BOTANY AS APPLIED TO ART.
THERE is a book of most lovely designs open to everyone whose eyes are
open to see.
Grasses, leaves, blossoms, and even buds and seed-vessels supply
material for beautiful patterns.
We need not look far for suggestions. Truly “that is best which lieth
nearest; shape from that thy work of art.”
At your very doorway the wonders of botany may be studied. Carefully
inspect the tree blossoms in the early spring; the maple, willow,
birch, any in fact which happen to be convenient, and you will find
suggestions of rare designs.
Clover, plantain, pepper-grass, dandelions, vines and twigs, offer
ideas which can be adapted to ornamental art.
A love of nature will quicken and stimulate the faculties; take the
flowers and plants for instructors, and they will teach and guide you.
Though there cannot be found an exact duplicate of any blossom or leaf,
still these may be conventionalized by arranging them in all sorts of
symmetrical designs.
There is no mystery about the matter, for all the designs are
conceived upon the most simple of geometric laws. We are now following
in the steps of the old masters, and an unlimited field of new
combinations opens before us.
When making designs for this chapter, the writer did not select the
objects she thought would be most decorative, but anything which
chanced to fall in the way; and what she has done you can do, provided,
of course, that you have ordinary skill with the pencil.
=The Peony Leaf.=
Suppose you do not know how to draw at all! Even then you can design.
Take the first thing you see, which in this case happens to be a peony
leaf (Fig. 68). That is, assuming that you are seated by the side of
the writer.
[Illustration: Fig. 68.]
[Illustration: Fig. 69.]
[Illustration: Fig. 70.]
[Illustration: Fig. 71 Fig. 72 Fig. 73]
Now watch! We will pull it apart thus (Fig. 69). Next with a pair of
scissors, a knife, or fingers snip off the stems, and group the leaves
in any way we chose. We will try this combination (Fig. 70). If you do
not understand drawing, we must fasten the leaves down upon a piece
of paper as they are arranged, and trace around them, following their
edges with a pencil until the outline is complete (Fig. 70). By simply
repeating this figure at regular intervals we have a very pretty border
design and one that is truly original, for the writer had no more idea
than you, what was to be the result of this experiment. In order to
make the pattern exact, draw lines as in Fig. 71, for a guide; then
draw the figure according to the foundation lines (Fig. 72). When
finished, erase the lines and the design stands a conventionalized
peony leaf, Fig. 73. By making a tracing of the first pattern, you can
repeat it any number of times. It requires no great or peculiar genius
to design well, and it is a mistaken, old-fashioned idea to suppose
because you never have done any original work in art that you never
can. Do not slavishly follow other people, but believe that there is
implanted in you the same elements that belong to those whose designs
you admire, then commence and design for yourself. That you may have
a start in your new art, we will try something else, a vegetable this
time, for here comes the green-grocery man with a basket full of as
quaint decorations as are ever painted with bamboo-handled brush by the
Japanese.
=A Bunch of Turnips.=
[Illustration: _Fig. 74_
Bunch of Turnips]
[Illustration: Fig. 75.]
Take the first bunch of vegetables on the top of the basket. What are
they? turnips? Well that requires a little skill as a draughtsman,
but we will sketch this one and you can copy it (Fig. 74). Now repeat
it (Fig. 75), or place the bunches in a row and you will have another
border design. After a few experiments you will see that anything will
make a decoration even the humble kitchen vegetables.
=Decorative Lines.=
[Illustration: Fig. 78. Fig. 76. Fig. 77.]
[Illustration: Fig. 79.]
[Illustration: _Fig 80_]
Figs. 76 and 77 are simply graceful curves, such as anyone can make
with a pen or pencil, and may be used in many ways: cross them and
they form Fig. 78, use this as half the design, duplicating it
for the other half and it gives Fig. 79. We now have graceful and
beautiful foundation lines on which any vine or flower may be placed
as ornamentation. We will select the rose, allowing the lines to form
the stems and using as ornament the bud, flower and seed-vessels,
remembering that one side must be an exact duplicate of the other (see
Fig. 80).
With these curves invent new designs by placing them together in
different ways, and choose for decoration anything which may strike
your fancy.
=Plant Cross-section Designs.=
Have you ever noticed how curiously some leaves are curled before
opening? Watch them as they commence to expand and grow, and you will
be delighted with the great variety and unique designs formed by the
folding and rolling of these leaf-buds.
Cut a bud square across in the centre with a sharp knife, and this will
show the nicety of arrangment of the young leaves. The leaf-bud of
the sage (Fig. 81), rosemary (Fig. 82), apricot (Fig. 83), and still
another variety of pattern (Fig. 84), are all singular natural designs.
