Tag: Design

This is a companion post to Sandy’s podcast. Be sure and listen to our discussion.

Size and Scale are an element of design

Size and Scale are related terms

Definition:

•  “Size and scale are words used to describe the physical size that a shape or form has in comparison other shapes or lines within the design field.” (A Fiber Artist’s Guide, pg.98)
  • see Sizzling Circles by Ruth Chandler at http://www.textileevolution.com/index.php?view=detail&id=38&option=com_joomgallery&Itemid=53   (circles gradate in size- as seen in A Fiber Artist’s Guide, pg.98)
• “The size of a work in relation to humans; the size of the elements within the work in relation to each other.” (Art+Quilt, pg.64)
• “Proportion relates to how shapes interact with each other within a design.” (Adventures in Design, pg. 74)
• “‘Scale and ‘proportion’ are related terms that both basically refer to size. Scale is essentially another word for size.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.60)
  • “‘Large scale’ is a way of saying big and ‘small scale’ means small.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.60)
    • “Big is meaningless unless we have some standard of reference. A big dog means nothing if we do not know the size of most dogs. This is what separates the two terms,” size and scale. (Pentak & Lauer, pg.60)
    • “Proportion refers to relative size, size measure against other elements or against some mental norm or standard.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.60)
    • “…the scale of the pattern, that is, its size in relationship to the size of the pieces that are cut, will determine the impact of the pattern on the overall design of the quilt.” (Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg. 80)

    Here are some general dictionary definitions of the terms we used in the podcast that you can mull over in your mind:

  Size (Merriam-Webster online dictionary):

  • Noun The relative extent of something; how big something is. A gelatinous solution used in gilding paper, stiffening textiles, and preparing plastered walls for decoration.

    Verb Alter or sort in terms of size or according to size: “some drills are sized in millimeters”. Treat with size to glaze or stiffen.

    Adjective Having a specified size; sized: “marble-size chunks of hail”.

    Synonyms magnitude – extent – dimension – measure – bulk

    Scale (Random House College Dictionary): a succession or progression of steps or degrees; a graduated series; an arrangement of things in order of importance.

    Proportion (Random House College Dictionary): the comparative relation between things or magnitudes; a proper or significant relation between things or parts; relative size or extent.

    Ratio (Random House College Dictionary): the relation between two similar magnitudes in respect to the number of times the first contains the second.

    Using Size:

    • “The principle of scale in a work of art is all about the volume of the message you wish to send to your viewer.” (Art+Quilt, pg.64)
    • “The scale of a work of art in relation to the viewer, its human scale, is often” one of the first considerations an artist makes.” (Art+Quilt, pg.64)
      • where will it be displayed? the atrium of a large office building or the foyer of a private home? (Art+Quilt, pg.64)
    • Elements in a design that are larger seem close. (Pentak & Lauer, pg.176)
    • Elements of a design that are smaller seem farther away. (Pentak & Lauer, pg.176)
    • Elements of a design that are larger seem more important, conversely elements of a design that are smaller seem less important. (Pentak & Lauer, pg.176)
      • I don’t want you to get the idea that small is unimportant. A small amount of yellow in a purple quilt can make all the difference to the overall design.
    • “Scale and proportion are closely tied to  emphasis and focal point. Large scale, especially large scale in proportion to other elements makes for an obvious visual emphasis.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.60)
    • “Unusual or unexpected scale is arresting and attention getting. Sheer size does impress us.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.61) Magnifying something that is usually quite small can capture your attention through sheer surprise. A butterfly wing that fills the entire frame gains significance as you see extraordinary details seldom noticed in everyday life.” (Art+Quilt, pg.65)
      • Georgia O’Keefe is an example of an artist that uses this technique. (Art+Quilt, pg.65)
    • “An unnatural contrast of scale in your quilts can also be used to achieve interesting effects. Surrealists such as Salvador Dali used wildly confused internal proportions to intentionally create uneasiness in the viewer. One element that is purposefully out of scale with other elements within the quilt will attract the viewer’s attention and become a focal point.” (Art+Quilt, pg.65)
      • if you want to exaggerate a shape, “have some visual continuity between the shapes.”(Adventures in Design, pg. 75)
    • Think about the relative sizes of pieces in a quilt. It is important to vary sizes to add interest. (Fearless Design, pg. 32)
      • think about piecing the same blocks in different sizes in order to add interest to your quilt.

Using Ratio

Using ratios really has to do with proportion. The Fibonacci sequence has to do with ratios of objects to one another on the design field. “One powerful way to help your design evolve to its highest potential is to select the width and height dimensions that promote the natural movement of your design….select your dimensions based on a ratio that best suits your design. Observing your design’s directional flow and focus gives you a starting point to sort through your options.” (Adventures in Design, pg. 77)

• “1:1 ratio is a perfect ratio for designs that radiate symmetrically from a center point….if your design is 24″ high in this ratio, it will also be 24″ wide.” (Adventures in Design, pg. 77)
• “A 1:2 ratio provides added width to a horizontal design or it extends height to a vertical design. In this ratio, the longer dimension is twice as long as the shorter dimension. If you want one dimension to be 24″ wide, the other dimension would be double that – 48″ high.” An example of this ratio is Poulnabrone Dolmen (Adventures in Design, pg. 77)
• The 1:3 ratio provides more lengthwise extension than 1:2 ratio. “In this ratio, one dimension is three times greater than the other dimension. This gives more room for the design to expand in one direction. Thus if you want one dimension of your design to be 24″, the other dimension would be 72″.” An example is a quilt called Acid Rain by Gloria Loughman. This ratio has allowed a “dynamic sky to evolve in her quilt.” (Adventures in Design, pg. 77)
• “A 1:4 ratio greatly exaggerates the length of a design. One dimension is four times greater than the other dimension. If you want your 24″ high design to have an extreme horizontal extension, the 1:4 ratio would give you a width of 96″.” An example is Rhododendrons over Water by Amanda Richardson of Cornwall England  (Adventures in Design, pg. 77)
• ” The 3:4 ratio is best used when a design has only slightly more movement in one direction than the other. In a 3:4 ratio, a design that is 24″ in one direction would be 32″ high in the other direction”…. Joen Wolfrom says that “the 3:4 ratio should be saved for such occasions when your design does not need much expansion in one direction or the other.” Example is Ticondrroga Star by Larisa Key, Willimatic, CT. (Adventures in Design, pg. 77) I use this ratio quite a bit, especially for block quilts, because I think it adds interest to the layout.
• “A 2:3 ratio allows for more extended directional movement than a 3:4 ratio does. It doesn’t exaggerate the length as much as the 1:2, 1:3, and 1:4 ratios do. ” (Adventures in Design, pg. 77) If you have 24″ high quilt, your quilt’s width would be 36″. (Adventures in Design, pg. 78) Example is Fishermen’s Widows by Anna Faustino
• The Golden Mean or 8:13 ratio is considered to be “the most beautiful, pleasing dimension for art and architecture…It provides beautifully balanced dimensions”, because of the subtle dimensional change. “The Golden Mean is a component of the Fibonacci sequence.” (Adventures in Design, pg. 81)   If you have 24″ high quilt, your quilt’s width using the 8:13 ratio would be 39″. (Adventures in Design, pg. 78) You can find a calculator for Golden Mean ratios at: http://goldenratiocalculator.com/ and there is a chart in Adventures in Design pg.81. An example of a quilt using the Golden Mean Ratio is Pamela Mostek’s Five Apples.

