Complexity in Simple Shapes
February 3, 2016
Inspirational Art
You do not need a wide variety of elements, shapes, textures, or other complexities to create an intriguing piece. As I mention quite a bit, keeping it simple is often the most impressive and eye-catching approach. The trick is in developing or arranging the design in an unusual or energetic fashion.
With these beautiful brooches by Bettina Welker, there is not an abundance of variation besides size and that one shift in color at the apex of these little stacks. But the variation in position and size creates a swirl that draws you in. Simple but precise shapes, beautifully crafted and finished is all these brooches need, in addition to that visual energy, to go from fairly simple to fascinatingly sophisticated.
Bettina, also a graphic designer, creates a beautiful website as well as wearable art. Go enjoy her pieces and her presenation on her BeadWorx website, or if you want a condensed view of her brooches, check out her albums in Ipernity.
Inspirational Challenge of the Day: Take a simple shape and repeat it. You can give it as much variation as you like, but it must be the same shape. It can change in size, color, texture, imagery on it, treatment, arrangement, or finish. It can be separate shapes stacked upon one another or constructed into one object, like a necklace or a sculpture. Or work in two-dimension and treat or form your surface with the shape repeated on it in whatever fashion you would like. What can you get a simple shape to do for you?
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Like this blog? Lend your support with a purchase of The Polymer Arts magazine and visit our partners:
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Choosing Variety
July 28, 2013
Ponderings
This week we talked about using materials from other art forms. Why? Because variety in our art provides more options for expressing ourselves. But it’s not about using more materials or adding more to your work. It’s about choices. Sometimes you’ll want to use just polymer and maybe even just one color. That may be exactly what you need to say or show what you want in that particular piece. You don’t always want to use a variety of materials, but you should know what options you have so they are there when you need them.
This past week I vacationed on the Oregon coast with my immediate family (which was 23 of us!) even though I am going into crunch time getting the next issue of The Polymer Arts ready to go to print. Yes, I worked while I was there, but just being somewhere different and visually inspiring, even with the pressure of deadlines sitting heavy on me, was just what was needed to give me back the energy and enthusiasm for all I do.
As some of you know, the production of The Polymer Arts projects is primarily a one woman operation so at this point, TPA pretty much is my life. I love the polymer community, polymer art itself of course, and feel so very fortunate to get to do what I do. It’s such fun, even with the stress. But there needs to be something else besides work, no matter how much one loves what they do. My second love is traveling, especially in the US where there is such a variety of people, sights, and adventures to experience. The photo behind the quote is from my recent trip, my brother-in-law and his son searching tidepools in the background. It’s these adventures that I take that influence my art work and even what I present to readers. It is the variety I include in my life that allows me to keep thinking up new art, new articles, and new approaches to what I do on this blog, in the magazine, and in the upcoming books we have planned. Changing things up is important for you both mentally and physiologically as the novel input forces your brain and body to learn, not just experience. It is what will keep you young and ever curious, and thus always pushing yourself including what you do in your art.
The Secret to ‘Charming’ is Variety
March 27, 2013
Inspirational Art
I guess I’m on a variety kick this week. The mixture of color in these bangles by Lauren Abrams are particularly attractive but I think it’s the uneven repetition of the elements that gives them true charm.
Bands of color filled with stripes and crackled metallic are repeated but in uneven, varying widths and not predictably ordered. The pin head beads, although of the same shape and size, vary in color and spacing. The bangle underneath boasts but one accent, which if worn alone might seem a bit unbalanced but if worn together, the variation would feel supported. Actually an arm full of them would be truly charming.
I’m not saying orderliness can’t be charming, but quirkiness, unpredictability, and a disregard for expected order is what we find most delightful in children, pets and ourselves when we let go. But even when letting go, there needs to be some underlying order or consistency to keep things from falling into chaos. In the bangles it is a repetition of color and visual texture as well as repetition of common elements including the consistently used bands. A simple device but highly effective and easy to apply when you want to have a little fun.
