Patterning and Abstractions: Process

| celestina.9

Research:

There was a lot of research that went into this project, specifically with finding abstractions from artificial and natural forms.  Below are two charts, one with natural forms and structures, another with man-made.  The charts are broken down into five rows, the first being the picture itself, the second is proportion and scale, then direction and line, component, and value and color, respectively.  Each picture was then simplified, with abstractions being pulled out, as per the category names.

                                    

Image Sources:

Natural Images:

Color Harmony Research:

For the second part of the mandala project, I wanted to conduct research to find many different color patterns that work well together.  This way, I would have a variety to choose from when incorporating them into the piece.  The different patterns and harmonies I explored are visible in Color Harmony.

Exercise 1: Harmony in Patterns

For Exercise 1, I chose to portray a harmonious pattern using the abstractions above.

 

Iterations:

When first constructing the mandala itself, I was instructed to create basic grid designs that could be used to implement the abstractions.  Below are three grid iterations I made, each with a similar makeup that followed the center in a circular pattern.

After many attempts of incorporating the abstractions into the rough iterations, I started to realize that I wasn’t happy with the mandala grids I made.

Late one evening, I was watching a movie, in which they discussed an ancient Innu Native American legend.  The legend talked about two celestial beings who were in love, but after one was tricked by an evil spirit, they were forced to spend eternity apart.  The spirit who was tricked, named Kuekuatshea, was forced to roam the earth as a wolf.  His love, named Moon, remained in the sky, always watching over him.  This legend inspired me to focus around the theme of a wolf howling at the night sky.  I incorporated a wolf as the focal point of the piece, looking at a moon, placed on the outermost part of the mandala.  I then created another iteration of a basic mandala, using these features, and wrapping it with the Aurora Borealis to help demonstrate movement and motion.  Below is the iteration I created.

After I had a mandala grid that I was happy with, I worked to incorporate my abstractions within it.  My original idea was to make two patterns with the abstractions, both would look similar to patterns found on Innu clothing and pottery.  Similarly, I wanted to create a border for the outside of the mandala that would act as somewhat of a frame.  I incorporated abstractions into this, as well, to further add to the complexity within the piece.  My initial draft of the completed mandala is shown below.

The feedback I received was extremely helpful.  My peers and teacher advised me to use simplified abstractions, rather than combine them into complex figures.  I decided to get rid of the pattern backing and border, and instead focus on the movement within the sky.  I felt that this focal point better complemented the wolf, moon, mountain, and Aurora Borealis, furthering the unity of the piece.  I went into further detail within the sky, and added in abstractions that demonstrated the movement of the wind.  I felt that the distance between the wolf and moon could be further emphasized, so I incorporated another abstraction of a brick-path pattern that starts at the wolf, and trails off into the sky.  My final iteration of the value mandala is shown below.

There were many abstractions that I incorporated into the mandala.  Below is a list of each abstraction I took from my abstraction chart (located in the research section).  The formatting for it is the letter of the chart it came from, A for artificial, N for natural, followed by the column, then row.

    • Moon: N1A
    • Stars: A9A
    • Northern Lights: N3D
    • Mountain: A9C
    • Walkway: N6B
    • Thorns: N10D
    • Sky: A9B
    • Pinwheel Effect: A4A
    • Darkening Dots: N2D
    • Constellations: N2A

When exploring the impact of color on the mandalas, we were assigned to pick two color harmonies to incorporate.  I chose to use the triad and square harmonies, as I felt the color combinations best demonstrated the movement and intricacy of the sky.  I chose to focus on two main colors for the sky, one darker, showing the night sky, and the other brighter.  For the dark, I chose to center around purple, and use the triad harmony, as the complementary colors fit well.  The triad color harmony is shown below.

The other color harmony I utilized was a square harmony, which was centered around creating a red sky.  The color harmony is shown below.

When incorporating the colors into the mandala, I looked at the different hues and how they interacted with the adjacent colors, and placed them using trial and error. Using this process, I created two variations of my mandala, both with drastically different moods.  Both iterations are shown below.

After evaluating both incorporations of color, I decided to try manipulating certain peices, that would better unify the components within the mandala.  I focused more of the value of the black and white copy, and translated those shades into the color harmony iterations.  I created color charts for both harmonies, as outlined in class, which is shown below.

Using these different shades, I could further detail my mandala by translating the color onto the mountain, which I had not previously done.  I also manipulated the colors of the sky, pattern, and stars.  All the changes and feedback helped me to create a more harmonious design, which further represents the story I want to tell.

Production:

The final design of the mandala is as follows:

The explanation behind my designs are as follows:

I chose to use the principle of directional movement to convey the story of the Innu Legend of Kuekuatshea. The legend tells of two spirits in the sky who were in love, Kuekuatshea and Moon. All the other spirits were jealous of the love between the two, so one day, when Moon and Kuekuatshea were apart, another spirit confronted Kuekuatshea. The trickster told him about a wild flower that grew in the human world, known to be the most beautiful sight. Upon hearing this, Kuekuatshea took the shape of a wolf, and went to find the flower. Upon his departure from the sky, he realized that he had no way of returning to his home and love. His every night in the human world ends the same way – him looking up at the one he loves, crying in despair.
My design uses the repeated circular pattern to demonstrate the eternal passage of time and the eight different stages of the moon. Similarly, each radial part of the mandala is wrapped together by the aurora borealis, linking the eight sections while also branching out to the edges. Behind the wolf, stars, northern lights, and moon, there are wave-like patterns that help demonstrate the complexity of the sky, and the variation within it.

This assignment has helped me explore the impact that color and value add to designs, specifically the mandala patterns.  It has also shown me that I have the ability to convey deeper meaning and emotions within my work.  During the course of this project, the best lesson I learned was how to take feedback and critiques of my work.  With each draft I showed my peers and teacher, I received feedback that initially I did not agree with, perhaps due to the amount of time I spent on the project.  I easily became dismissive of it, but after reevaluating my work and the comments, I realized that each comment had truth, and that it was from a fresh perspective, that I did not have.  Overall, this project helped me grow as a designer and pushed me to become confident in my work, while still being open to feedback and new perspectives.

Link to Portfolio Project:

View the Mandala Project at Patterning and Abstractions.