Art and Design A comprehensive guide for creative artists - Aaltodoc

B
A
A: An already made tie-die fabric design
B: A section of the fabric showing patterns with sewn thread,
after untying the design; to shield it from colouring
dyes.
Pleating
Marbling
Marbling
This is a creative way of decorating fabrics
by folding (gathering) to make double or
multiple folds. When a fabric is properly folded
into pleats with its gather tied using a strong
string, it will form a zigzag bundle. Then,
pour or splash colouring dyes on the pleat in
a disarranged or divergent ways. Open only
when it has become dry.
Decorates fabrics or paper by floating
colouring pigments on water. The marbled
pattern transfers to the surface of a fabric by
laying it on top; to pick the buoyant swirls or
spiralling patterns, then remove quickly.
The attained marbled blends will appear like
long, thin, swirling marks of different forms,
colours and shapes. If more than two pigments
of colours are used, the generated design will
show mixes of pulls and twists of colours in
contrives of shapes.
A creative way of doing marbling involves
pouring and mixing small quantities of liquid
gloss paints into litres of water to make paints
weaker for any desired pattern in an open and
wide container.
In conclusion, before making decorations on a fabric
regardless of technique it should be clean, well sized and
properly pressed or ironed.
Environment as a source of inspiration
for decorating fabrics
Everything about decorating and designing fabrics can
easily be extracted from the beautiful environment around
us—through research and by drawing regularly.
Creative artists should be aware that they are also required
to have familiar knowledge of using elements and
principles of design, apart from skills of simplifying
obtained shapes to form planned motifs.
Sources of inspiration for making fabric decorations
include the delightful colours, patterns and shapes of
animals, birds, leaves, flowers, plants, butterflies, insects,
tree barks et cetera.
All these and more can be used to acquire the necessary
designs for decorating fabrics ... “ What limits man is his
ability to manipulate them” Ssegantebuka (2003, 23) adds.
Repeat patterns
We have already discussed repeat pattern in chapter
five (Graphic design). As a consequence, we have got to
remember that repeat patterns are used as decorative
arrangements created by replicating motifs. And there are
so many types of motifs used in the course of decorating
fabrics. Some types originate from abstract, organic and
inorganic sources of inspirations.
Here is a checklist of some common characteristics of
motifs:
Motif Characteristic
The challenging pursuit about these motifs is
that they are not easy to manipulate and then
create movement as well as action because
Inorganic they are mostly made up of geometric shapes
which are without vagueness and regular lines.
For example rectangles, circles, triangles and
squares.
These are motifs made from distinct aspects
of the physical world and they are regarded as
conventional. “They reveal curvilinear qualities
Organic that suggest growth and movement.” Fichner
(2007, 51-58) says. Many artists use organic
shapes because they work well in accordance
with the accepted manner of creating designs.
These motifs appear with decorative designs
or patterns, which display conceptual
visualisations of shapes, forms, colours and
Abstract textures. As an example look at marbling
Sometimes abstract motifs are developed from
real (life) drawings, which are further adjusted
by exaggerating some of their parts.
A banana peel,
it was used
as a source of
inspiration to create
motifs for half
drop, and full drop
repeat patterns
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