Notes:

• A designer can use relative sizes to give a feeling of space or depth. Artists have taken this basic idea and exaggerated it by increasing the size differences. It is very common to many periods and styles of art to use different scales. (Pentak & Lauer, pg.176)
• “In past centuries visual scale was often related to thematic importance. The size of the figures was based on their symbolic importance in the subject being presented… This is called hieratic scaling.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.60)
• “Private spaces are perfect for small, intricately stitched works and allow for a more intimate experience with the art.” (Art+Quilt, pg.64)
• “When your entire field of vision is occupied by a work of art you can’t help but pay attention to it. ” (Art+Quilt, pg.64) [ Georges-Pierre Seurat’s Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte]
• “The most renowned proportional number sequence is the Fibonacci sequence“…”The Fibonacci sequence begins as 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, and so on. Each successive number in this sequence is the sum of the previous two numbers. You can use small or large sections of this sequence to determine the dimensions of elements within a design.”… “The Fibonacci sequence highlights the strong relationship between mathematics, nature and art. (Adventures in Design, pg. 76)
  • Caryl Bryer Fallert’s Fibonacci Garden is an example

  

The images denoting the Fibonacci sequence are fairly common. I imagine you will say “oh, of course! I have seen this!” when you see the spiral. Nautilus shells are also used as examples of the Fibonacci sequence. As we mentioned in the podcast, nature uses the Fibonacci sequence in its design field frequently. By doing a search on the term and looking at images, you will be amazed at the trees, flowers and other natural phenomena that include the Fibonacci sequence.

Resources:

Art+Quilt

Design Basics, 5th, c.1999, David A. Lauer, Stephen Pentak

Golden Ratio Calculator: http://goldenratiocalculator.com/

Painting by Numbers: the Fibonacci sequence in art by Curtis Belmonte and Conor Pappas

Yes, Sandy and I are on a roll! If you have not listened to the previous podcast on shape, you might want to do so. Shape and form are related and listening to shape will help you when you listen to form.

Form is an element of design

Form can be thought of as the 3D version of shape

Definitions:

• Form is a shape that is three-dimensional.” (Artline Elements of Design: http://coolschool.k12.or.us/courses/115100/welcome/elements1.html)
• Forms “can be defined by both depth and perspective. Forms have a top, bottom and sides. They occupy space and are capable of casting a shadow.” (A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design, pg.89)
  • Example: fabric bowls and vases (see books from C&T Publishing)
  • Sculpture
  • Dimensional applique’ (see Elly Sienkiewicz book on dimensional flowers, such as Romancing Ribbons into Flowers and Dimensional Applique: Baskets, Blooms, and Baltimore Borders (Baltimore Beauties & Beyond) )
  • fabric dolls, such as my Warrior doll series
  • Garments

Just to confuse things further, the word Form is also used to describe a higher level of the design of art pieces, e.g. “Content implies subject matter, story, or information that the artwork seeks to communicate to the viewer. Form is purely visual aspect, the manipulation of various elements and principles of design. Content is what artists want to say; form is how they say it.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.5) This is not the kind of form we are discussing in this podcast.

Architecture is the art form most concerned with three-dimensional volumes. Architecture creates three-dimensional shapes and volumes by enclosing areas within walls. (Pentak & Lauer, pg.138)

• Susan Else creates quilt related architecture/forms.

“Volume and mass refer to the three-dimensional shapes of sculpture and architecture. Even though quilts have dimension in the relief created by quilting and embellishment, they are usually considered two-dimensional because the angle of viewing doesn’t critically change the image.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg.58)

With three dimensional art, such as a sculpture, one can see how the object occupies space by walking around it, looking from above, below or from the side. Three dimensional objects have height, width and depth. With two dimensional art [like a quilt], the arrangement of objects on the design field can be crowded with lots of objects or nearly empty with very few objects. These design elements have height and width, but no depth. (A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color and Design, pg.130)

The Form vs. Shape Conundrum

A shape is also sometimes “called a form. The two terms are generally [thought to be] synonymous and are often used interchangeably. ‘Shape’ is a more precise term because form has other meanings in art. For example, ‘form’ may be used in a broad sense to described the total visual organization of a work, including color, texture and composition. Thus, to avoid confusion,” and because we are going to use form in a different way for our purposes, the term ‘shape’ is more specific. (Pentak & Lauer, pg.136). Refer to the previous podcast on shape.

Notes:

• “A flat work, such as a painting” or a quilt, “can be viewed satisfactorily from only a limited number of angles, and offers approximately the same image from each angle, but three dimensional works can be viewed from countless angles as [the viewer] moves around them.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.138)
• Form and shape are areas or masses which define objects in space. Form and shape imply space; indeed they cannot exist without space. (Art Design & Visual Thinking http://char.txa.cornell.edu/language/element/form/form.htm)
• There are various ways to categorize form and shape. Form and shape can be thought of as either two dimensional or three dimensional. Two dimensional form has width and height. It can also create the illusion of three dimension objects. Three dimensional shape has depth as well as width and height. (Art Design & Visual Thinking http://char.txa.cornell.edu/language/element/form/form.htm)

“Forms and shapes can be thought of as positive or negative. In a two dimensional composition, the objects constitute the positive forms, while the background is the negative space. For beginning art and design students, effective use of negative space is often an especially important concept to be mastered. An exercise in cut paper required the student to work with the same composition in black on white and white on black simultaneously. This exercise makes it difficult to ignore the background and treat it as merely empty space. The effective placement of objects in relation to the surrounding negative space is essential for success in composition.

Some artists play with the reversal of positive and negative space to create complex illusions. The prints of M. C. Escher … often feature interlocking images that play with our perception of what is foreground and what is background. Other artists take these illusions of positive and negative images to even greater lengths, hiding images within images. Perception of form and shape are conditioned by our ingrained “instinct” to impute meaning and order to visual data. When we look at an image and initially form an impression, there is a tendency to latch on to that conclusion about its meaning, and then ignore other possible solutions. This may make it hard to see the other images. Training the eye to keep on looking beyond first impressions is a crucial step in developing true visual literacy.”

(Art Design & Visual Thinking http://char.txa.cornell.edu/language/element/form/form.htm)

Resources

• Artline Elements of Design: http://coolschool.k12.or.us/courses/115100/welcome/elements1.html
• A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design
• Art Design & Visual Thinking http://char.txa.cornell.edu/language/element/form/form.htm
• Design Basics, 5th, c.1999, David A. Lauer, Stephen Pentak
• Noriko Ambe, http://www.norikoambe.com/
• The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, Ann Johnston.

Sandy and I were doing so well while she was on sabbatical getting the Design series podcasts to you regularly. The last one we recorded together was Texture. Then this summer, she and I have been like two virtual ships passing in the virtual night –all summer long. I was seriously thinking of recording something myself and sending her an audio file, but the technology aspects were significant enough for me to easily put it off. Finally, Sandy and I both had a spare minute at the same time, earlier this week, and were able to spend some time podcasting.

With Shape we are starting, what I think of as, some of the more advanced concepts. Will I ever learn not to leave the hard ones until last?

Probably not.

I have no doubt that you can all understand, especially with the fabulous foundation of design you have from the previous episodes and all the details we have discussed. 😉 Be sure to listen to the podcast, Episode 103. Below are the notes I used on the podcast.

Design tip: I just read somewhere that the Elements of Design are sometimes called the Sensory Properties, because the viewer can see and touch them with their senses. This is great for remembering which are the elements and which are the principles.

