Layerscape W.I. P.

[WyvernWench]

On that Other Board (The Wood Carving Illustrated Message Board) where I often hang out we share W.I. P.s ... Works In Progress. This means that we take photos and scans as we are working and share the steps to the finished project. For me, as a carver, I find it amazing how much I have learned from these WIPs. And in doing them myself I am so surprised that it's the small things ... how I hold a tool, how my table is arranged, what clamps I am using that I am using that someone else is delighted to see.

So, since we have been talking patterns I thought I would share a little pattern making with you!

Here's the rough sketch. It's worked on a 12" x 18" sketch paper. I started with the idea of doing a three level layerscape. The rough sketch implies that I will break this down into four levels.

The theme behind the drawing is "Seascape" so I have included a lighthouse, shoreline, snow fence and a small harbor town. I can also add sea gulls, large clouds dipping into the ocean, posts (piers?) and rope and sea grass.

As I was working I did have a huge pile or reference material ... photos, books and other drawings on the table. You can use other works as reference to create a new work ... you can't lay a piece of tracing paper over someone else's work and 'copy and paste' it in to your pattern. You can have a photo of a lighthouse out to get an idea of how lighthouses taper as they reach up to the sky, you can have photos of sailboats out to get the feeling of the triangle of the boat compared to the triangles of the sale.

Susan (PhD, HSHK, U of A ... Too much, Carl!)

[WyvernWench]

I have added notes to my rough drawing in the scan below. But first, Susan ... what are the orange lines and dots? Oh, good question!

I start any drawing with a basic grid work on the paper. In this drawing the design was laid out in 1/3s. I have also noted where my center point is horizontally and vertically.

The reason I do this is that if there is anything that can kill a pattern or design instantly it is to put the focus point or focus element dead center in the paper. The eye loves balance, it wants things even, nicely organized and in pairs. And when you do that the eye looks once, sees the balance and then does not look any further.

As a pattern designer what you want is for the eye to travel over the entire design, to move from one area to another. I can do that, make the eye move by making sure that nothing falls exactly in the middle or on the middle line.

With the rough sketch done I have in on the table and I begin tearing it apart ... what do I like ... what don't I like ...

Here's the don't like list.

1. Looking now I don't think the round window belongs
in an old harbor town house ... so I will change that
to square or just remove it.

2. The lighthouse clump of grass, I think, needs to be
fuller so that more blades go over to connect to the
lighthouse.

3. I will need to separate the area between the two houses
so that the house lines show in contrast to the background trees.

4. I feel like I am losing the sea gulls because I added
the lines for a second, small set of clouds.

5. All of the inside pine cut outs are the same size ...
boring Susan!

6. I have two trees now, one stacked right on top of another.
I can either make them one tree or off set the smaller tree
so that they don't look like they were planted in a row.

7. The foreground clump of grass, I think, needs to come from
beyond the frame edge on the left. I don't like that it's
center is inside the scene.

8. Dumb, Susan! The steps are totally out of proportion.
The lighthouse keeper must be able to stand
up inside the top glass windowed areas of the lighthouse. In
comparison he would stand 'one step tall' right now. So, I
need to both make the lighthouse taller and lose those steps.
I can make it taller by dropping the base line down to the
foreground clump of grass! Otherwise I am implying that I have either a miniature lighthouse keeper or twnety foot tall grass clumps.

9. Not sure that I like where the ropes end ... Why would there
be a post and ropes so far up on the shore and away from the water?
I think I need to changes those posts into more snow fencing ?!?

10. Right now I feel like the sailboats is squatty (is that a
word?). I have room to stretch the sail area ... think I will do that!

Susan

(Ooops, Helps to include the image!)

[WyvernWench]

Ok, there's my rough and my ideas. There are a lot of great designers here on the forum and lots of great scrollers that know what they like to work on. Please I am inviting you to now add your ideas, comments and suggestions on this rough sketch.

What do you like?
What don't you like?
What would you change?

Feel free to add your ideas and comments about making patterns in general also.



Susan

[CanadianScroller]

Can I be first to comment?
First I love the composition, very cosy.
I like the natural frame that sets the tone.

I love the evergreens, I may stress one side of the tree out to show the weather front. Depending on the location some trees are very stressed because of the wind.

Well this is a comment based on an opinion thats all, no science.
I would either swap the lighthouse from the left side to the right or shift the houses to the right and the boat to the left.
I am only saying this because in my mind the lighthouse would be farther out to sea than the village.

If the village were in a cove then the sailboat could be going either direction and it would still work.

ok I will shut up for now...but only for now.

[WyvernWench]

Ooooh! Ahhh! Carl!

You're suggesting a whole new perspective to the idea! I like it. May I have your permission to work up a rough tomorrow to show the comparision to the two approaches?

Susan

[CanadianScroller]

This is your design Susan, have a ball I do like the one you have. I am just on the other shore looking out of the window of a house

[WyvernWench]

I like that idea and will see what I can come up with tomorrow.

I should have said earlier .. please feel free to add any rough ideas or sketches that you might have for either changes in my rough or for ideas that you come up with.

Susan

[Gill]

I know so little about the rules of pattern design that I'm delighted to see this thread with all that it has to offer. Right now there's a lot attention being focussed on plagiarism. However, if scrollers can develop their own art skills in such a way that they can make their own patterns, the temptation to plagiarise will be greatly diminished.

It's a little too late at night where I am to really study the pattern. I'll look more closely tomorrow, although I do like what I see. A little point though - should the flag on top of the boat's mast point towards the rudder?

Gill

[WyvernWench]

Originally Posted by Gill

I know so little about the rules of pattern design that I'm delighted to see this thread with all that it has to offer. Right now there's a lot attention being focussed on plagiarism. However, if scrollers can develop their own art skills in such a way that they can make their own patterns, the temptation to plagiarise will be greatly diminished.

It's a little too late at night where I am to really study the pattern. I'll look more closely tomorrow, although I do like what I see. A little point though - should the flag on top of the boat's mast point towards the rudder?

Gill

Maybe I am not following here Gil? The flag at the top of the mast would flow with the direction of the wind ... ? ... I don't think that those flags which are used for signals is in anyway dependent on either the position of the boat or the position of the rudder ... ? So if there was smoke coming out of the harbor home chimneys it also would leave the chimney then flow to the right side of the design ... ?

Maybe Bob the ship builder from the wood forum will stop by ... he would know!

Susan


Ah-Oh-OK! Maybe the problem here is that in my eye that boat is docked, tied up, anchored at the end of the wharf ... are you and Carl see the boat as moving free through the water. I don't think I have defined clearly exactly where that boat is or what it is doing. Another change to the design

[Gill]

That's it exactly, Susan; a sailing boat with full sails has to be in motion. Okay, it could be briefly moored and the sheets loosened while the crew is in the process of tying the boat or setting sail, but that would mean the crew would be visible. If the wind is blowing the ship along, its direction is generally from the stern to the bow, thus blowing the flag atop the mast towards the direction of travel, not towards the rudder.

Gill