Whether you are choosing to base your product on a design movement or just looking for inspiration it is worth knowing the following movements inside out, understanding at least one key designer and the features (e.g. patterns, styles, colours, materials) that link products to that movement is very important at GCSE and A2.
If you want to do further research after reading through the quick glance guide below here are a few tips:
1) If using Google always put "design movement" after e.g. "Memphis Design Movement" this will help to filter out incorrect results
2) Google images links the images on the page so it might bring up an image that has no relevance to your design movement, try "visiting" the page, or check the image description
If you want to do further research after reading through the quick glance guide below here are a few tips:
1) If using Google always put "design movement" after e.g. "Memphis Design Movement" this will help to filter out incorrect results
2) Google images links the images on the page so it might bring up an image that has no relevance to your design movement, try "visiting" the page, or check the image description
Arts and Crafts 1853 - 1907
|
Background Information:
Arts & Crafts was a movement set up by a small number of Artists and Designers including WIlliam Morris, they wanted to put the power of selling products and Art back into the hands of the original makers, this was successful for a time but eventually made their products only affordable for the higher earning, which was against what they had originally set out to do. Key Designers: William Morris Key Features or Patterns: floral imagery, bible references, handmade items, wood carving, copper, pewter and ceramics often used, patterns made using printing blocks. Colours: traditional darkb brown hardwoods, deep greens and blues. Line Styles: flowing natural lines for natural imagery, contrasting with straight lines of material. |
More information:
Arts and Crafts Pinboard
BBC Home - quick glance information about Arts & Crafts
Design Museum - very useful information and images of Arts & Crafts products
Arts and Crafts Pinboard
BBC Home - quick glance information about Arts & Crafts
Design Museum - very useful information and images of Arts & Crafts products
Art Nouveau 1890 - 1905
|
Background information:
Art Nouveau was born out of a backlash to the increase in industrial style products, its use of natural, free flowing curves and shapes contrast with the angular, solid, start of mass produced products. Art Nouveau - literally meaning New Art, was either loved or hated by the public when it was first revealed in a Paris exhibition. Key Designers: Emile Galle Key Features or Patterns: Flowers and plants, the female form, long flowing hair. Natural imagery. Pewter and Bronze metals. Colours: subtle colours, sage greens, light violets, medium brown woods. Line Styles: free flowing curves and lines, floral and plant influences - look like vines, roots, steam and petals. |
More information:
Art Nouveau Pinboard
Victoria & Albert Museum - case studies about Art Nouveau
BBC Home - quick glance information about Art Nouveau
The Art Story - in depth information about Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau Pinboard
Victoria & Albert Museum - case studies about Art Nouveau
BBC Home - quick glance information about Art Nouveau
The Art Story - in depth information about Art Nouveau
Art Deco 1920 - 1939
|
Background Information:
Art Deco is said to be influenced by the world at the time, skyscrapers began to spread across Americas skylines, cruise-liners and planes were becoming more accessible to the average person and Tutankhamun's tomb had just been discovered. All these influences filtered into the elegant design of Art Deco products. The rise of mass production in this era made it possible for all to style their home and selves in this fashion. Key Designers: Eileen Gray Key Features or Patterns: geometry features heavily, influenced by transport and skyscraper shapes. Chrome, satin, animal products (e.g. furs, tortoise shell), high gloss woods. Colours: Silver, black and chrome, gold, bronze, mother of pearl. Line Styles: geometric, circles, arcs and curves, mathematically drawn. Straight lines. Streamlined shapes. |
More information:
Art Deco Pinboard
Design Museum - information about Eileen Gray
Victoria & Albert Museum - case studies about Art Deco
BBC Home - quick glance information about Art Deco
Art Deco Pinboard
Design Museum - information about Eileen Gray
Victoria & Albert Museum - case studies about Art Deco
BBC Home - quick glance information about Art Deco
Bauhaus 1919 - 1933
|
Background Information:
