Preamble
There are a number of posts in this series and for your convenience I have listed them below:
Designing an Art/Craft Project (Part I)
Designing an Art/Craft Project (Part II)
Designing an Art/Craft Project (Part III)
Introduction [1-2]
We have so far covered design elements such as lines, form or shape, balance, unity, proportion, color, texture and function. We will finish the series by summarising the design process.
The Design Process [1-2]
Many years ago I wrote an opinion piece on art entitled - Why ArtCloth? Within it I stated:
"There are three basic ingredients (as opposed to definitions) that all artworks possess. When engaged they are non-functional, and aesthetic. Wearable Art is Art when placed in an art context but when it is not placed in an art context, its functionality obscures the act of engagement." Hence, these three conditions - engagement, non-function and aesthetic - are what the logicians call necessary and sufficient conditions. So designing artwork is different from designing, say, wearable art. There are design regions in which they overlap and then there are design regions which are solely within their domain and of course, design regions which neither of them encompass. Just follow the blue domains in the diagram below to see what I am trying to convey to you in words.
Logicians call this a Venn diagram.
For example, the design principles used in building dams is an area outside of the Art and Wearable Art design domain.
I will try to steer close to the common design areas but if I stray you will know that I have done this on purpose.
The final outcome of this study on the design process is that you will make something with a conscious intention rather than serendipitously fluke an outcome (the latter is an unreliable approach). However, I used to tell all of my students do not over-design; that is, slavishly stick to your original intention rather than - as your project unfolds - modify your original intention if you suddenly perceive a much more interesting direction that your art/craft work is heading during the making of the object. Do you really believe Chihuly knew the hue of every single glass piece before he blew his first glass piece? Now if that were true I would be truly amazed.
Chihuly's - Bridge of Glass.
As you might already know, some art/craft projects require little or no designing. A little design may be necessary if you are using the same template but changing the texture or color. This often happens when using screen-prints or stencils or stamps. The composition might slightly alter but the tools are basically the same. This is in particular the case in digital designs, where a press of a key here and there can give the act of engagement an entirely different experience. For example, the design process of my new digitally designed fabrics - Celebratory Fireworks - was lengthy (eighteen hours in all), but to get the exact hue I had in mind for each subsequent piece took only one hour per image.
Artist/Creator: Marie-Therese Wisniowski.
Celebratory Fireworks 2 in lime and violet-blue colorway (swatch).
Celebratory Fireworks 2 in lime and violet-blue colorway (fat quarter).
Celebratory Fireworks 2 in lime and violet-blue colorway (one yard).
Celebratory Fireworks 2 in lime and violet-blue colorway throw pillow.
Artist/Creator: Marie-Therese Wisniowski.
Celebratory Fireworks 5 in cyan, hot pink and red colorway (swatch).
Celebratory Fireworks 5 in cyan, hot pink and red colorway (fat quarter).
Celebratory Fireworks 5 in cyan, hot pink and red colorway (one yard).
Celebratory Fireworks 5 in cyan, hot pink and red colorway placemats.
Generally if you require little designing it will mostly center of these three issues:
(i) The shape and size.
(ii) What colors you want to use and where.
(iii) The texture of the materials.
More formal designs are usually necessary when you plan a project that requires considerable a considerable amount of forms and shapes. The following procedure should help as a guide:
(i) For functional items the adage is "form follows function". Your first step is to decide on the exact purpose of the project. Will it meet the needs you have in mind (e.g. to give viewing pleasure, show ownership, make a statement, provide recreation)?
(ii) Look for ideas that may help you come up with a visually effective design. You may find something you like - well then appropriate it and adapt it to be yours. Take notes or make a quick sketch so you will remember such things as shape, size, color or texture. I know it has become fashionable to title artworks as "Untitled" so as not to straight-jacket the act of engagement to a definable experience. Giving an artwork a working title can give you a greater spur to create what is in your minds eye. This is what I did with my ArtCloth - Neu Kunst: Marilyn - where my intention was to create a Post Graffiti style artwork.
Artist/Creator: Marie-Therese Wisniowski.
ArtCloth Title - Neu Kunst: Marilyn.
Technique and Media: The techniques include numerous silk screen methods, stitching, discharge, monoprints, lino blocked, stamped, stenciled, hand painted and digitally collaged images employing pigments, dyes, discharge agents, pastels, crayons, charcoal, metallic paints and heat reactive pigment on cotton.
Size: 125 cm long x 75 cm wide.
(iii) Sketch alternative designs until you have the shape or form that satisfy your original/working intention.
(iv) If your project is a free-form design, the scribble method (see below) may be used to get interesting shapes. Doodling is now an art form in its own right!
How to develop design shapes by using the scribble method.
(v) When you have decided on a design, you will probably want to make a pattern, final sketch or drawing of the project. For most craft projects, your design should be made full size so you can trace it onto the materials you have chosen.
(vi) Gather the necessary materials. Some materials such as sea shells, bottles or stones are free. Others run from fairly inexpensive to quite costly. Choose your materials wisely. The quality of your project will depend on their properties.
(vii) Whatever finishing or fastening materials are required should be at hand.
(viii) Finally, never under-value your work. An artist once said to me: "After I exhibit my textile artwork I cut the artworks into pieces." I said to her: "If you feel your work should be that transient why exhibit it, just bury it!"
When I was young I read as much as I could. I loved Franz Kafka, who was plagued with self-doubt and so was reluctant to unleash his work onto the world. He requested that Brod, who doubled as his publisher and literary executor, destroy any unpublished manuscripts. Kafka died on the 3rd of June 1924. Fortunately for us, Brod did not adhere to his friend's wishes and in 1925 published "The Trial", followed by "The Castle", and in 1927, the novel "Amerika". It was only after Kafka died that he gained literary fame. His legacy taught me one salient lesson - it is not for me to judge the merit of my artwork, rather, that is within the provenance of others. Enjoy your work!
