flower

There are 3 posts tagged flower (this is page 1 of 1).

Industrial Revolution: Favourite Art Movement

 

After reviewing all the links I’d like you to choose your favourite art movement and upload an example of your favourite piece with a short rationale to you OSS site.

 

Of the 5 different movements that we learnt about, my favourite is the Arts & Crafts movement.

An example of one of my favourite pieces from the movement is this furnishing fabric designed by William Morris. What struck me about this piece was its traditional beauty as well as the concept behind the complex design. Entitled Marigold, this monochromatic textile is likely to have been the first printed by Morris’ collaborator Thomas Wardle and was one of the few designs originally produced as both a wallpaper and fabric. The dense naturalistic pattern focuses on the marigold flower which was commonly found in the British countryside. Through the use of a cream colour, the humble marigold is elevated from an ordinary garden flower and given a sense of sophistication and understated elegance.

 

Marigold, furnishing fabric, designed by William Morris, made by Sir Thomas and Arthur Wardle Ltd., 1875, England. Museum no. CIRC.496-1965. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

 

 

References

V&A. (2018). William Morris textiles. Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved from https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/willam-morris-textiles

Charles Rupert Designs. (2018). William Morris. Historic Wallpaper. Retrieved from http://historicwallpaper.com/index.php/collections/show/william_morris/marigold

Assessment 3 Part 2A: Art Nouveau

 

Brief

Use photographs of patterns found in nature to inspire an abstract pattern representative of the Art Nouveau style. Consider how your response could be related to Singaporean culture.

 

Response

 

Singapore has always been termed a “clean and green” city due to our relative abundance of nature amidst a concrete jungle.

For this piece, I was inspired by one of the plants that I photographed at home. It had purple leaves, which I found intriguing and unique. I especially liked how it grew out like a blooming flower, which is why I created a floral motif. I chose to colour the flower a dark red rather than purple because I wanted to utilise a warm colour to be more in line with the Art Nouveau style. As for the leaves, they help to balance the composition and are a nod to the phrase “clean and green”. I also used many curves and swirls, which is characteristic of Art Nouveau prints.

3D: Gaia’s Ikebana – Winter

SKETCH MODELS

  • Dominant: red
  • Sub-dominant: blue
  • Subordinate: yellow
  • Add: green
  • Remove: purple

Sketch Model 1

surround view

top view

Sketch Model 2

surround view

top view

 

IKEBANA RESEARCH

Concept

Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arrangement. It is a disciplined art form in which the arrangement is a living thing where nature and humanity are brought together. It is steeped in the philosophy of developing a closeness with nature. The heart of ikebana is the beauty resulting from colour combinations, natural shapes, graceful lines, and the meaning latent in the total form of the arrangement.

Ikebana shares characteristics of aesthetics with traditional Japanese paintings, gardens, architecture, and design. It possesses an asymmetrical form and uses empty space as an essential feature of the composition. A sense of harmony among the materials, the container, and the setting is also crucial.

Elements

Any plant material (branches, leaves, grasses, moss, and fruit) or flowers may be used. Withered leaves, seed pods, and buds are also valued as highly as flowers in full bloom.

In principle, ikebana aims at suggesting the whole of nature, by creating a link between the indoors and the outdoors. Hence arrangers are likely to use several different types of plants in a single arrangement, and give prominence to leaves and flowerless branches as well as blossoms.

Spiritual aspect

Ikebana reveres the sacred relationship between man and nature, with the flower arrangement usually practiced in a silent and meditative state. This helps one to live in the moment and appreciate things in nature that previously had seemed insignificant. Being quiet also helps one become more patient and tolerant of differences, in nature as well as in other people. Lastly, the time spent in communication with the materials provides a respite from daily life, helping to calm the soul while adding beauty to spaces.

