DOI Heft:
Nr. 234 (August, 1916)
DOI Artikel:Meyer, Annie Nathan: The woman's room at the world's fair
DOI Artikel:Humphrey, Grace: New motifs in ornament
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43462#0039
New Motifs in Ornament
These two illustrations are taken from Claude Bragdon's
“Projective Ornament,'' opposite pages i and 71
New motifs in ornament
BY GRACE HUMPHREY
Mr. Claude Bragdon, of Roches¬
ter, already known as architect, math-
ematician, poet, has created some new motifs in
ornament. Developed from geometry, they are
available for those crafts which use linear designs,
such as lace-work, leading, book tooling and jew¬
ellery making. With colour values added, they
offer rich opportunity for workers in stained glass,
ceramics and textiles.
But their newest and most unique use Mr.
Bragdon has been experimenting in with remark-
able results; though here, as with all the rest,
he says that he is merely showing the way like
a pathfinder and that infinite possibilities lie
waiting for the next comers into the field.
This new use of his motifs in ornament is in
screens for electric lights at out-door concerts.
Glaring lights detract from the full effect of the
music for many listeners. Why not cover them,
and add to the music the beauty of colour and
form?
The first screens were tried out at a lawn
party, and proved such a success that they were
later used on a large scale at a park concert
where the famed community chorus of Rochester
sang.
Built over a light framework, the screens are
made of black Neponsit building paper, cut out
in geometric designs. Tissue paper of many
colours, often three or four layers deep, is pasted
in. Over the whole, a sheet of clear glass to
protect it from wind and weather. The heavy
black outlines give the effect of leading, so that
the screens suggest stained glass; but with an
additional richness in the unusual colour effects
obtained—instead of the limitations of glass and
pigment, there are the infinite possibilities of
light itself.
Most of the screens, entirely encircling the
electric fixtures, are in reality lanterns. But
those used on the stage are merely shields, lined
with white paper, throwing a blaze of light back
on the performers, and protecting the eyes of
the audience from the usual hard, steely white
glitter.
These shields at the proscenium arch were
1
tv . »
XXXIII
These two illustrations are taken from Claude Bragdon's
“Projective Ornament,'' opposite pages i and 71
New motifs in ornament
BY GRACE HUMPHREY
Mr. Claude Bragdon, of Roches¬
ter, already known as architect, math-
ematician, poet, has created some new motifs in
ornament. Developed from geometry, they are
available for those crafts which use linear designs,
such as lace-work, leading, book tooling and jew¬
ellery making. With colour values added, they
offer rich opportunity for workers in stained glass,
ceramics and textiles.
But their newest and most unique use Mr.
Bragdon has been experimenting in with remark-
able results; though here, as with all the rest,
he says that he is merely showing the way like
a pathfinder and that infinite possibilities lie
waiting for the next comers into the field.
This new use of his motifs in ornament is in
screens for electric lights at out-door concerts.
Glaring lights detract from the full effect of the
music for many listeners. Why not cover them,
and add to the music the beauty of colour and
form?
The first screens were tried out at a lawn
party, and proved such a success that they were
later used on a large scale at a park concert
where the famed community chorus of Rochester
sang.
Built over a light framework, the screens are
made of black Neponsit building paper, cut out
in geometric designs. Tissue paper of many
colours, often three or four layers deep, is pasted
in. Over the whole, a sheet of clear glass to
protect it from wind and weather. The heavy
black outlines give the effect of leading, so that
the screens suggest stained glass; but with an
additional richness in the unusual colour effects
obtained—instead of the limitations of glass and
pigment, there are the infinite possibilities of
light itself.
Most of the screens, entirely encircling the
electric fixtures, are in reality lanterns. But
those used on the stage are merely shields, lined
with white paper, throwing a blaze of light back
on the performers, and protecting the eyes of
the audience from the usual hard, steely white
glitter.
These shields at the proscenium arch were
1
tv . »
XXXIII