Chapter 3 - Design Development Based on Stars

This chapter is about using a star shape from your research and line drawings and developing it into a design. I have used A3 sized paper for the design sheets.

Design Sheet A
I looked at counter change, negative and positive shapes using two stars from my line drawings initially and then I decided to use what I'm calling the 'Pylon Star', obviously from my pylon pictures. It looks very simple but I wanted to see how far I can go with a simple shape.  I sort of feel I can work with a more complex shape but that if I can push the simple shape to it's limit I will gain more from this exercise. I can always change star a bit further on.

 

 

I had to think about the symmetry and asymmetry a bit & scribbled away on scraps of paper - I couldn't find a pair of tights anywhere! I particularly enjoyed the distortion and was pleased with the results, the circle being my favourite. I made a repeat pattern from the triangle distortion but felt I could have used any of the distortion shapes for this.

 

Design Sheet B

I looked at scale and repetition, and linking designs. Continuing to push my Pylon Star I found I wasn't completely happy with the border & corner design, so I repeated with my Curly Star. Although I like both of the intervals, the Pylon Star was more predictable and the Curly Star was more surprising.

 

 

 

I really enjoyed the new shapes from old and tried different shapes rather than only cutting square corners away. I like the effect when I used a compass. I found using different coloured papers and linking shapes made the simple star shape far more interesting and I began to think of lots of ways I could do this.

 

Design Sheet C

I found this more difficult, particularly the complex counter change. I produced a design I was pleased with but didn't feel it was what I wanted to achieve - it wasn't quite right. After some time I realised if I change the position of the Pylon Star with the square, making the star tips point towards the corners I found the shapes I wanted (Complex Counter Change a & b).



 

 

 

I then found two new units I could work with if I needed to from separating the shape. I used both to make a new motif and I particularly liked the overlapping unit.

 

Leftovers

I was interested to notice as I worked through the design sheets that I had lots of little leftover shapes from cutting. I made a 'Leftovers' design sheet in my sketch pad (A4) I found a whole new set of design units from this.

 

 

 

 

I kept my rough drawings from scraps of paper in my sketchpad as a memory aid. Not a particularly good scanned image, probably because its 4 or 5 scraps of paper stuck on a white background.

 

 



 

 

Reflecting on this unit, I found this extremely interesting and enjoyable. I feel I can take a very simple shape and make dozens of new designs. I will practice this with more complex shapes in the future. I've found by making my own coloured paper this has made a huge difference to my design results. I should add I've never made design sheets before and I am so pleased with them, I will definitely be approaching my own projects this way from now on.