You do not need a wide variety of elements, shapes, textures, or other complexities to create an intriguing piece. As I mention quite a bit, keeping it simple is often the most impressive and eye-catching approach. The trick is in developing or arranging the design in an unusual or energetic fashion.
With these beautiful brooches by Bettina Welker, there is not an abundance of variation besides size and that one shift in color at the apex of these little stacks. But the variation in position and size creates a swirl that draws you in. Simple but precise shapes, beautifully crafted and finished is all these brooches need, in addition to that visual energy, to go from fairly simple to fascinatingly sophisticated.
Bettina, also a graphic designer, creates a beautiful website as well as wearable art. Go enjoy her pieces and her presenation on her BeadWorx website, or if you want a condensed view of her brooches, check out her albums in Ipernity.
Inspirational Challenge of the Day: Take a simple shape and repeat it. You can give it as much variation as you like, but it must be the same shape. It can change in size, color, texture, imagery on it, treatment, arrangement, or finish. It can be separate shapes stacked upon one another or constructed into one object, like a necklace or a sculpture. Or work in two-dimension and treat or form your surface with the shape repeated on it in whatever fashion you would like. What can you get a simple shape to do for you?
___________________________________________
Like this blog? Lend your support with a purchase of The Polymer Arts magazine and visit our partners:
___________________________________________
Read MoreThis week we talked about using materials from other art forms. Why? Because variety in our art provides more options for expressing ourselves. But it’s not about using more materials or adding more to your work. It’s about choices. Sometimes you’ll want to use just polymer and maybe even just one color. That may be exactly what you need to say or show what you want in that particular piece. You don’t always want to use a variety of materials, but you should know what options you have so they are there when you need them.
This past week I vacationed on the Oregon coast with my immediate family (which was 23 of us!) even though I am going into crunch time getting the next issue of The Polymer Arts ready to go to print. Yes, I worked while I was there, but just being somewhere different and visually inspiring, even with the pressure of deadlines sitting heavy on me, was just what was needed to give me back the energy and enthusiasm for all I do.
As some of you know, the production of The Polymer Arts projects is primarily a one woman operation so at this point, TPA pretty much is my life. I love the polymer community, polymer art itself of course, and feel so very fortunate to get to do what I do. It’s such fun, even with the stress. But there needs to be something else besides work, no matter how much one loves what they do. My second love is traveling, especially in the US where there is such a variety of people, sights, and adventures to experience. The photo behind the quote is from my recent trip, my brother-in-law and his son searching tidepools in the background. It’s these adventures that I take that influence my art work and even what I present to readers. It is the variety I include in my life that allows me to keep thinking up new art, new articles, and new approaches to what I do on this blog, in the magazine, and in the upcoming books we have planned. Changing things up is important for you both mentally and physiologically as the novel input forces your brain and body to learn, not just experience. It is what will keep you young and ever curious, and thus always pushing yourself including what you do in your art.
I guess I’m on a variety kick this week. The mixture of color in these bangles by Lauren Abrams are particularly attractive but I think it’s the uneven repetition of the elements that gives them true charm.
Bands of color filled with stripes and crackled metallic are repeated but in uneven, varying widths and not predictably ordered. The pin head beads, although of the same shape and size, vary in color and spacing. The bangle underneath boasts but one accent, which if worn alone might seem a bit unbalanced but if worn together, the variation would feel supported. Actually an arm full of them would be truly charming.
I’m not saying orderliness can’t be charming, but quirkiness, unpredictability, and a disregard for expected order is what we find most delightful in children, pets and ourselves when we let go. But even when letting go, there needs to be some underlying order or consistency to keep things from falling into chaos. In the bangles it is a repetition of color and visual texture as well as repetition of common elements including the consistently used bands. A simple device but highly effective and easy to apply when you want to have a little fun.
Read More
