Design and Tradition: A short account of the principles and historic development of architecture and the applied artsFenn, Amor
History
Design and Tradition: A short account of the principles and historic development of architecture and the applied arts
Fenn, Amor
Architecture; Art; Decoration and ornament; Decoration and ornament -- History
Any leaf or flower that does not conform should be so arranged as to
satisfactorily comply with this condition, and this can easily be
achieved by slightly shifting the point of view, as it is generally due
to extreme foreshortening, or perspective that is confusing in
appearance.
[Illustration: No. 285. Natural Aspect of Various Leaves.
Those in outline unsuitable without adaptation for ornament. The
silhouette versions shew natural aspects that readily lend to decorative
purposes.]
Points of study to be noted are the stem growth, junctions and angles of
branching and articulation of leaves, the difference in development of
leaves on main stem and those on flower stalk, and phases of the
flowers. The drawing should be explanatory as far as possible, and any
detail not quite clear should be expressed in separate lucid diagrams.
When readily accessible, a series of studies should be made of the same
plant or growth at differing stages, so as to form a record of the life
history and development.
Care should be exercised to arrange the study with its explanatory
details on the paper so as to satisfactorily occupy the area, not
necessarily symmetrically, but with a view to desirable balance. Those
with a natural faculty for design will probably do this instinctively,
but the observance is important in developing the sense of arrangement.
_Treatment_
The drawings, which should be carefully detailed as to form, and
intimate detail--in fact diagrammatic--can be in pencil or ink outline,
light and shade is generally unimportant, though it may be lightly
suggested.
With regard to colour, except in examples of special suggestion, little
time need be wasted in still life renderings, though suggestive colour
schemes may well be noted, but the drawing should at least be lightly
tinted, this serving the double purpose of fixing the pencil lines, and
defining the silhouette shapes.
These studies should form material for designs, not at first ambitious,
but dealing with single leaves or flowers, and deriving from them
details suitable to some form of decorative expression. These can be
expressed in flat colour, with or without outline, or further ornamented
by treatments suggestive of veining or striation. The blotching of some
leaves during autumnal changes or any natural markings can often be
turned to decorative account.
_Drawings for Reproduction_
Designs in some instances are in the form of perspective sketches, when
it is desirable to convey an idea of their final appearance, but as a
rule they are expressed as working drawings. This is imperative when the
final production is the result of some mechanical production, as in book
decoration and advertisement either black and white or in colour.
Drawings for these are generally made larger and reduced to the required
size by photography, and the blocks for printing made from the
photograph.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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