Shape is an Element of Design

 Definitions:

• The word shape is “used to refer to a two-dimensional shape…a flat area.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg.58)
• A shape is defined as an area that stands out from the space next to or around it due to a defined or implied boundary, or because of differences of value, color, or texture.  (Visual Literacy: http://www.educ.kent.edu/community/vlo/design/elements/shape/index.html)
• ” A shape is a visually perceived area.” The “edges are defined by a color value, pattern, or texture…” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg.58)
• “…the external outline of an object. It is two-dimensional.  ” (Artline Elements of Design: http://coolschool.k12.or.us/courses/115100/welcome/elements1.html)
• Shapes “are made up of closed contours… Shapes are used to convey meaning and organize information.” (About.com: http://webdesign.about.com/od/webdesignbasics/p/aashape.htm)

Understanding Shape

• • A shape is formed when a line encloses an area.
  • Shape is “defined by the lines forming its perimeter. Shapes are not three dimensional. They have no depth and cast no shadow. Shapes are two dimensional entities created by contrasts with their surroundings. They can contain color, value and texture as well as other elements of design.” (A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design, pg.85)
  • Shapes can also be defined by a color or value changes defining the outer edge.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.136)
  • Shapes are used to convey meaning and organize information. (Design Element Shape: http://msfrankel.com/design_principles/elements/presentations/shape.pdf)
• Shapes are flat and can express length and width. (Kidspace Art: http://new.4-hcurriculum.org/projects/kidspace/E-P.htm)
• “Design, or composition, is basically the arrangement of shapes.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.136)
• Shapes define figure/ground relationships. (Visual Literacy: http://www.educ.kent.edu/community/vlo/design/elements/shape/index.html)  
• There are various ways to categorize form and shape. Form and shape can be thought of as either two dimensional or three dimensional. Two dimensional shapes have width and height. Shapes can also create the illusion of three dimension objects. Three dimensional forms have depth as well as width and height. (Art Design & Visual Thinking http://char.txa.cornell.edu/language/element/form/form.htm)
  
• Volume and Mass: Shape is considered to be a two-dimensional element, which has no volume or mass. Three-dimensional elements (form) have volume and/or mass. A painting has shapes, while a sculpture has volume and mass. (Skaalid, http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/skaalid/theory/cgdt/shape.htm), (Pentak & Lauer, pg.138)   “Volume and mass refer to the three-dimensional shapes of sculpture and architecture. Even though quilts have dimension in the relief created by quilting and embellishment, they are usually considered two-dimensional because the angle of viewing doesn’t critically change the image.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg.58)
  • Example: “paintings have shapes while sculptures have masses.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.138) 

Types of Shapes

Some books say there are only three types of shapes. I found up to five in various sources. Therefore we will use the following types of shapes:

• • Geometric shapes
    • “…include, but are not limited to, circles, squares, rectangles, triangles, stars & diamonds. These types of shapes make up the bulk of the designs in traditional quilt making. They are used alone or together to create blocks and a repetition of design or patterned repeats on the surface of a quilt.” (A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design, pg.85)
    • “Geometric shapes are what most people think of when they think of shapes. ” (Design Element Shape: http://msfrankel.com/design_principles/elements/presentations/shape.pdf)Other common geometric shapes you see…are:
      • parallelogram
      • cube
      • pentagon
      • cylinder
  • Realistic shapes
    • “…replicate shapes found in [our lives] nature. These shapes actually exist and can be copied or recreated. Flowers, leaves, mountains, people, a pair of shoes and rocks in a riverbed are all realistic shapes.” These types of shapes are used quite often in applique’. (A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design, pg.85)
      • Check out Laura Kemshall’s DesignTV video where the main focus is the pair of red shoes. The shoes are a realistic shape. You can find the video in the Free Shows link on DesignTV. It is called Sketchbook Secrets – Using Photocopies Part 1. You will enjoy it.
  • Organic shapes (AKA Natural shapes)
    • “…are usually taken from nature but are less consistent than realistic shapes and offer more variation.” The following all have shapes that can be used as design elements.
      • clouds
      • flowing water
      • puddles
      • spills
    • Organic shapes call be linked to both the realistic and the abstract. (A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design, pg.85)
      • Example: Minor Miracle by Jane Sassaman is an example of organic shapes  (Adventures in Design, pg.31)
    • Abstract shapes
      • “Abstraction of shapes implies a simplification of natural shapes to their essential, basic character. Details are ignored as the shapes are reduced to their simplest terms.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.144)
      • “Abstract shapes are those that have a recognizable form but are not “real” in the same way that natural shapes are. For example, a stick-figure drawing of a dog is an abstract dog shape, but another dog in a photo is a natural shape. Abstract shapes in Web designs are usually added through images. Some examples of abstract shapes are:
        • alphabet glyphs (an alphabet glyph is a an element of writing: an individual mark on a written medium that contributes to the meaning of what is written.)
        • icons (a pictogram used in a graphical user interface, from Wikipedia)
        • symbols” (About.com: http://webdesign.about.com/od/webdesignbasics/p/aashape.htm)
      • “Abstract shapes do not fall into the geometric category and are usually an exaggeration or simplification of natural shapes. With these shapes realism goes out the window and improvisation takes over.” (A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design, pg.85)
        • Example:  a landscape stitched together using blocks and strips of color to imply a landscape. “We know that landscapes are not filled with  squares, rectangles and strips, but when placed together in the right position with the right colors a landscape can be implied. Art” quiltmakers often rely heavily on abstract design and shape. (A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design, pg.85)
      • Abstract shapes are “simplified or transformed from the real object. The amount of abstraction can range from slight to extreme.” “A transformed shape can be used to provoke a response in the viewer and to emphasize elements in the subject.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg.59)
        • Example: stick figure
        • An example of an abstract and a realistic shape side by side is the New Yorker magazine cover from November 23, 1992. (Note: click on the link, you will be asked for a username and password, but close the box and you can still see the cover without logging in or paying. If you want to read the article, you have to pay. You can also go to the Library and request to see the issue)
    • Non-objective shapes
      • “…shapes not found in geometry or nature.  These are non-realistic. They are similar to abstract shapes, but they lack any relation to a real idea or object. Free style piecing often features non-objective shapes.” (A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design, pg.85)
      • “Non-objective shapes are frequently used when the subject of a work is a concept, such as the relationship of colors or an emotion.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg.59)
        • Example is a quilt called Two Trunks, by Ann Johnston, 2004.