[Illustration: _Fig. 81_ _Fig. 82_ _Fig. 83_ _Fig. 84_]
The petals of flower-buds are also folded in many ways, affording odd
designs; if cut in like manner as the leaves, the cross-sections will
be as beautiful. Fig. 85, the lilac bud, and the oleander (Fig. 86),
give some idea of these odd designs. Submit all kinds of buds to the
test by cutting them in halves, and carefully examining the two parts,
observe how nicely and orderly the leaves are folded together. In this
way you will find many natural ornamental patterns.
[Illustration: _Fig. 85_]
[Illustration: _Fig. 86_]
[Illustration: _Fig. 87_]
Nor must we neglect the seed-vessels; when these in their turn are cut
open, they present excellent designs. Fig. 87 is a cross-section of the
seed-vessel of the harebell. Other seeds will furnish queer forms and
figures to be obtained in no other way.
=Flower Sprays.=
The common white clover with its trefoil leaf is very pretty, and if a
few sprays are placed together in a graceful manner it is surprising
how readily they lend themselves to decoration. Experiment with these,
gather a few blossoms and leaves, group them on the centre of a piece
of paper, and make an outline of the group; then trace it off in order
to repeat the copy at equal intervals from the central figure (see
illustration, page 138); this makes a very simple and yet beautiful
design for embroidery, needle-work, or wall-paper pattern. In the same
manner try grasses and different kinds of flowers.
[Illustration: _Fig. 88_]
Conventional designs can also be formed by simply inclosing a natural
spray in a geometrical figure. Fig. 88 is a circle, but a square,
triangle, diamond, oval, or any geometrical figure may take the place
of the circle.
=Changing the Color=
of a natural object gives still another style of ornamental art.
A spray of flowers and leaves in one color on a background of
different tint is an example. The spray may be brown on a yellow
background, or a dull blue on white background, either way it will be
conventionalized. So you see that by merely making natural objects
all in one tint, you can have a great variety of designs suitable
for china, embroidery, wall paper, and many other decorations. It is
instructive to examine the panels, screens, or painted china of the
Japanese. There is a freedom and crispness about their ornamental art,
which is very attractive.
The method the Japanese frequently employ is to diminish the size
of the fruit or flowers while increasing the size of the leaves,
and vice-versa; in this way they invent designs without losing the
character of the object they copy, and it is really a very simple, yet
effective method.
Suppose you try and see what you can make with it. The next time you
have an opportunity, notice how the Oriental artists carry out this
idea in their decorations, and it will help you in making your designs.
=Burs.=
The tenacious little burs found clinging to your dress after a country
walk, when grouped together are not without beauty. Fig. 89 is formed
of four of these burs placed at right angles making an ornament, and
when the ornament is repeated at regular intervals as in Fig. 90, it
forms a border design.
[Illustration: _Fig. 89_]
[Illustration: Fig. 90.]
[Illustration: _Fig. 91_]
Seeds with downy or feathery tails are well adapted for decorations;
three grouped together (Fig. 91), is a design of itself, which may
also be re-duplicated (Fig. 92). The horse-chestnut or buckeye is
decorative, and makes an odd design (Fig. 93). Also the seed-vessel of
the Velvet-leaf or Abutilon avicennæ (Figs. 94 and 95).
[Illustration: Fig. 92.]
=The Water-Lily.=
In the illustration of the water-lily, the writer has conventionalized
it by curving the stem around the flower and duplicating the same,
always making the stem meet the next lily, then inclosing the flowers
in two straight lines, so forming a water-lily border. Now, girls, you
can realize how very simple it is to apply botany to art, and make for
yourselves new and original designs.
[Illustration: Fig. 93.]
[Illustration: Fig. 94.]
[Illustration: Fig. 95.]
The knowledge of plants is not only interesting but useful in
connection with art, in selecting and determining appropriate designs
for wood-carving, hammered brass, or any kind of ornamentation or
decoration. The cross-section of some trees will furnish very good
designs and the differently formed roots of plants and flowers will
aid you in ornamental art.
So we find that Nature offers us exquisite designs, in many shapes and
forms, and we have only to stretch out our hand and take what we want.
[Illustration: Fig. 96.]
“Beauty doth truly inhabit everywhere,” for “it is mind alone that is
beautiful, and in perceiving beauty, we only contemplate the shadow of
our own affections.”
[Illustration]
[Illustration: A DOOR-STEP
PARTY
QUIET GAMES
FOR HOT WEATHER]