What I'm Reading

The Quilter's Book of Design by Ann Johnston is my current quilt reading.  I feel like writing the new vocabulary words 10 times, using them in a sentence, and being tested on Fridays.  But instead I'm working on using the language of design to describe what I like about the pieces I've completed in order to help me absorb the meaning.  Let me take this piece as an example,

Ancient Keys.  It is my attempt to experiment with Hawaiian applique.  The visual weight is carried by the gray/multi-colored fabric because it appears closer to the eye and in the curved lines. It has formal balance in that all four quarters when divided horizontally and vertically, have the same pattern, color, and shape. The quilting lines give it some texture but not much because the pink 40wt. thread is minimal in the overall appearance of the quilt. 

Looking at this piece by Ann Johnston, One Tree, the balance is informal and created by placing the 3 different shapes at the bottom edge compared to the rest of the quilt which by choice of color value recedes or is the background of the quilt. The design supports the title of the quilt...the quilting lines are minimal, shapes are not repeated...there is power in "one".

I think I'm beginning to grasp this after a year of trying to understand the elements of design.  Okay, I can't resist doing this. Vocab words from chapter 1-

1. Balance-used to describe the distribution of visual weight in a design.

2. Visual weight refers to the parts of the design that appear larger, that appear to come forward, or that appear to have more importance.

3. Horizontal and vertical balance...the weight above the assumed lines that divide a quilt.

4. Formal balance-repetition of shapes, colors, values, lines or other elements on both halves of the composition.

5. Informal balance-the intention of using dissimilar shapes with unequal visual weight to attract the eye.  Juanita helped me to understand this...with the L shape, reverse L shape, etc...for example looking at a square, elements can be placed to create the flow of an L, or any other letter for that matter.

6. Circular or radial balance-the one I'm least attracted to personally.  There is a center focal point and all elements radiate from it or around it.

7. Crystallographic balance-I have 2 squares on my wall that reflect this-- the design elements are carried to the edge of the quilt and are evenly dispersed across the surface.  Also, unity (chap. 2) is achieved by placing the pieces in close proximity and repetition of shapes to create patterns.  My goal was to work with complementary colors.  After reading about unity in a design, I discovered that I also achieved a good use of negative (background) and positive (foreground) space in that it is hard to distinguish between the two. Not only because of the closeness of the shapes, but because the two complement colors are similar in value that account for the unity/balance between background and foreground.  Yeaaa, me!

My challenge is to make the concepts carry my intent of a finished piece.  Even though I love working intuitively, when I can incorporate the knowledge of design into pre-planning and putting pieces together, I can call myself a Quilt Artist.  At this point in time, I'm just enjoying the process.