    Properties of Shape

    • Size – “scale the shape you choose to enhance the meaning of your quilt design. Size alone can give emphasis to a shape in a design.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg.60)
    • Proportion – “…the size of a shape in relationship to other shapes in the same design.”  Making shapes “much larger and out of proportion to other figures is unexpected and adds significance to their position in the design.” “If the scale of a shape is exaggerated by the artist, it may command attention.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg.61)
      • Example: If you have a giant figure on your quilt and the houses, cars and animals are all much smaller, this use of proportion tells the viewer that the figure is the most important part.
      • Example: if you make a medallion quilt with a Mariner’s Compass or star (like Sandy’s Stonehenge piece) in the middle, the star becomes the most important part, because it is the largest. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t look at the other parts of the quilt, but larger, generally,=more important.
    • Placement – “use placement of shapes for three-dimensional effects in a design.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg.62) This does not mean you are making a 3D object, just that you are creating that effect using shapes.  For example, “[i]f shapes are overlapped, one appears to be in front of the other, giving a sense of depth.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg.62).
      • “…we automatically view the bottom of a composition as the foreground and the top of a composition as the background.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg.62)
      • “The placement of shapes can direct and control where the viewer’s eye is first attracted, where it travels next , and where it ends. (Art + Quilt: Design Principles and Creativity Exercise, pg.28) 

    Psychology of shapes

    • circle = protective or infinite, also eternity, connection, community, wholeness, endurance, movement, safety, perfection, power, energy, integrity, completeness, home, restriction; refers to the feminine:  warmth, comfort, sensuality, and love, wholeness and unity (Design Element Shape: http://msfrankel.com/design_principles/elements/presentations/shape.pdf)
    • square = stability, equality, solidity, security, rationality and honesty (Design Element Shape: http://msfrankel.com/design_principles/elements/presentations/shape.pdf)
    • triangle = tension or conflict or action, also energy, power, balance, law, science, religion. Refers to the masculine, strength, aggression, dynamic movement, self-discovery, and revelation. (Design Element Shape: http://msfrankel.com/design_principles/elements/presentations/shape.pdf)
    • spiral = expressions of creativity, process of growth and evolution. (Design Element Shape: http://msfrankel.com/design_principles/elements/presentations/shape.pdf)

    Use of Shapes in Design:

    • add interest to a design
    • sustain interest
    • organize or separate elements
    • direct the eye through the design
      • Example: the ribbons of Flying Geese in Caryl Bryer Fallert’s work
    • “Shapes can be arranged in space in many ways – rows, overlapping, by size to show distance.” (Artline: http://coolschool.k12.or.us/courses/115100/welcome/elements1.html)

    Using Shape to achieve balance: (Pentak & Lauer, 5th, pg.88)

    • Shapes can be equal in size and density to achieve balance, but a larger more simple shape can also be balanced by smaller, more complex shape. Imagine a rectangle inside a rectangle on the left and splat or blob inside a rectangle on the right. The splat is more complex, thus, even though smaller, it can balance the simpler shape.

    

    Source: potterybarn.com via Samantha on Pinterest

    The photo above shows four jars. The brown jars are smaller. They are also denser than than the larger jars which seems to achieve the balance. The candle helps with the balance by mimicking the shape of the jars and making an odd number of shapes .

    The Shape vs. Form Conundrum
    A shape is also sometimes “called a form. The two terms are generally synonymous and are often used interchangeably. ‘Shape’ is a more precise term because form has other meanings in art. For example, ‘form’ may be used in a broad sense to described the total visual organization of a work, including color, texture and composition. Thus, to avoid confusion,” and because we are going to use form in a different way for our purposes, “the term ‘shape’ is more specific.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.136)

    Notes:

    • • • “Pictures certainly exist without color, without any significant textural interest, and even without line, but rarely do they exist without shape.”
          • Example:  modern paintings that are just splatters of paint. The splatters/droplets have a shape
        • “A flat work, such as a painting” or a quilt, “can be viewed satisfactorily from only a limited number of angles, and offers approximately the same image from each angle, but three dimensional works can be viewed from countless angles as [the viewer] moves around them.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.138) 
        • Negative Space is the area that surrounds the shapes. (Artline Elements of Design: http://coolschool.k12.or.us/courses/115100/welcome/elements1.html)
        • The placement of one shape – a positive figure or foreground – creates another, a negative figure or background. The placement of a shape organizes the empty space around it into more shapes. (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg.62)
        • Shapes can vary endlessly and can suggest physical form and direct eye movement.  (Visual Literacy: http://www.educ.kent.edu/community/vlo/design/elements/shape/index.html)
        • Simple shapes are remembered and understood more easily than complex shapes.  (Visual Literacy: http://www.educ.kent.edu/community/vlo/design/elements/shape/index.html)
        • Shapes serve many purposes in visual images. Value, texture, and color help us see different shapes.  (Visual Literacy: http://www.educ.kent.edu/community/vlo/design/elements/shape/index.html)
        • “Unless we are working whole-cloth, we textile artists must cut out shapes to create our work. The placement of shapes can direct and control where the viewer’s eye is first attracted, where it travels next , and where it ends. (Art + Quilt: Design Principles and Creativity Exercise, pg.28)

    Here is your mystery to ponder: “which came first line or shape?” Kind of like the chicken and the egg. (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg.58)

    Resources:

    • • A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design, Heather Thomas
      • About.com page on web design: http://webdesign.about.com/od/webdesignbasics/p/aashape.htm
      • Adventures in Design by Joen Wolfrom
      • Art + Quilt: Design Principles and Creativity Exercises, Lyric Kinard
      • Artline Elements of Design: http://coolschool.k12.or.us/courses/115100/welcome/elements1.html
      • Design Basics, 5th, c.1999, David A. Lauer, Stephen Pentak
      •  Design Element Shape: http://msfrankel.com/design_principles/elements/presentations/shape.pdf
      • Incredibleart.org: http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/files/elements.htm via Exploring Visual Design: The Elements and Principles, Joseph Gatto, Albert Porter, Jack Selleck. Davis Publications. 2000.
      • Kidspace Art: http://new.4-hcurriculum.org/projects/kidspace/E-P.htm), Adapted from A Palette of Fun with Arts and Crafts, a 4-H CCS publication
      • The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, Ann Johnston. 
      • Visual Literacy: http://www.educ.kent.edu/community/vlo/design/elements/shape/index.html
      • Bonnie Skaalid, Web Design for Instruction: Classic Graphic Design Theory: Elements of Design: Shape http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/skaalid/theory/cgdt/shape.htm

Sandy and I had fun talking about Texture, another element of design, a few days ago. It is so interesting to do the research for these segments as I learn so much. Check out Sandy’s podcast episode 89 on Texture.

Texture is an Element of Design

Use of Texture in General

• “…help define the design and contribute to its success.” (Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg. 87)
• “Use of texture to suggest movement.” (Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg. 88)
  • “…create lines and a sense of movement.”  …spiral quilting lines add swirls and shapes in sky. Long, wavy, diagonal quilting lines can suggest motion and contribute to the idea of flight. (Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg. 88)
  • Size of thread can make part of a quilt stand out as can echo quilting. (Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg. 88)
• Use of texture to add dimension (Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg. 88)
  • rocks can look rounder (Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg. 88)
  • emphasize cracks (Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg. 88)
  • suggest water in motion by using metallic thread (Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg. 88)
  • give the impression of depth by overlapping a pattern underneath (Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg. 88)

Use of Texture in Quiltmaking

• “Piecing in and of itself creates visible edges with shadows on a quilt top. A whole cloth quilt will have a much flatter look than one with seams or applique.” (Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg. 89)
  • “In order to sculpt the surface of the quilt, I like to in complete control of the seam allowances. When the quilting is done on the background, close to the seam, the patch under which the seam allowances are pressed can be lifted from the surface of the quilt by the extra padding provided by the seam allowance.” (Piecing: Expanding the Basics, pg.6)
• Perl cotton stitching
• embroidery
  • French knots
  • Leaf embroidery: http://www.duitang.com/people/mblog/19374527/detail/ (note this is an Asian site written in characters. I don’t read this language, so don’t know what it says)
• quilting, especially many lines close together
• applique’ (think of the layers sometimes used to build up a design)
  • raw edge applique’ to have the fibers of the fabric add to the design
  • all the different types of applique’ provide different types of dimension and texture to a quilt.
• ruching (flowers in Baltimore Album quilts)
• thread painting (have you every felt the texture of the stitching?)
• the feel of the quilt if you put your thumb on the back and your fingers on the top of the quilt and squeeze
• couching (listen to Sandy’s podcast interview with Karen Lee Carter)
• yo-yos
• trapunto
• beading (Kissy Fish as example)
• Cathedral Window quilts
• prairie points (Example: Autumn by Ludmilla Aristova from (Adventures in Design, pg.68) )
• buttons (Adventures in Design, pg.65)
• paint (Adventures in Design, pg.65)
• embellishment (Adventures in Design, pg.65)
• Crazy quilts
• quilting
  • “The  type of quilting used changes the texture of a quilt: a hand-quilted line looks a lot different than a machine-quilted line.” (Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg. 90)

