The abundance of leaves on the extending branches of a tree make us perceive that a curved line may also present a sense of endless repetition and a sense of continuality, exploration, growth and unpredictable progressing. The tree below was drawn spontaneously by Charlotte Duffy age 10. Her recent freelance work as a designer can be seen on her website www.charlotteduffydesigns.com
An arch and a pear present an ‘active’ real life concept of the curved line
Find curved line patterns and take pictures.
Birds shapes such as the dove of peace offer great inspiration for simple and more complex designs focused on the use of curved lines as illustrated in this elegant eagle statue and the swimming silver swan ornament.
Find and take pictures of circular spiral shapes and patterns
Working with spirals
Working with spiral shapes brings the concept of curved lines into circular movement. For this reason Eastwood Education introduces the curved line exploration before working with circle designs. Thus circle based design work can be introduced by an exploration of spiral forms and movements in art and designs.
Working with spiral shapes both natural e.g. as resented on sea shells and snail shells as a project of art and design can bring many rewarding results not only to look at but also as a joyful movement experience.
The Fibonacci spiral is found in the natural world for example the spiral shape of a snail’s shell presents this mathematical formula of movement illustrated as an expanding spiral design. Spirals present a visually or mathematically defined movement that travels outward from a centre point or inward from an outer perimeter.
Exploring spirals links the concept of a continuous line to that of a circular movement that draws a curved line in accordance with the conceptual discipline that defines a spiral movement or drawing.
Exploring art and design based upon a spiral format can be an especially contemplative and rewarding activity. In our everyday environment we can see many examples of spiral designs both manmade and natural in their origin.
The following pictures are of a spiral candle holder. The spiral design offers the mechanical aspect of movement to raise or lower the candle height. This relationship between the spiral movement and mechanical design is a wonderful bonus in terms of inspirational perspectives that take a 2D spiral drawing movement into a 3D sculpture of beauty as well as practical aspects of mechanical design.