Combinations for winter arrangements

Rising form

  • Iris, sweet pea
  • Young pine, chrysanthemum or pincushion
  • Siberian dogwood, stock or rose
  • Mitsumata, poinsettia or rose or gerbera
  • Pussy willow, rose, baby’s breath

Inclining form

  • Bare branches, asiatic lily or oriental lily
  • Flowering quince, chrysanthemum
  • Pine, spider chrysanthemum or rose
  • Pussy willow, gerbera daisy, asparagus myriocladus
  • Palm fern, lily, solidago

 

TASTE/FOOD RESEARCH

How do we taste

Taste is detected by taste cells, located on the front and back of the tongue and on the sides, back and roof of the mouth.  These receptor cells, or taste buds, bind with molecules from the food or drink being consumed and send signals to the brain.  The way our brains perceive these stimuli is what we refer to as taste.

What do we taste

There are 5 recognised basic tastes:

  • Salty
  • Bitter
  • Sweet
  • Sour
  • Umami

What affects our taste

Our sense of taste can be influenced by a number of factors:

  • Language (description of food)
  • Material of utensils
  • Temperature
  • Colour
  • Smell
  • Environment
  • Expectations
  • Memory

Foods eaten during winter

  • Characteristics: Warm, hearty, filing
  • Examples: Soups, pudding

 

SEASON MIND-MAP

 

FINAL MODEL

For the overall look of the model, I chose to keep things clean and simple to follow to ikebana concept of minimalism as well as align with the sensory aspect of winter.

surround view

top view

Ikebana aspect

Since most trees are bare during winter, I chose to use a branch which evidently used to have a lot leaves attached. This would symbolise the concepts of frailty and death related to winter. The branch is also relatively small in size to emphasise this.

Curvilinear objects

  • Cylinder – dark grey ring (D)
  • Sphere – white foam sphere (SD)
  • Cone – branch (SD)

I chose to use a white sphere to represent the snowfall which we commonly associate with winter, and contrast this with a dark grey cylinder which represents the gloom and dullness that comes with winter. At the same time, I juxtaposed the hardness of the foam sphere with the softness of the felt used for the hollow cylinder. These differences in colour and texture work to create a sense of balance.

Food/taste

For this aspect, I decided to incorporate a red date, which is a symbol of fertility. I chose this fruit because even though winter signifies the end, it also alludes to new beginnings. The end of the seasons means welcoming the start of a new cycle; winter forebodes the arrival of spring. In this sense, the date adds an element of positivity to the model.

I also decided to use a dried date rather than a fresh date, to contrast the texture of the felt cylinder (soft) and foam sphere (smooth).

Furthermore, the dark red colour of the date is able to complement the dark grey well while standing out as the SO of the model. It may be the smallest component but it is the most eye catching one.

Being the SO of the model, I only used a lone red date to create focus. It is also positioned diagonally across from the white sphere to direct the eye down and across the model.

 

Improvements/critique

During my presentation, there was feedback about some of the components of the model and how they could be improved to make the model better.

  • Attachment of white sphere

I was advised to wedge the sphere instead of placing it directly on the surface of the cylinder in order to make the model more dynamic and less flat.

  • Placement of red date

Another possible improvement for the model was to wedge the red date along it’s 1/3 or 2/3 point rather than its centre. This would create an aspect of counter balance within the model, making it seem less symmetrical and boring. This could also apply to the placement of the sphere.

 

 

REFERENCES

  • http://www.ikebanahq.org/whatis.php
  • https://thesecretyumiverse.wonderhowto.com/how-to/do-very-basic-ikebana-flower-arrangement-0127730/
  • http://www.stephencoler.com/whatisikebana_en.htm
  • http://www.stephencoler.com/material_en.htm
  • https://www.veniceclayartists.com/ikebana-nirvana-japan-floral-arts/
  • http://www.fifthsense.org.uk/what-is-taste/
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0072592/
  • https://www.popsci.com/article/science/7-things-affecting-your-sense-taste
  • https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/experts-how-does-sight-smell-affect-taste/
  • http://www.hgtv.com/design/outdoor-design/landscaping-and-hardscaping/plants-that-flower-in-winter-pictures
  • http://www.homelife.com.au/gardening/plant-guides/12-best-winter-flowers
  • http://www.bhg.com/gardening/flowers/annuals/winter-flowers/
  • https://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/whats-in-season-winter