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LESSON 7: THE CONCEPT OF PLACEMENT OF DESIGN

STRUCTURE

7.0 OBJECTIVES

7.1 INTRODUCTION

7.2 CONCEPT OF GRIDS

7.3 PLACEMENT OF DESIGNS

7.4 ASSIGNMENTS

7.4.1 CLASS ASSIGNMENTS

7.5 SUMMING UP

7.6 POSSIBLE ANSWERS TO SELF-CHECK QUESTIONS

7.7 TERMINAL QUESTIONS

7.8 REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED FURTHER READING

7.9 GLOSSARY

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7. THE CONCEPT OF PLACEMENT OF DESIGN

In the first unit of this course on ‘Elements of Design’, you had learnt about the three visual elements, namely, Dot, Line and Shape. In the second unit, you had learnt that lines further contribute to make shapes, forms and motifs; and that forms and motifs are the stepping-stones in the creation of artistic compositions and designs. We will now move ahead and in this third unit discuss about ‘Placement of Design”, which is a crucial aspect in the development of any design. In this lesson we will learn how a motif can be repeated in many ways to create various placements. Different types of placements and their importance in relation to the design will be discussed in the next two lessons. ___________________________________________________________________

7.0 Objectives

After going through this lesson, you will:

• Acquire an understanding of the concept of placement of design.

• Acquire an understanding regarding the use of grids in the context of placement of designs.

7.1 Introduction

We had seen earlier how lines are put together in different ways to create shapes. We will now learn how these shapes or motifs can be repeated in a number of ways and in various combinations to fill up a given space (Fig. 7.1).

In textile design, we have to deal with different kinds of surfaces. For example, our product could be a scarf, sari, bedcover, curtain panel and so on. The surface could be woven, printed, embroidered, textured etc. (Fig. 7.2). All the techniques applied on the fabric require the motifs or designs to be placed on such surfaces in interesting and aesthetically pleasing compositions. This positioning of the motif on the surface is called ‘placement of design’. Any motif or pattern can be used to create a design on a given surface when placed appropriately.

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Our textile traditions have a rich vocabulary of motifs and various interesting placements. You can place the motifs according to the impact you want to create.

Our traditional textiles have a lot of butis and butas (Fig. 7.3a - 7.3d). If you study the art of block printing, for example, you will see that the same motif in the same size, is repeated a number of times to fill up the entire space

If we need to do something bold and graphic, one single large motif in a single colour, filling the entire surface will be sufficient. This technique is often followed by artists on canvasses and designers on products like saris or scarves or display banners where they want to create a strong visual impact (Fig.7.4).

Fig. 7.1

Fig. 7.3c Buta

Fig. 7.4 Single large motif in single colour

Fig. 7.2

Fig. 7.3d Buta

Printed

Fig. 7.3a Buti

Woven

Fig. 7.3b Buti

Embroidered Textured

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Self-check Questions

1. Fill in the blanks:

i) The positioning of the __________ on the design surface is called _______________.

7.2 The Concept of Grids

To understand placement better, we need to learn and make grids. Grids are simple geometric shapes put together to create a network or a web of the same or different shapes repeated a number of times to fill up the entire space. For example, a square grid would be made by placing same sized squares adjacent to each other. Similarly, you can have a triangular grid, a hexagonal grid, an octagonal grid. Grids could also be made by using a combination of shapes. For example, a triangle can be placed on each side of the square to form a grid with a square in the center, surrounded by 4 triangles (Fig. 7.5). This unit can now be repeated to get a new grid.

One has to be very accurate while making grids, because a small mistake in one unit will get multiplied in the final product. Therefore, one must use all geometrical tools, such as compass, scale and set squares to make these grids. Alternately, these grids and many other variations can be created very fast using a computer.

Some examples of grids are:

i) Square (Fig. 7.6a), Triangle (Fig 7.6b), Hexagon (Fig.7.6c), Octagon (Fig. 7.6d), Pentagon (Fig 7.6e).

Fig. 7.5 Grid formed with triangles and squares

Fig. 7.6d Fig. 7.6e Fig. 7.6a Fig. 7.6c Fig. 7.6b

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ii) Square and rectangle (Fig. 7.7a), square and triangle (Fig. 7.7b), pentagon and square, octagon, triangle and square.

