Art Deco patterns become easier to recognize when you follow what their lines do. Rays radiate from a point; a fan opens from a base; chevrons repeat a V; zigzags alternate direction; stepped forms rise or recede in tiers. These motifs appear in different combinations across Art Deco architecture, textiles, prints and objects. A single shape is a clue, not a certificate of style.
The useful question is not simply “Is there a geometric pattern?” Ask where your eye starts, which direction the lines lead it, and how much space surrounds the motif. Those observations help you identify a design and decide whether its energy suits the wall you have in mind.
For the wider history and visual language, see our guide to recognizing Art Deco style. Here, we will stay close to the shapes themselves.
The five motifs at a glance
| Motif | What to look for | What it does in a composition |
|---|---|---|
| Sunburst | Lines radiate around a visible or implied center. | Draws attention to a focal point and sends the eye outward. |
| Fan | Lines open from a low or narrow base into an arc. | Spreads attention upward and sideways while keeping a clear base. |
| Chevron | One or more V shapes, often nested or repeated. | Creates a directional beat along a wall or within a panel. |
| Zigzag | An angular line turns back and forth. | Creates a more continuous, restless rhythm than a single V. |
| Stepped form | An edge changes level in a sequence of tiers. | Builds a rising silhouette or frames another motif. |
This diagram isolates each structure so you can compare it quickly. Real period designs are often less tidy: a fan may sit inside an arch, a stepped border may frame a sunburst, and stylized flowers can share the same surface. The V&A describes Art Deco as an adaptable mix of historical, avant-garde and modern influences, not one fixed geometric formula.
Start at the center: sunburst, starburst or fan?
In a sunburst, rays spread from a central point or disc. The point may sit in the middle of the design, low on a horizon, or partly outside the frame. A starburst is a closely related descriptive term, often used when the radiating lines feel sharper or extend in many directions. These names describe what is visible; they are not a strict historical classification.
A fan has a different base. Its ribs open from one low point or short stem into a half circle or broad arc. Look for that bounded sweep: even without a literal fan object, the lines can make a fan-like silhouette. In the cover image above, the ivory ribs open from a low terracotta center, while longer rays behind them make a separate sunburst. Two related motifs can therefore be read at once.
In wall art, try tracing one ray with your finger. Does it lead away from a center, or does it terminate in a curved outer edge? Then notice what anchors the design. A dark field around sparse rays feels visually different from a surface filled edge to edge with narrow bands. The spacing matters as much as the motif name.
The V&A identifies a sunburst as a recurring image in Art Deco printmaking. That does not mean every radiating form is Art Deco: date, medium, surrounding details and the whole composition still matter.
Follow the line: chevrons, zigzags and steps
A chevron is a V-shaped unit. It can point up or down, stand alone, nest inside larger Vs, or repeat in rows. A zigzag is a line that keeps changing direction. The distinction is practical: a row of chevrons reads as repeated units; a zigzag reads as one continuous path. Designers can combine the two, so do not force a label when both readings are useful.
Stepped forms are built from changes in level. They can outline a tower, cap a doorway or form a border around an image. Look for a repeated retreat or rise of the edge, rather than a diagonal line. The V&A notes that geometric ornament became widespread across objects in the period and records the historical term “Zigzag Moderne” for one strand of the style.
Architecture shows how these shapes work together. Bullocks Wilshire, the Los Angeles department store built in 1928–29, rises from a long facade to a tall tower. Its stepped piers emphasize that vertical movement. A Historic American Buildings Survey report also records chevrons on the copper panels and sunburst motifs on the passage gates. The street view below shows the overall massing; those small decorative details are documented in the survey, not visible enough here to identify in the photograph.
Bullocks Wilshire, Los Angeles, photographed around 1936. University of Southern California Libraries and California Historical Society, via Wikimedia Commons; CC0.
Read the quiet areas as well as the motif
The strongest pattern is not always the one with the most lines. Negative space—the open area around a shape—makes a fan legible, separates tiers and gives a sunburst somewhere to expand. A wide unmarked field can make a few rays feel decisive. When every part of an image has the same density, your eye has less help finding the main form.
Arches are useful here. An arch can frame a fan, repeat as a series of nested bands, or soften a composition dominated by straight angles. In ADP’s Arcade arches canvas, the vertical arrangement puts the emphasis on repeated curved bands and the gaps between them. It is a contemporary printed artwork, not a photograph of a historic building.
Before choosing a pattern for a room, inspect these three relationships:
- Motif and field: Is the main shape surrounded by breathing room, or does the pattern cover the surface?
- Direction and format: Do the lines spread horizontally, rise vertically, or pull the eye to one corner?
- Contrast and detail: Can you still see the principal shape when the image is small, and is there something rewarding to notice up close?
Compare the whole composition at two distances
A product thumbnail is useful for detecting the main silhouette, but it can hide the spacing between lines. A close view shows the details, but it can obscure the overall balance. Use both views. First shrink the artwork to the approximate size it will occupy in your field of vision; then look closely at the actual design and its available dimensions. This is a viewing method, not a promise that every print will look the same in every room.
| Viewing distance | Question to ask | What the answer helps you decide |
|---|---|---|
| Across the room | Which shape and direction register first? | Whether the artwork gives the wall a clear focal point. |
| Close to the wall | How do the bands, edges and open areas relate? | Whether its detail and contrast still appeal when you approach it. |
For example, the horizontal Solstice sunburst canvas spreads its rays across a wider field. Arcade organizes repeated arches in a vertical format. Compare their actual compositions, not just the words “Art Deco” in their titles. Neither canvas reproduces the materials or construction of a historical object.
Use the motif guide to choose a direction
If you want one strong focal point, start with a sunburst or fan and check how much open field supports it. If you want a more regular beat, compare chevrons and repeated arches. If you want the eye to travel upward, look at stepped silhouettes or a vertical arrangement. These are ways to read and choose a composition, not rules for which motif belongs in a particular room.
Explore the Art Deco geometric and sunburst canvas collection with that vocabulary in mind. Compare each artwork’s shape, orientation and contrast; let the actual design decide whether it fits your space.
Sources
- Victoria and Albert Museum, “An introduction to Art Deco” — the style’s varied influences and geometric visual language.
- Victoria and Albert Museum, “Art Deco printmakers” — printmaking, geometric forms and the sunburst motif.
- Historic American Buildings Survey, “Bullocks Wilshire” — construction date, stepped piers, chevron panels and sunburst gates.
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