Design 101

Have you ever noticed how some objects are very appealing to the eye and just beckon to be picked up and held, and others just sit with seemingly no emotional attachment? What causes this appeal? It can be a number of things, the materials used, the colors, or even textures. I believe the main reason for this appeal in the 3 dimensional work that I do, is form and proportion. Without proper attention paid in the design phase to form and proportion, the rest of the design elements will go largely unnoticed.

The ancient Egyptians and Chinese figured out the relationship of form and proportion long ago. It's called the Golden Mean. While volumes could and have been written on the subject, in its simplest terms it boils down to a ratio of height to width, or width to height, a ratio of 1:1.618. In even simpler terms it's the "Rule of Thirds".

As an example, if I'm designing a tall vessel, I'd decide what the height will be. From that dimension I can now determine what the diameter of the vessel will be. I like the looks if the diameter is approximately 2/3 the height. The base of the form seems to look best if it's 1/3 of the diameter. If the vessel is to have a narrow opening, the widest portion of the vessel looks better if placed 1/3 of the height down the vessel side. All of these points are then blended with smooth flowing curves from point to point without abrupt changes in direction.

These rules translate to all design projects, whether designing vessel's, furniture, or laying out paintings. As with all rules, they are made to be broken. It is best though to first understand the rules. Try it out on your next project and see what you think. Most importantly, create and have fun!

Tony Reynolds
FlintRidge WoodWorks