These grids which are made of the same smaller units are called tessellations.

Activity

1. Draw and colour a BUTI and a BUTA which can be used to experiment with placement, in different grids.

2. Make 5 grids using different shapes like: square, Triangle, Hexagon, Octagon and Pentagon and experiment with placement of the Buti and Buta in the different grid formats.

7.3 Placement of Designs

Placements are dependent on the space between the motifs in a design. Placements of motifs can be in the same direction or the space can remain the same but the direction of the motif changes. On a smaller scaled grid the motif can be placed close together. On the same grid which is larger in scale, the same motifs may be placed by increasing the space between the motifs.

In a design, both, the form (the motif) and the counter form (the space in the background) have equal importance. It is important to see how the space behind the form is interacting with the whole design surface. As we have learnt about the Gestalt Laws in the unit on lines, the form and counter form can both become active.

In the practical class study some examples where the design and its background both become part of the design, such as ogees in a repeat design based on the hexagonal grid and zebra stripes (Fig. 7.8).

In all of the above illustrations the positive and the negative space both lend to the design.

Fig. 7.7b

Fig. 7.8

Fig. 7.7a

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7.4 Assignments

7.4.1 Class assignments

i) Take two simple elements – the circle and the triangle. Make at least six motifs using only circles (big / small) and six motifs using only triangles (big / small).

Now choose 2 motifs from each set and place them in a box of 6’’x6’’, in as many placements as possible – they could be placed randomly or in a specific grid as per your understanding.

ii) Using computer, create at least 5 different grids and take printouts on A4 sheets. These grids will be of help later when you start preparing designs.

In fact, all design placements are laid out on these grids that we have already talked about. We should now be able to recognize the different grids hidden in various design placements. For example, a buti design repeated in a half drop pattern.

Imagine a square grid in the buti design and place the 2 motifs at the ends of a diagonal of the square.

Keep repeating this and you will get the butis placed in the same way as you saw your original design without the square grid.

Thus, we can say that all placements have an underlying, invisible geometrical grid that has been followed to create a surface design.

Take 10 designs and try to identify the underlying grids. Make the grid on the paper and place the same motif.

7.5 Summing Up

By now you must have gained an insight into the concept of placement of designs. Also, you must have learnt about grids and tessellations. The main points of this lesson are summarized below:

• All the techniques applied on the fabric require the motifs or designs to be placed on the surface in interesting and aesthetically pleasing compositions.

• This positioning of the motifs on the surface is called Placement of Design.

• Any motif or pattern can be used to create a design placement.

• Grids are simple geometric shapes put together to create a network or a web of the same or different shapes repeated a number of times to fill up the entire space.

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• These grids which are made of the same smaller units are called Tessellations.

• All placements have an underlying, invisible geometrical grid that has been followed to create a surface design.

• In a design, both, the form (the motif) and the counter form (the space in the background) hold equal importance.

7.6 Possible Answers to the Self-check Questions

1. i) The positioning of the motif on the design surface is called ‘placement of design’.

7.7 Terminal Questions

1. What is meant by Placement of design?

2. What are Grids?

3. Give some examples of types of Grids.

4. State whether the following statements are True or False.

i) Tessellations are grids which are made of the same smaller units. True / False

ii) In a design, both, the form (the motif) and the counter form (the space in the background) have equal importance. True / False

5. Choose the correct answer.

i) One single large motif in a single colour, filling the entire surface creates:

a. An art form b. Strong visual impact c. A Canvas d. A Painting

7.8 References and Suggested Further Reading

1. Betala,R. 2005. Design Comprehension and Visualization. Aan Books, Delhi.

2. Yates,M. 1986. Textile: A hand book for designers. W.W. Norton & Co., New York.

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7.9 Glossary

1. Technique: Way of doing something; practical skill.

2. Aesthetically: Having a pleasing appearance.

3. Composition: The way in which something is made up.

4. Appropriately: Suitably

5. Vocabulary: The words used by a person

6. Sufficient: Enough

7. Visual: Visible

8. Impact: A noticeable effect

9. Adjacent: Next to

10. Underlying: Be the cause or basis of

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