear idea of the purpose and inspiration, you can start to brainstorm ideas for the design.

Choose a base colour

The base colour of a tartan is usually the dominant colour and sets the overall tone for the design. Choose a color that reflects the purpose and inspiration of the tartan and that works well with the other colours you plan to use.

Decide on the pattern

The pattern of a tartan consists of stripes of different colours and widths that intersect at right angles. There are many different patterns to choose from, including symmetrical and asymmetrical designs. Consider the purpose and inspiration of the tartan when choosing the pattern, as well as the other factors discussed below.

Consider symmetry and balance

A tartan, when woven, should of course be aesthetically pleasing. This introduces considerations such as colour balance, or complementarity of shading (i.e. avoiding clashes) and symmetry, balance, and proportionality.

Symmetry and balance are important aspects of a good tartan design. The pattern should be evenly balanced and symmetrical, with each colour and stripe appearing in a similar proportion on both sides of the central line. Use a grid or graph paper to help you visualize the pattern and ensure it is symmetrical and balanced.

Tartans are almost always symmetrical, with the pattern (known as the ‘sett’) repeating in the same sequence both vertically or length-wise (the ‘warp’ on a weaving loom) and horizontally or width-wise (the ‘weft’ on a weaving loom). The colours visually mix into a composite shade where they cross. Our systems display all this automagically.

A good rule of thumb is to think in terms of pairs of threads, and doubling. So aim for threadcounts such as 2, 8, or 32, rather than 13 or 27. This tends to give a pleasing result.

Choose complementary colours

Tartans use a minimum of two colours and ideally no more than six. More colours can be included but there is a risk of the design becoming visually confused, and surcharges may apply due to the extra work for the weavers/

The colours you choose for your tartan should complement each other and work well together. Consider using a colour wheel to help you choose complementary colours, or consult a colour expert if you are unsure. Avoid using too many colours, as this can make the design appear cluttered and busy.

Keep it simple

A tartan can be simple or complex. It may have just a few repeating bands of varying sizes, up to quite a large number. But unless you are expert or are intentionally creating a busy look, generally less is more. Only you can decide what appearance you want to achieve, by experimenting with various arrangements.

A good tartan design should be simple and easy to recognize. Avoid using too many colours or intricate patterns that are difficult to distinguish. Remember that the purpose of the tartan is to represent a group or organisation, so it should be easily recognizable and memorable.

Think about scale

The scale of the tartan pattern is also an important consideration. The pattern should be scaled appropriately for the intended use, whether it is for clothing, accessories, or other products. Consider how the pattern will look when it is enlarged or reduced in size, and make adjustments as necessary.

The sett (repeating pattern) is normally around 6 to 8 or 8.5 inches (c. 15-20cm) for a garment like a kilt (but can be much smaller or larger for other uses). This averages around 250 threads when woven in a medium (c. 13oz) weight or heavy/regimental (c. 16-18oz) weight yarn for a kilt. This gives a pleasing result with good depth when a kilt is pleated ‘to sett’, with the pattern repeated to its rear. In a lighter weight (10-12oz) fabric such as many dance tartans, the sett might be as little as 5 inches (12cm) but many are six inches (15cm) or more in size.

We use threadcounts for recording as this gives a convenient and consistent measure. However, it is actually the relative proportions of each colour in the design that defines the pattern (or sett), and is these proportions and not absolute sizes that constitutes a particular tartan. Weavers will alter threadcounts depending upon the yarn being used (e.g. silk is far finer than heavy weight wool so would require many more threads for the same size of woven sett). The intended use for the tartan might also make a difference, so for ties (for example) the sett size would be reduced, or it could be increased for larger items.

Test the design

Once you have a design in mind, test it out by creating a mock-up or sample. This will give you a better idea of how the design will look in reality, and whether any adjustments need to be made. It's also a good idea to get feedback from others, such as friends, family, or colleagues, to see how they respond to the design.

In summary, designing a good tartan requires careful consideration of the purpose and inspiration, color balance and symmetry, simplicity, scale, and testing of the design. By following these guidelines and tips, you can create a unique and memorable tartan that effectively represents your group or organisation.