Organic Ornaments

In this article, originally published in IdN v20n5, we discover why it is a mistake to compartmentalise art into two camps – the functional and the decorative. There is no reason why the two should not fuse into one impactful entity.
In this article, originally published in IdN v20n5, we discover why it is a mistake to compartmentalise art into two camps – the functional and the decorative. There is no reason why the two should not fuse into one impactful entity.

16.12.2013 Features

Ornamental Design is sometimes regarded as being merely a decorative element, usually involving lots of patterns and the intricate interweaving of flowers. It is however, a fundamental mistake to compartmentalise art into two camps – the functional and the decorative. There is no reason why the two should not fuse into one impactful entity.




Ornamental Design has moved from the pure-art/architecture fields to more commercial usage and is now a staple of graphic design, albeit sometimes rather looked down upon as a “secondary” discipline. Is this kind of design “merely” decorative or can it play an important role in the overall impact of an illustration when it comes to selling a product?





We look at the work of eight leading creatives who specialise in this kind of art. They all agreed that it is impossible to separate the purely ornamental from the functional. Both aspects serve a purpose and putting them together can result in a doubling of effectiveness.

Featuring:

Antonio Rodrigues Jr | Maren Esdar | Dawn Gardner | Pomme Chan | My Name is Wendy | Underscore | Lena Steinkühler | Oamul






Reprinted with permission from IdN Magazine. All rights reserved. This article first appeared in IdN v20n5: Organic Ornaments.

IdN Magazine
Original article
In this article, originally published in IdN v20n5, we discover why it is a mistake to compartmentalise art into two camps – the functional and the decorative. There is no reason why the two should not fuse into one impactful entity.
In this article, originally published in IdN v20n5, we discover why it is a mistake to compartmentalise art into two camps – the functional and the decorative. There is no reason why the two should not fuse into one impactful entity.

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