Where does the pattern on a tartan begin?

[Powermac]

So, odd question, and not kilt-related, but I figured if anyone knew the answer, it'd be you lot.

When looking at a tartan, where does the pattern begin? What bit can you boil it down to, small as possible, and say "that's (insert tartan here)"? Reason I ask is, I'm going to be getting a tattoo, and I want a bit of color. I want the color to call to mind the MacDonald tartan. I don't want to get the tartan tattooed on me...it's a bit busy, and I think my kilt's enough MacDonald tartan, but I want the colors to be the same, and vaguely in the same pattern, enough to suggest the tartan. I'm wondering if there's a certain section of the pattern I need to focus on, or if I can just grab a section that encompasses all the reds and blues and greens and call it a day.

Am I making any sense at all here?

[Steve Ashton]

By definition - All Tartans are plaid but not all plaids are Tartan.

What makes a Tartan is that the pattern of lines is the same up and down (Warpwise) as it is side to side (Weftwise). So the resulting pattern is squares.

Here is a photo of our own X Mark Tartan showing the squares.



Another part of Tartan is that there are at least two pivot points. These are places where if you fold the fabric on the pivot point, the pattern of lines on each side of the pivot point is a mirror image.

[figheadair]

In understanding patterns you may find this paper of help - Sett Sticks, Fact or Fiction.

To answer your specific question, there is not default method but by convention a tartan’s threadcount is started at the pivot that is lower alphabetical colour in a symmetrical sett (design). In an asymmetric design it is the lowest alphabetical colour in the colour sequence. This method works whether the warp and weft match, which is the standard practice, or whether they are different.

Taking the Clan Donald tartan as an example, the warp and weft are the same and the basic threadcount needed to replicate the pattern is B/34 R4 B4 R10 B58 R4 K62 G58 R10 G4 R4 G/34. This is one count from c1800 and is to the half pivot; repeating this back and forth gives the warp or long-ways threads on a loom, the weft (cross-ways threads) are thrown in the same order.

If you want to replicate the design in a tattoo how about a simple colour bar that represents a section of the warp. You could some, all or more of the warp stripe.

[OC Richard]

I think Peter is on the right track.

Because I think the question is really asking

"How best to suggest a tartan in a shorthand way?"

And I think colour-strips would be it... but a while a collection of stripes may suggest a tartan (especially to a weaver) it isn't a tartan.

The army had to do the same thing, devise a small, compact, but immediately recognisable way of displaying tartans. They did it this way, choosing the crossing point of the distinctive lighter lines. (Black Watch, not having such, has the badge itself in the shape of their cap badge. The Argylls used a red/white diced pattern.)



The MacDonald Clan tartan is different, and more difficult, having loads of fine lines fairly evenly distributed over the whole sett.

Here's the blue square, bordered by black, that might serve. It has a nice logo-like symmetry.



The green square would work just as well.

Less strong as a logo, but showing the pattern and colours more completely, would be something like this:



You can Google "tartan tattoo" and find loads of cool things. Here's one

[figheadair]

The setting of the Clanranald tartan in that tattoo is wrong. Shows just how difficult it can be to get it right is one is a purist .

[davidlpope]

I think I'd focus in on the pattern of the red stripes: wide-narrow, narrow-wide.

That motif seems to show up in many MacDonald tartans.