Notes:

• “The essential distinction between texture and pattern seems to be whether the surface arouses our sense of touch or merely provides designs appealing to the eye. In other words, while every texture makes a sort of pattern, not every pattern could be considered a texture.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg. 168)
• “Tactile texture is the way the cloth feels when you touch it, the difference between satin & burlap.” (Art+Quilt, pg.22)
• “Visual texture is the way the cloth looks, from the printed or woven pattern such as subtle brocade to a bright and bold Hawaiian print.” (Art+Quilt, pg.22) ” “A bold visual texture will automatically become a dominant feature when placed with a more subdued prints and solids.” (Art+Quilt, pg.23)
• Visual texture is “that which can be seen and gives the appearance of a texture where no actual difference in the surface of can be felt. Examples of visual texture are printed fabrics that look like rock or sand, but actually feel smooth and even.” (Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg.85)
• “Visual texture is implied.”  “There is no actual ” tactile feel to it, instead it has a print on it which makes the surface look as though it has a print on it whcih makes the surface look as though it is textured.” (A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design, pg. 90)
• Pattern is sometimes thought of as visual texture.
• Texture “allows subtle changes in the surface design.” (Adventures in Design, pg.65)
• “Pattern and texture are often used interchangeably because a pattern may give a surface the appearance of texture and because textures have a distinct repeating arrangement that creates a pattern.” (Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg. 79)
• “You draw a line, close it to make a shape, and then fill it with texture. As quilt artists we work mainly in the opposite direction. We choose the texture of our fabric, cut out shapes, then add line with stitching and thread”  (Art+Quilt, pg.22)
• “Though many fabrics have tactile texture, most quilt artists use cotton fabrics made specifically for quilting. These fabrics have a polished surface with no tactile texture. …we rely heavily on the visual texture that is derived by the motifs printed on the surface of the fabric. ” (A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design, pg. 90)
• You can change the texture of your fabric by manipulating it. Fabric can be “scrunched, wrinkled, pleated, folded, felted, or twisted to add” to what you want your work to say. (Art+Quilt, pg.23) Example: Change of Seasons
• “Texture provides interest and variety. It can add realism to landscape, portrait and animal quilts.  It also helps delineate space…Simply put, we need to see when the perimeter of one section ends and another begins. We achieve this through contrasts in color and value, as well as contrast of textures.” (A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design, pg. 91)
• “Van Gogh was an early exponent of the actual application of paint as a further expressive element.” In his painting Portrait of the Artist, you can see “how short brushstrokes of thick, undiluted paint are used to build up the agitated, swirling patterns of Van Gogh’s images. The ridges and raised edges of the paint strokes are obvious to the viewer’s eye.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.160)
• “Texture adds character, can create a sense of age, and provides uniqueness.” (Adventures in Design, pg.65)

Homework:

• Look at your most recent quilt and see what kinds of texture you can find.
• Think about how “texture will affect your work. Will the viewer immediately see the weave of the cloth, or is it so smooth and tightly woven that it reflects the light? Can you use those qualities to evoke certain emotions or feelings? (Art+Quilt, pg.22-23)
• Create “similar compositions executed in solid, plain-woven cottons,” velvet, brocade, satin, etc (Art+Quilt, pg.23)
• Take a scrap of fabric and give it texture – couch on it, scrunch it, pucker it, embroider on it.

The example above has great texture.
Resources
A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design by Heather Thomas
Adventures in Design by Joen Wolfrom
Art+Quilt by Lyric Kinard
Design Basics by Pentak & Lauer
Leaf embroidery: http://www.duitang.com/people/mblog/19374527/detail/ (note this is an Asian site written in characters. I don’t read this language, so don’t know what it says)
Ludmila Aristova Website – http://web.mac.com/ludmila.aristova/Ludmila_Aristova/Home.html
Piecing: Expanding the Basics by Ruth McDowell
Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, by Ann Johnston

Notes:

• “A pattern is created when the viewer is led to anticipate the same elements in a design.” (Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg. 49)
• “The repetition does not have to be symmetrical, nor does it have to be precisely place for the viewer to be able to anticipate or find a pattern. Sometimes a pattern is noticed by one viewer and not another.” (Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg. 49)

• 

  “The shape does does not have to the same size or scale [to create a pattern], but it does need to have a consistent feel.”(A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design, pg.99) The example of the fabric to the left has a variety of motifs, but the line quality and relation of motifs to each other gives the design a consistent feel. thus creating a pattern. Of course, there is a repeat in the design as well.

• “Pattern and texture are often used interchangeably because a pattern may give a surface the appearance of texture and because textures have a distinct repeating arrangement that creates a pattern.” (Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, pg. 79)
• Pattern is sometimes called visual texture.
• “The essential distinction between texture and pattern seems to be whether the surface arouses our sense of touch or merely provides designs appealing to the eye. In other words, while every texture makes a sort of pattern, not every pattern could be considered a texture.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg. 168)

Examples:

• Claudine Helmuth points out Edouard Vuillard’s work. “He would fill his paintings to the brim with pattern. Every surface is covered in pattern, none of which normally go together but somehow it all works.”  Claudine Helmuth’s Series on Finding your Artistic Style, pt.2)

The Swoon block shown was discussed in the episode as one of the examples.

Resources

A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design by Heather Thomas

Art+Quilt by Lyric Kinard

Claudine Helmuth’s Series on Finding your Artistic Style, pt.2: http://claudinehellmuth.blogspot.com/2012/04/finding-your-artistic-style-part-2.html

Design Basics by Pentak & Lauer

Homework Workshop.com (ochre image above)

Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d, by Ann Johnston

Textile Design blog –http://textiledesignss.com/textile-pattern-design/ (black & white image above)

For the audio portion, check out Sandy’s page or iTunes

Rhythm is a Principle of Design

Rhythm is a design principle based on repetition (Pentak & Lauer, pg. 100)

Definitions:

1. “Intervals at which related element occur throughout a piece of art” (Liz Berg handout entitled Principles of Design from “Design the Abstract Quilt” class)
2. Visual rhythm is created when elements repeat in a sequence in a design. The repeated elements are often shape or color motifs…rather than simply repeating the elements to create a pattern. They act as a series of beats that ‘speak’ to one another.” (Aimone, Design! A lively guide to design basics for artists & craftspeople, pg. 112-113)
3. “..rhythm involves a clear repetition of elements that are the same or only slightly modified.”  (Pentak & Lauer, pg. 100)

• • Vertical slats on the back of a chair

1. Rhythm is “the repetition of a regular pattern, or a harmonious sequence or correlation of colors or elements.” (Art+Quilt by Lyric Kinard, pg. 80)
2. “Visual rhythm involves the movement of our eye from one element to the next in a regular pattern.” (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)
3. “In visual art, refers to the movement of the viewer’s eye across recurrent motifs.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d ed, pg. 155)

“…repetition of an element creates visual rhythm.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d ed, pg.15)

