How To Free Your Collections From the Copy-Paste Trap

If there’s one thing that can tank a surface pattern design portfolio faster than a spilled mocha latte on your MacBook, it’s this: repetitive motifs.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love a good motif. But you know what I don’t love? Seeing the same cute lemon, daisy, or bumblebee paraded across every single pattern in a "collection."

Reusing the same motifs in every pattern in your collection is like showing up to every wedding in the same dress. People are going to shake their heads and whisper, “Girl… again?!”

I get it. It’s tempting. If you’ve found something that worked once, it feels a lot safer to stick with it. Plus, repeating motifs can feel like an easy shortcut to collection cohesion. If a bumble bee is the star of your hero motif, shouldn’t it show up in all the other pieces?

Nope. Nope. Nope.

That is your ticket to amateur hour if you're not careful.

A true collection is made up of pieces that dance together—not ones that repeat the same smiley-face sun in the corner like every drawing from first grade. It’s about balance, variety, and personality.

If your goal is to land licensing deals, wow potential collaborators, or just not scream “I’m new to this pattern design thing,” then listen up, friend—because we’re about to turn your collections from “meh” to major. Like, pop-champagne-and-dance-in-your-studio kind of major.

Why Repeating Motifs Across Patterns is a No-No (Even if They're Really Cute)

Ever packed your kid the same peanut butter sandwich five days in a row? They notice. And they will revolt. Repeating the same motifs across your collection is kinda like that—predictable, uninspired, and guaranteed to get stale fast. And while your portfolio may not throw a tantrum, your potential clients just might scroll right past.

Let me be clear: I’m all for streamlining your workflow. I get it—your time is precious, especially if you’re juggling mom life, client work, and just trying to drink a cup of coffee before it goes cold.

But copying and pasting the same motif into multiple patterns? That’s a shortcut that backfires. Fast.

It’s not about working harder—it’s about working smarter, with intention and style. And that starts with creating a robust, fresh, and purposeful motif library for each collection.

The Magic Formula: Star Motifs + Backup Dancers

Here’s the secret sauce every seasoned surface pattern designer keeps tucked in their digital sketchbook:

🛑 Stop trying to build a collection off one or two overused elements.
✅ Start developing a cast of motifs that play well together, but don’t steal each other’s thunder.

Your Motif Lineup:

•  Main Motifs: 5 or more. These are your stars—the focal point of your hero pattern. They’re detailed, bold, and deserve center stage.
•  Secondary Motifs: 6–10 supporting elements. These guys help create visual rhythm, fill gaps, and add personality without stealing the spotlight.

When done right, this structure gives your collection variety, flow, and professional polish.

Let’s Picnic: A Sample Motif Breakdown

Let’s say you’re building a picnic-themed pattern collection. (Because who doesn’t love sandwiches, sunshine, and ants with attitude?)

Here’s how you might approach your motif lineup:

Main “Star” Motifs:

1. A slice of watermelon 🍉
2. A classic wicker picnic basket
3. A glass of lemonade
4. A mischievous little ant (yes, attitude required)
5. A plate stacked with cucumber sandwiches

These are your big hitters—the motifs that drive your hero pattern. They’re expressive, detailed, and full of charm.

Secondary “Backup Dancers”:

1. A second kind of sandwich (PB&J? Yes, please.)
2. A red-and-white checkered blanket
3. A pair of sunglasses
4. Puffy clouds ☁️
5. Blades of grass
6. Dainty flowers
7. Butterflies
8. A wine glass
9. A smiling sun 🌞
10. A sneaky squirrel eyeballing your snacks

(Wow, someone should get on to drawing this one!)

Notice how this lineup adds depth and variety without losing the theme. There’s cohesion, but no copy-paste laziness.

Pro Tip: Don’t Recast Your Star Motifs As Backup Dancers

This one’s worth repeating (pun intended): keep your main hero motifs exclusive to the hero pattern. 

If you’ve got a fabulous lemonade glass or a spunky ant that makes your hero pattern shine, keep it exclusive to that hero pattern. You can absolutely include a variation of it in another pattern (drawn differently, styled uniquely), but don’t just duplicate the exact same thing and plop it into another layout.

Let your hero motifs be the hero. Give them their moment. You wouldn't ask Beyoncé to blend into the background chorus, would you?

Make Each Pattern Count (And Look Distinct)

The goal is simple: each pattern should have its own distinct identity—while clearly belonging to the same family.

This is where most beginners slip up. They think cohesion means repetition. It doesn’t.

Cohesion comes from:

• A consistent color palette 
• Shared style and line-work 
• A thoughtful theme 
• Unified scale and composition choices

What doesn’t help cohesion? Repeating the exact same watermelon 4x across your collection.

A Quick Recap

If your collection’s looking a little... cut and paste? Don’t panic. You’re not alone, and this is fixable (promise). Here’s what to remember:

• 👗 Repeating the exact same motifs = same outfit at 7 weddings. Don’t.
• ✨ Build 5+ strong main motifs that lead your collection.
• 💃 Add 6–10 supporting motifs that complemen,t but don’t compete.
• 🎨 Keep cohesion with color and style—not clone-stamped motifs.
• 📺 Think “TV show cast,” not “identical triplets in matching outfits.”

The result? A portfolio that looks professional, feels intentional, and showcases your creative range.

If you’re thinking, “Oh shoot, I’ve already made this mistake in one of my collections”, don't worry. It's not the end of the world. Next week, I'll walk you through my process for making sure collections have fresh motifs. 

Want Resources To Level-Up?

✨ Check out my FREE Art-Igniter—it's designed to reignite your creative spark and help you develop ideas for strong, sellable motifs, color paletts, and more.

🚀 Or jump into the Procreate Pattern Collection Masterclass, where I guide you step-by-step through building a full, professional collection—complete with 25 repeat templates and export-ready prep.

You’ve got the creativity. Now let’s give your collections the strategy they deserve.
Go forth and design that picnic (or holiday, or celestial, or jungle…) collection like the pro you are.