Re: When is enough to much

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Posted by Maureen on August 31, 2001 at 05:03:16:

In reply to: When is enough to much posted by Joe B on August 30, 2001 at 18:57:04:

Hi Joe,

Sounds like what you are describing is the typical problem solving
involved when designing...when you put all of the elements of the
design together, they become something greater than and different
from the sum of the parts. Often some of the elements that gets left
out of the equation is the dimension, color contrast, shape etc. of
the canvas...in this case, your hand. And how the canvas itself will
impact the interpretation and presentation of the design. All of
that to say, that the boundary created around your design by the
lightness of the skin color of your palm pushes the eye back into the
center of the palm where there is a concentration of dark spaces.
The eye picks this up as an almos solid shape as oppose to the
numerous motifs that you have incorporated in the design. There are
a lot of ways to remedy this problem. You could decrease the amount
of light space left undecorated on the hand by carrying out the motif
in other places (up the fingers etc.) You could incorporate more of
the light space within the designed space by opening up the design
more with fewer dark lines and shapes so that the eye begins to pick
up the lighter shapes created that exist between the dark shapes and
lines. It is the light shapes that define the dark shapes and the
dark shapes that define the light shapes. If you eliminate one or
have too little of one or the other, what you have is something the
eye has trouble defining and you are refering to as a blob. It is
not a blob, but the lines and shapes created by the henna are so
close together and so many that the eye begins to blend them together
rather than differentiating and recognizing or interpreting them.
The other issue is one of balance. There is a design concept called
the rule of three in creating visual balance. Two creates
tension...three creates balance. So, if you want to have the two
spaces (the fingers and the heel of the hand) blank, then you might
have to create a third shape of blank space, perhaps in the middle of
the design, to create the balance needed. Hope some of this is
helpful. I think you have some very nice things going on in the
design. Don't abandon it. Work with it a bit more until you have it
exactly as you want it to be. When is enough too much or too
little? When it does not satify you. When your instincts tell you
the design is incomplete.

Maureen

Follow Ups

Re: When is enough to much Joe B 19:43:14 8/31/2001 (1)
- Re: When is enough to much Maureen 20:07:04 8/31/2001 (0)

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: Hi Joe, : : Sounds like what you are describing is the typical problem solving : involved when designing...when you put all of the elements of the : design together, they become something greater than and different : from the sum of the parts. Often some of the elements that gets left : out of the equation is the dimension, color contrast, shape etc. of : the canvas...in this case, your hand. And how the canvas itself will : impact the interpretation and presentation of the design. All of : that to say, that the boundary created around your design by the : lightness of the skin color of your palm pushes the eye back into the : center of the palm where there is a concentration of dark spaces. : The eye picks this up as an almos solid shape as oppose to the : numerous motifs that you have incorporated in the design. There are : a lot of ways to remedy this problem. You could decrease the amount : of light space left undecorated on the hand by carrying out the motif : in other places (up the fingers etc.) You could incorporate more of : the light space within the designed space by opening up the design : more with fewer dark lines and shapes so that the eye begins to pick : up the lighter shapes created that exist between the dark shapes and : lines. It is the light shapes that define the dark shapes and the : dark shapes that define the light shapes. If you eliminate one or : have too little of one or the other, what you have is something the : eye has trouble defining and you are refering to as a blob. It is : not a blob, but the lines and shapes created by the henna are so : close together and so many that the eye begins to blend them together : rather than differentiating and recognizing or interpreting them. : The other issue is one of balance. There is a design concept called : the rule of three in creating visual balance. Two creates : tension...three creates balance. So, if you want to have the two : spaces (the fingers and the heel of the hand) blank, then you might : have to create a third shape of blank space, perhaps in the middle of : the design, to create the balance needed. Hope some of this is : helpful. I think you have some very nice things going on in the : design. Don't abandon it. Work with it a bit more until you have it : exactly as you want it to be. When is enough too much or too : little? When it does not satify you. When your instincts tell you : the design is incomplete. : : Maureen
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