The Bauhaus Design School was founded by Walter Gropius in Germany, the idea was to move away from student and teacher style teaching and more into communities teaching each other with their skills. The school was closed in 1933 due to pressure from the Nazi political party. The movement was about simplified products with simple functionality. One of the most notable outcomes of the design movement was the development of sans serif fonts, which contrasted with the ornate serifs used in Germany at the time. Key Designers: Marcel Breuer, Mies van der Rohe Key Features or Patterns: tubular steel bent into curves or angles, simple looking designs with high quality finishes. Colours: very monochrome, if colour is used usually just one, which is offset with the steel or chrome plated metal. Line Styles: gemometric- either very angular or curves that are not free formed. |
More information:
Bauhaus Pinboard
Design Is History - more background information about Bauhaus
Met Museum - in depth background about the Bauhaus School
The Art Story - general information about Bauhaus, useful links
Bauhaus Pinboard
Design Is History - more background information about Bauhaus
Met Museum - in depth background about the Bauhaus School
The Art Story - general information about Bauhaus, useful links
De Stijl 1917 - 1931
|
Background Information:
Literally translates as "The Style", the movement was formed by a collection of dutch artists and designers. The design focuses on simplicity and contrasts with the over styled Art Deco period. The idea being to create simply designed products and artwork that deliver basic function. Key Designers: Gerrit Reitveld, Piet Mondrian Key Features or Patterns: very easy to spot as the have the distinctive black lines and use of colour. Colours: black lines with white free spaces, some areas filled with primary colours; yellow, red and blue. Line Styles: vertical or horizontal thick and thin lines, some diagonal. |
More information:
De Stijl Pinboard
Design Is History - description and examples of De Stijl
The Art Story - description of the De Stijl movement
De Stijl Pinboard
Design Is History - description and examples of De Stijl
The Art Story - description of the De Stijl movement
Memphis 1981 - 1988
|
Background Information:
The Memphis Design Movement was another collection of designers and artists that wanted to create something to break the rules of traditional design and still function in the sense of traditional design. The idea was for the products to be, bright, colourful, playful and something that hadn't been seen before - as a result it was either loved or hated by the general public. Key Designers: Ettore Sottsass Key Features or Patterns: crazy patterns - some loosely based on animal print, some geometric, pinstripes. Strange shapes all thrown together that all contrast with each other. Colours: bright, bold and stand out primary and secondary colours that all contrast with each other. Line Styles: very geomteric, rectangles, triangles, square and circles, arcs. |
More information:
Memphis Pinboard
Design Museum - very useful background information and examples of Memphis products
Memphis Pinboard
Design Museum - very useful background information and examples of Memphis products
Modernism 1924 -1945
|
Background Information:
Modernism covers over some of the design movements already listed, e.g. Bauhaus and De Stijl, but after those movements their influence continued and developed.The ideals of simplicity and clear and easy functions were developed and the idea of nature started to develop through the looks of the product. Key Designers: Alvar Alto Key Features or Patterns: use of new materials Colours: often neutral or pale colours, light coloured woods, golds or very dark browns and greens. Line Styles: looking back towards the curves and arcs of nature, some geometry used. |
More information:
Modernism Pinboard
Victoria & Albert Museum - Modernism case studies
Design Museum - information about Alvar Aalto
Modernism Pinboard
Victoria & Albert Museum - Modernism case studies
Design Museum - information about Alvar Aalto
Post Modernism 1945 - Present Day
|
Background Information:
This movement looks at style over function, for example Phillipe Stark's Juicy Salif, the object is made to stand out and be highly aesthetic (whether it's to peoples taste or not!) however in terms of function it doesn't operate as easily or efficiently as other juicers. Key Designers: Michael Graves, Phillipe Stark, Alberto Alessi Key Features or Patterns: shows off sleekness of materials - e.g. high shine metals and the gloss of plastics. Colours: a lot of steel and chrome, sometimes contrasted with one pure colour e.g. white. Line Styles: sleek lines, often flowing lines but the objects often have a line of symmetry. |