art+ quilt

Design Principles and Creativity Exercises

Lyric Kinard
 Contents
How To Use This Book 5 4 Write On: Creative Composition 84
Why Art? 5 Homework Assignments and Field Trips 85
Playing the Design Game 86
1 An Introduction: Getting Ready to Create 6 Rephrase, Please 86
Open Your Heart and Mind 8 Nouns 86
Recognize the Creativity Searching for a Muse 86
You Already Possess 10 Poetic License 87
Dream Your Dream 12 Music to the Eye 87
Inspiration vs Perspiration 15 Collaborative Collage 87
Student Gallery 90
2 Learning The Alphabet: The Elements of Art 18
Texture 22 5 Poetry: The Art of Evaluation and Critique 102
Shape 28 Uninvited Criticism 104
Line 34 The Rules of the Game On Your Own 105
Color 39 The Rules of the Game with a Group 105
Value 45 Critique 106
Description 106
3 Building Your Vocabulary: Analysis 108
The Principles of Design 50 Interpretation 120
Unity and Variety 51 Questions for the Artist 121
Focal Point 56 Judgment 122
Balance and Symmetry 60 An Analytical Anthology 124
Scale and Proportion 64
Depth and Space 68 Conclusion 133
Motion 73 Index 135
Rhythm 80

4
Gathering Inspiration
Take your sketchbook, window tool, and camera outside or to a new
place and notice the lines all around you. Can you find lines in nature
that are solid and strong or tender and whimsical? Where and how
do they lead your eye? Look through your window tool and find an
interesting composition where line is the dominant element. Quickly
sketch it without worrying about details. Capture the weight of the
line and its direction. Move your window around, looking at more or
less of the scene, thinking about interesting ways to frame the lines you
see. Sketch, then snap some quick pictures for future reference. Try to
capture some different views from those you drew.

THE ELEMENTS OF ART 35

Textural quilting inspired by the words, “whoosh” and “burst.”

Textural quilting inspired by the words, “pebbles” and “web.”

THE ELEMENTS OF ART 37

Unity is provided by similar mounting treatments
as well as subject matter. Interest comes through
variations of color and form. Windflower Triptych,
each 8" × 10" (20 × 25 cm).

THE PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN 53

Two compositions, made with line alone, can imply either stillness and calm or frenetic motion.

THE PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN 75