References:
[1] C.E. Kicklighter and R.J. Baird, Crafts, The Goodheart-Willcox Company Inc., South Holland (1986).
[2] Marie-Therese Wisniowski, The University of Newcastle Lecture Notes on Design (2008-2010).
There are a number of posts in this series and for your convenience I have listed them below:
Designing an Art/Craft Project (Part I)
Designing an Art/Craft Project (Part II)
Designing an Art/Craft Project (Part III)
Introduction [1-2]
We have so far covered design elements such as lines, form or shape, balance, unity, proportion, color, texture and function. We will finish the series by summarising the design process.
The Design Process [1-2]
Many years ago I wrote an opinion piece on art entitled - Why ArtCloth? Within it I stated:
"There are three basic ingredients (as opposed to definitions) that all artworks possess. When engaged they are non-functional, and aesthetic. Wearable Art is Art when placed in an art context but when it is not placed in an art context, its functionality obscures the act of engagement." Hence, these three conditions - engagement, non-function and aesthetic - are what the logicians call necessary and sufficient conditions. So designing artwork is different from designing, say, wearable art. There are design regions in which they overlap and then there are design regions which are solely within their domain and of course, design regions which neither of them encompass. Just follow the blue domains in the diagram below to see what I am trying to convey to you in words.
For example, the design principles used in building dams is an area outside of the Art and Wearable Art design domain.
I will try to steer close to the common design areas but if I stray you will know that I have done this on purpose.
The final outcome of this study on the design process is that you will make something with a conscious intention rather than serendipitously fluke an outcome (the latter is an unreliable approach). However, I used to tell all of my students do not over-design; that is, slavishly stick to your original intention rather than - as your project unfolds - modify your original intention if you suddenly perceive a much more interesting direction that your art/craft work is heading during the making of the object. Do you really believe Chihuly knew the hue of every single glass piece before he blew his first glass piece? Now if that were true I would be truly amazed.
As you might already know, some art/craft projects require little or no designing. A little design may be necessary if you are using the same template but changing the texture or color. This often happens when using screen-prints or stencils or stamps. The composition might slightly alter but the tools are basically the same. This is in particular the case in digital designs, where a press of a key here and there can give the act of engagement an entirely different experience. For example, the design process of my new digitally designed fabrics - Celebratory Fireworks - was lengthy (eighteen hours in all), but to get the exact hue I had in mind for each subsequent piece took only one hour per image.
Celebratory Fireworks 2 in lime and violet-blue colorway (swatch).
Celebratory Fireworks 5 in cyan, hot pink and red colorway (swatch).
Generally if you require little designing it will mostly center of these three issues:
(i) The shape and size.
(ii) What colors you want to use and where.
(iii) The texture of the materials.
More formal designs are usually necessary when you plan a project that requires considerable a considerable amount of forms and shapes. The following procedure should help as a guide:
(i) For functional items the adage is "form follows function". Your first step is to decide on the exact purpose of the project. Will it meet the needs you have in mind (e.g. to give viewing pleasure, show ownership, make a statement, provide recreation)?
(ii) Look for ideas that may help you come up with a visually effective design. You may find something you like - well then appropriate it and adapt it to be yours. Take notes or make a quick sketch so you will remember such things as shape, size, color or texture. I know it has become fashionable to title artworks as "Untitled" so as not to straight-jacket the act of engagement to a definable experience. Giving an artwork a working title can give you a greater spur to create what is in your minds eye. This is what I did with my ArtCloth - Neu Kunst: Marilyn - where my intention was to create a Post Graffiti style artwork.
ArtCloth Title - Neu Kunst: Marilyn.
Technique and Media: The techniques include numerous silk screen methods, stitching, discharge, monoprints, lino blocked, stamped, stenciled, hand painted and digitally collaged images employing pigments, dyes, discharge agents, pastels, crayons, charcoal, metallic paints and heat reactive pigment on cotton.
Size: 125 cm long x 75 cm wide.
(iii) Sketch alternative designs until you have the shape or form that satisfy your original/working intention.
(iv) If your project is a free-form design, the scribble method (see below) may be used to get interesting shapes. Doodling is now an art form in its own right!
(v) When you have decided on a design, you will probably want to make a pattern, final sketch or drawing of the project. For most craft projects, your design should be made full size so you can trace it onto the materials you have chosen.
(vi) Gather the necessary materials. Some materials such as sea shells, bottles or stones are free. Others run from fairly inexpensive to quite costly. Choose your materials wisely. The quality of your project will depend on their properties.
(vii) Whatever finishing or fastening materials are required should be at hand.
(viii) Finally, never under-value your work. An artist once said to me: "After I exhibit my textile artwork I cut the artworks into pieces." I said to her: "If you feel your work should be that transient why exhibit it, just bury it!"
When I was young I read as much as I could. I loved Franz Kafka, who was plagued with self-doubt and so was reluctant to unleash his work onto the world. He requested that Brod, who doubled as his publisher and literary executor, destroy any unpublished manuscripts. Kafka died on the 3rd of June 1924. Fortunately for us, Brod did not adhere to his friend's wishes and in 1925 published "The Trial", followed by "The Castle", and in 1927, the novel "Amerika". It was only after Kafka died that he gained literary fame. His legacy taught me one salient lesson - it is not for me to judge the merit of my artwork, rather, that is within the provenance of others. Enjoy your work!
References:
[1] C.E. Kicklighter and R.J. Baird, Crafts, The Goodheart-Willcox Company Inc., South Holland (1986).
[2] Marie-Therese Wisniowski, The University of Newcastle Lecture Notes on Design (2008-2010).
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