ideas for intricate designs

[godfather]

Is there a site or book which has illustration of intricate or not so intricate patterns. I am curious as to how people get ideas for patterns on medieval surcoats. Hopefully you know what I mean an example being the painting of Ivan the terrible figure (by Ruina I believe) and the intricate designs on his cloak etc.

 

[btavis]

I am not sure of web sites but there are many books available for designers on pattern design. Usually good books will break the patterns down to the country or culture of origin (Celtic, Moorish, Italian, Chinese, etc). Many patterns and motifs are very old with infinite variations on them.

For example, one of the older but still very excellent sources is The Grammar of Ornament by Owen Jones. It was oringally published in 1856 but is such a comprehensive source of patterns that it still referenced today.

 

[Calvin]

About medieval miniatures/codes:
http://libwww.syr.edu/digital/collections/...page/index.html

About italian miniatures/codes:
http://www.cultura.toscana.it/biblioteche/.../catalogo.shtml
(but it's more difficult to find out the pictures if you dont know italian).

Aside the very good book Bob points out, take a look at the catalogue of Dover Publications

Luca

 

[PJ Deluhery]

Excellent references. Thanks guys!

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by godfather+Oct 21 2005, 11:28 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (godfather @ Oct 21 2005, 11:28 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Is there a site or book which has illustration of intricate or not so intricate patterns. [/b]

Yes, there are a lot of pattern books in English and other languages, many of them quite old originally (19th century often) like the one Bob mentioned.

Originally posted by godfather@Oct 21 2005, 11:28 PM
I am curious as to how people get ideas for patterns on medieval surcoats.

In addition to pattern books you can use period paintings, manuscripts and other illustrated sources as well as extant fabrics, lots of museums have small pieces of embroidered and printed fabrics even if the whole garment has not survived and there are a lot of tapestries still surviving, even if usually their colours have changed beyond all recognition.

<!--QuoteBegin-godfather@Oct 21 2005, 11:28 PM
Hopefully you know what I mean an example being the painting of Ivan the terrible figure (by Ruina I believe) and the intricate designs on his cloak etc.[/quote]
That could be a complete invention, or based loosely on an existing mediaeval design, or copied exactly from a source. Just for the record many of the patterns we see on models are not accurate in one or more respects

Einion