The following relate back to unity, so be sure to review those notes and the podcast before you move to Rhythm

Types of Rhythm

Alternating Rhythm (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d ed, pg. 16)

• “…the variation of a repeated pattern between two or more elements.” (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)
  • Example: the pattern of night and day (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)
  • Example: “…a chorus repeated between different verses of a song.” (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)
• “…uses patterns that move back and forth.”  (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d ed, pg. 16)
  • Light and dark
  • thick and thin
  • hot and cold
  • tall and short
• “A familiar example of this idea can be seen in a building with columns, such as a Greek Temple. The repeating pattern of light columns against darker negative spaces is clearly an alternating rhythm.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg. 104)

Progressive Rhythm (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d ed, pg.16)

• “…uses the repetition of an element to deliberately move the viewer’s eye in a specific direction. It is a pattern in which the viewer can see a sequence that is predictable. (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d ed, pg. 16)
• “In visual art, a progressive rhythm might consist of any repeated element growing or shrinking in size, shape, or number.” (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)
  • Example: “The expanding rays of a Mariner’s compass block as it reaches outward.” (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)
• “A progressive rhythm is often found in nature when the size or shape of something gradually increases or descreases.” (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)
  • concentric layers of tree rings (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)
  • a musical theme that “grows in complexity, volume, and instrumentation with repetition.” (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)
  • “gradually diminishing pattern of ocean waves as your eye moves toward the horizon” (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)
• Commonplace in nature, but not always readily apparent (Pentak & Lauer, pg. 107)
  • Cut in half, the inside of an artichoke shows a growth pattern. (Pentak & Lauer, pg. 107)
  • chambered nautilus cut in cross section. (Pentak & Lauer, pg. 107)

Staccato Rhythm

• “abrupt changes with dynamic contrast. The reccurrence of these dark squares establishes a visual rhythm. The irregular spacing of the small squares causes the pattern (and rhythm) to be lively rather than monotonous.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg. 100)
  • Piet Mondrian painting called Broadway Boogie-Woogie  expresses the “on/off patterns of Broadway’s neon landscape but also the rhythmic sounds of 1940s instrumental blues music.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg. 102)
• Staccato rhythm can, sometimes, be exciting if unsettling. (Pentak & Lauer, pg. 100)

Static Rhythm

• “…has no variety and can be monotonous if carried throughout a composition… If there is no variety in the fabrics chosen, the quilt will have static rhythm, …no movement.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d ed, pg. 15)
• “Static rhythm is only apparent; for in every seeming case, the rhythm really pervades the succession of acts of attention to the elements rather than the elements themselves; a colonnade, for example, is rhythmical only when the attention moves from one column to another.” (http://www.authorama.com/principles-of-aesthetics-6.html) – I think this is why we like those red and white Sawtooth Star quilts.

Syncopated Rhythm

• “…gives surprising emphasis to a beat that is normally weak and adds unexpected interest.” (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)
• “A syncopation or syncopated rhythm is any rhythm that puts an emphasis on a beat, or a subdivision of a beat, that is not usually emphasized…Syncopation is one way to liven things up. The music can suddenly emphasize the weaker beats of the measure, or it can even emphasize notes that are not on the beat at all.” (Connexions http://cnx.org/content/m11644/latest/)

Visual Rhythm

• “Repetition is another way to create unity in a quilt design. The repetition of an element in a composition can tie the whole together, creating a relationship among the elements.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d ed, pg.15)
  • “…repetition of an element creates visual rhythm.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d ed, pg.15) Static rhythm, alternating rhythm and progressive rhythm have an effect on unity through repetition.
• “Visual rhythm can be smooth and even, or it can be abrupt and uneven, depending on the goal the quilt designer wants to achieve.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d ed, pg. 16)

 Examples of Rhythm

• heartbeat – “repeats in a regular, orderly manner and establishes a rhythm that underlies your very existence” (Aimone, Design! A lively guide to design basics for artists & craftspeople, pg.112)
• “breathing consists of a regular sequence of inhaling and exhaling” (Aimone, Design! A lively guide to design basics for artists & craftspeople, pg.112)
• “When you walk, you establish parallel rhythms with the two sides of your body.” (Aimone, Design! A lively guide to design basics for artists & craftspeople, pg.112)

 Notes:

• “Careful placement of accents pulls the viewer’s eye across the picture. The eye travels quickly when elements are closely spaced, more slowly across wider intervals. Use accents to control the rhythm and keep the viewer’s eye moving within the picture.” (Liz Berg handout entitled Principles of Design from “Design the Abstract Quilt” class). This is one area where a border is useful. Instead of just slapping on a border (and you all know by now that this is one of my biggest pet peeves), look at whether your design is falling off the quilt and needs to be contained or whether you need to continue the design into the border to finish it.
• “…rhythm relies on repetition. Repeating design elements over and over again will create a sense of rhythm with the design field.” (A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design, pg. 127)
• “Rhythm helps to entice the viewer to stay longer and can make an artwork easier to live with.  (A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design, pg. 127)
• “..if the rhythm of a work becomes too static or monotonous then the work becomes easy to ignore.” (A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design, pg. 127)
• Visual rhythm is closely connected to rhythms in music and the rhythms of art pieces are sometimes inspired by music. (Pentak & Lauer, pg. 108)

Rhythm Resources:

• A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design book* by Heather Thomas
• Art+Quilt* by Lyric Kinard
• Design! A lively guide to design basics for artists & craftspeople by Steven Aimone book*
• International School | Breda Principles of Design page
• Liz Berg handout entitled Principles of Design from “Design the Abstract Quilt” class
• Rhythm – Basic Principles of Design post/article
• The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d book*

**Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops. However, I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.

Sandy and I got together, virtually, of course, and recorded another episode. This time the topic was Repetition, which is a Principle of Design. Repetition is closely related to Unity, another principle of design and a topic we discussed in this series previously. If you didn’t listen to the Unity podcast, you would be well served to listen to it before you listen to this one.

As a reminder, the design definition with which we are working is:  Design is a problem solving activity within all the arts, placing or creating subject matter so it is of visual significance and interesting to the artist. (from The

“The principle of repetition is very versatile. It not only promotes the existence of unity, but it plays a significant role in the appearances of the principles of rhythm and harmony (Adventures in Design, pg. 97)

Definitions of Repetition:

1. “[Repetition] provides visual clues to help move the eye about the picture. Similarities in elements reinforce the viewer’s recognition of symbols, strengthen the rhythm, encourage movement, and produce patterns. Introduce variations of repeated elements to prevent boredom.” (Liz Berg handout entitled Principles of Design from “Design the Abstract Quilt” workshop). Nota bene: When she uses ‘elements’ in this definition, she doesn’t mean design elements, but elements in the design; parts of the design, e.g. repeating a checkerboard at various intervals.
2. “We use the word repetition to describe the practice of using design elements over and over again” (A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color & Design, pg. 124)
3. An element that repeats in various parts of a design to relate the parts (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d ed, pg.155)
4. “Repetition in design is simply repeating one or more elements. (Wolfrom, Adventures in Design, pg. 97)
5. “…something simply repeats in various parts of the design to relate the parts to each other. The element that repeats may be almost anything: a color, a shape, a texture, a direction or an angle.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.28)
6. Provides visual clues to help move the eye around the image. (Liz Berg handout entitled Principles of Design from “Design the Abstract Quilt” class)

“…repeated elements will help bring unity to our artistic creations.” (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)

“A definite focal point is not a necessity in creating a successful design. It is a tool that arts may or many not use, depending on their aims. An artist may wish to emphasize the entire surface of a composition over any individual elements.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.57) One way to do this is to repeat a motif or element.

•  In Andy Warhol’s 100 Cans painting, there are “a hundred repetitions of precisely the same image with no change, no contrast, and no point of emphasis. But the repetitive, unrelieved quality is the basic point and dictated the design.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.57)

Repetition is used frequently in quiltmaking.

• blocks
• similar fabrics or colors
• fabric repeats
• Repeated vertical stripes in an Amish Bars quilt (Art+Quilt, pg. 80)

Repetition can be used in representational work as well. In Degas’ painting, The Millinery Shop, the artist often repeats a circle motif. The circles are a repeating element of visual unity, but the circles fit into the painting, because they represent objects such as hats, flowers, bows, the woman’s head, bosom, and skirt. (Pentak & Lauer, pg.28)

Examples of repetition in quilts and other art:

• Cabbages: http://www.flickr.com/photos/artquiltmaker/6259339035/in/photostream/
• Doors: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rSe2s1w5dFY/TbyYeslJqeI/AAAAAAAAAIE/Fo9Qdklxrh0/s1600/DSC01043.JPG (http://sewwhat-maryse.blogspot.com/)
• Stamps: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kitty80/4935066650/ (via Pinterest)
• Group of repetition on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/littlebluebell/6686547963/in/photostream/

Integrating with other Principles and Elements

• Repetition is the element of choice to create unity. (Wolfrom, Adventures in Design, pg.97)
  • Tinturaria’s Ski Crowd 1 : http://tinturaria-handprinting.com/product/ski-crowd-i
• “Repetition promotes the existence of unity, but it plays a significant role” in the appearances of rhythm as well. “Repetition that flows fluidly throughout a design allows rhythm to come forth. When Repetition and Rhythm work together in a visually pleasing manner, harmony is created.” (Wolfrom, Adventures in Design, pg.97)
• “…at least one repeating element” can serve to create unity.” (Wolfrom, Adventures in Design, pg.97)
• “If no repetition exists there is nothing to hold the design together.” (Wolfrom, Adventures in Design, pg.98)
• “Pattern is a repetitive design with a motif appearing again and again. A pattern is created when the viewer is led to anticipate the same elements in a design. The repetition does not have to symmetrical, nor does it have to be precisely placed for the view to be able to anticipate or a find a pattern.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d ed, pg.49)
• Repetition is “a valuable and widely used device for achieving visual unity.” (Pentak & Lauer, pg.28)
• Rhythm is “the repetition of a regular pattern, or a harmonious sequence or correlation of colors or elements.” (Art+Quilt by Lyric Kinard, pg.80)

Tips and Tricks

• • • “Every element does not need to be repeated. If too many elements are repeated, predictability, visual monotony, and disinterest can result.” (Wolfrom, Adventures in Design, pg.97)
    • Elements can be repeated in different sizes, shapes or textures, etc and still be considered repetition. (Pentak & Lauer, pg.28)
      • A good example of this is: Sophie Taeuber-Arp‘s Composition with Circles Shaped by Curves and Composition in a Circle. 1937 (Pentak & Lauer, pg.28)

• “Similarities in elements reinforce the viewer’s recognition of symbols, strengthen the rhythm, encourage movement, and produce patterns. Introduce variations of repeated elements to prevent boredom.” (Liz Berg handout entitled Principles of Design from “Design the Abstract Quilt” class)

Notes:

If you have not seen Wayne Thiebaud‘s work, not only are his cakes and candies paintings whimsical, they are GREAT examples of repetition.

•  “Repetition is another way to create unity in a quilt design. The repetition of an element in a composition can tie the whole together, creating a relationship among the elements.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d ed, pg.15) Nota bene: again, ‘element’ in this context means part.

•  “…repetition of an element creates visual rhythm.” (The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d ed, pg.15). Static rhythm, alternating rhythm and progressive rhythm have an effect on unity through repetition, but we will cover that when we cover the Principle of Rhythm.

• “Repetition that flows fluidly throughout a design allows rhythm to come forth.” (Adventures in Design, pg. 97)
• “When repetition and rhythm work together in a visually pleasing manner, harmony is created.” (Adventures in Design, pg. 97)

Repetition Resources

• A Fiber Artist’s Guide to Color and Design by Heather Thomas
• Adventures in Design by Joen Wolfrom
• Art+Quilt by Lyric Kinard
• Design Basics by Pentak & Lauer
• John Lovett website: http://www.johnlovett.com/test.htm
• Liz Berg handout entitled Principles of Design from “Design the Abstract Quilt” class
• The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d ed by Ann Johnston
  
• Scrapbook Design Basics – Repetition: http://scrapbooking.about.com/od/gettingstarted/tp/Scrapbook-Design-Basics-Repetition.htm
• Understanding Design Basics: Rhythm & Repetition by Vanessa Gardner Nagel, http://www.seasonsgardendesign.com/Article-UDB-Rhythm_Repetition.html

 Examples of Repetition:

The triangles of the branches are what caught my attention.

Source: cathyhecknurseryart.com via Jaye on Pinterest

Camellias in vases lined up are gorgeous.

Source: umla.tumblr.com via Jaye on Pinterest

Source: alifeofblue.blogspot.com via Jaye on Pinterest

 

 

Sandy and I got busy on the second class in the design series. See her blog for more information. See her supplemental post for even further information.

During my research travels into Line this past week, I found a great definition for design in Ann Johnston’s The Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d. This is an adjunct to the definitions we gave you in the last podcast. It is: Design is a problem solving activity within all the arts, placing or creating subject matter so it is of visual significance and interesting to the artist.

Line is an Element of Design.

Definition: Line is a mark on the surface that describes a shape or outline. A line is a mark made by a moving point and having psychological impact according to its direction, weight, and the variations in its direction and weight. Lines in quilt blocks can draw the eye around the quilt. For example, a Double Four Patch set in diagonal lines will draw the eye from top to bottom diagonally. An Irish Chain quilt setting can frame plain blocks filled with quilting or applique’ blocks.

Line is a mark on the surface that describes a shape or outline. Types of lines can include actual, implied, vertical, horizontal, diagonal and contour lines. The line quality makes the work more expressive. Lines act as a connector or boundary between shapes. They divide, but also connect. Lines may be:

• thick or thin (Perl cotton v. Aurifil)
• fast
• slow
• serene
• agitated
• jagged
• lyrical
• aggressive.

Line brings energy to the design. (Liz Berg handout)

• lines in quilts are generally seam lines or quilting lines.
• hand quilting
• machine quilting
• Pressing also creates a line.
• When you press to one side, you have 3 layers of fabric bulking up the seam. This can be used to highlight areas (see Ruth McDowell’s Piecing Beyond the Basics book)
• lines on quilts can also be embroidery (hand or machine)
• sashiko
• redwork ( and similar)
• couching
• sashing creates lines
• overall top design can include strong lines
• Irish Chain
• Jewel Box
• Diamond Chain

Questions/Things to consider:

• how a design uses line
• secondary designs created by the way line is used in a block, leading the eye through a design, that kind of thing.
• Line has dimension
• Perl cotton has more dimension than Aurifil thread
• Lines have width and length
• Lines are directional: horizontal, curved, vertical, diagonal, zig zaggy, straight, parallel and so on.

Quilt Blocks and Quilt Designs with Strong Lines

• Log Cabin (barn raising set ) Example – see #4
• Log Cabin (furrow set) – Example
• Row quilt – Example or Example
• Amish Bars – Example
• Blue Tulips on Pink Skies by Sue Nickels

Homework:

Exercise #1

You will need:

• piece of blank paper (can be the back of junk mail)
• catalog or magazine pictures you are willing to cut up
• paper scissors
• drawing or writing implement  (You can use anything, but one with a smooth line is great!)
• glue stick

1.  Find a picture in your magazine or catalog and cut a 3×3″ square out of it.
2. Take a piece of blank paper and lay it on the table in front of you
3. Glue the 3×3″ square somewhere towards the middle on the paper. There should be at least 2″ of white space around each side of the magazine picture.
4. Turn the paper upside down so the image is upside down.
5. Continue the image out from each side of the paper using your pen
6. “Simplify the design in the square and its drawn continuation.” Use the cut off edges to make a new design.
7. Perform this exercise over and over on different pieces of paper with different pictures until you are happy with the result.
8. Use the simplified design as a starting point for a quilt.

(adapted from Fearless Design for Every Quilter by Lorraine Torrence, pg. 63)

Exercise #2
You can do exercise #2 with free motion quilting as well using a 3×3″ square of fabric on top of a small (11×11″ or so) quilt sandwich.

Supplies you will need:

• a charm pack OR
• a group of approximately 50 3-5″ paper squares of all colors and designs (junkmail works well, you could use a scrapbooking paper punch if you have that) OR
• cut a group of 3-5″ squares of fabric (approximately 50)
• notebook or paper (reusing junk mail is just fine)
• pen or other writing implement

Directions:

1. Put all the squares on the floor or on a table right next to each other. Do not arrange them yet.
2. Look at them and see if you see any dominate lines. Make a note of how the lines show up (because of the color? because of the design on the fabric or paper? Other?)
3. If you have a camera, take a photo.
4. Rearrange the squares in some kind of order.
5. Look at them and see if you see any dominate lines. Make a note of how the lines show up (because of the color? because of the design on the fabric or paper? Other?)
6. If you have a camera, take a photo.
7. Based on what you saw in the squares of your fabric, draw simple lines in your notebook or on paper.
8. Optional: think about and take note of design ideas that are suggested to you by the images you have created.

Exercise #3

You will need:

• notebook or paper (junkmail is fine)
• pen or writing implement (colors are fun)

Directions: Draw different kinds of lines:

• zig zag
• curved
• broken
• straight (ish!)
• continuous
• fat
• thin

Resources:

• Fearless Design for Every Quilter by Lorraine Torrence
• Introduction to the Elements of Design – http://char.txa.cornell.edu/language/element/element.htm
• Ruth McDowell Piecing Beyond the Basics, ISBN: 9781571200419
• Exercises: http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/paa/clothing/mod5.html
• Interesting visual examples of types of lines: http://www.mmwindowtoart.com/foundations/foundationsline.html

Two of my art quilts that were discussed in the episode: What Comes Next and Kissy Fish

You can read more about What Comes Next in a previous post.

Kissy Fish is difficult to photograph, because there are a lot of parts that reflect light very well.

Recently, Sandy, of Quilting for the Rest of Us, and I recorded a podcast where we started to talk about design. Several months ago, she asked me if I would considering talking with her and her listeners about design. I was reluctant. I am not an expert, but Sandy is pretty good at convincing people to do stuff and I am good at research. It has taken me some time to find the time, coalesce my thoughts and to start to do the research.

The first podcast we recorded was an overview of design. We discussed the principles and elements of design. We talked about what the principles and elements are in design and some examples of how to use them. We tried to talk about why a classic quiltmaker who uses patterns and books should care about design. I’d like to know if you have examples of how you have used design.

Some of my thoughts…

Knowing about design principles and elements helps refine your innate skill. Everyone has innate design skills.

Concept: I use patterns why do I need to know about design?

• Color is an element of design. To make beautiful quilts, you need to know about color. If you buy a kit, there may be one color you do not like and by knowing about design, you will be able to replace it successfully.
• Balance is a principle of design. If your eye sees an element of the quilt as being unbalanced, then knowing about design will help you adjust it.

Concept: I am not an art quiltmaker, why do I need to know about design principles and elements?

• “Some designs lack that indefinable life – or spark – that lifts them out of the mundane, the predictable, the commonplace …. learning about design elements and principles helps you train your vision and refine your subconscious decision making.” (Fearless Design for Every Quilter by Lorraine Torrence, pg.57)
• Negative space in fabric: “When choosing prints for a patchwork, think about how they’ll look when cut up. Does that small print have so much negative (empty) space that the actual print part won’t show up on half of the pieces? Is that large print so big that the pieces cut from it will look like they’re from entirely different pieces of fabric? (Elizabeth Hartman, The Practical Guide to Patchwork, pg.24).
• Borders: does slapping on 4 lengths of fabric work with the design you have chosen or would a bit of piecing enhance your excellent quilt top?
• Books: when looking at books and evaluating whether you want to spend money on it, you can evaluate the various elements and principles of  design included in the patterns of the book.

Many quiltmakers, though not formally trained in art (e.g. an MFA in fine art) have intuitive art sensibilities. (Fearless Design for Every Quilter by Lorraine Torrence, pg.5)

I have been thinking about design for awhile. I never took a dedicated design class in school and have never found one that fit into my schedule since. Also, I am too lazy to leave my house again once I get home. If I did sign up I would go, so the laziness is really me thinking that I would be lazy and not go to class even before I sign up. Sigh!

I have pages and pages of notes I have taken on design elements and principles as I have tried to make the design elements and principles part of my working toolbox.

Design is a way of organizing a piece of visual work. According to the Quilter’s Book of Design, 2d by Ann Johnston, “Design is a  problem-solving activity within all the arts, placing or creating subject matter so it is of visual significance and interesting to the artist.” (pg.xi). I like this definition, because it is understandable and doable. It also isn’t scary for people who have no MFA. When I think about solving a problem with my quilt, I relax about design and try to review the skills in my design toolbox. Remember, though, that “we all have personal experiences, subjective leanings, and differences in personality that make us prefer one thing to another…” (Fearless Design for Every Quilter by Lorraine Torrence, pg.57)

Good design requires practice and is the “result of of a successful combination of design elements … and principles…”(Fearless Design for Every Quilter by Lorraine Torrence, pg.6)

Elements of Design
The elements form the ‘vocabulary‘ of the design (Wikipedia, design elements and principles).

The Elements of Design are the language of the visual arts (http://www.wiu.edu/art/courses/design/elements.htm).

The elements are components or parts which can be isolated and defined in any visual design or work of art. They are the structure of the work, and can carry a wide variety of messages (http://char.txa.cornell.edu/language/element/element.htm).

• Line
• Shape
• Value
• Color
• Movement
• Size
• Pattern

Principles of Design
The principles constitute the broader structural aspects of the design’s composition (Wikipedia, design elements and principles).

Principles (http://www.wiu.edu/art/courses/design/principles.htm).

The Principles are concepts used to organize or arrange the structural elements of design. Again, the way in which these principles are applied affects the expressive content, or the message of the work (http://char.txa.cornell.edu/language/principl/principl.htm).

• Unity
• Harmony
• Contrast
• Rhythm
• Repetition
• Gradation
• Balance
• Dominance

The principles of design, according to my research, are usually taught first. I think they are also a little harder to explain to an audio audience, so I told Sandy we should start with the elements. After getting into it a bit, I am thinking that we might bounce around. Hope you tune in to find out!