More Rosettes

Fig. 14-1 – A geometrical rosette or medallion, drawn with
a compass, except the external cog-like projections.

Fig. 14-2 – A conventionalized daisy in medallion form. Draw the circles with compass; the rest free hand. If pen and ink, sketch details with very light pencil lines. For exercise draw a border containing four rosettes, alternated or separated by a circle about one-fourth the diameter of the rosette.

Fig. 15 is not intended as a copy for a single rosette, but for eight separate ones; each of the eight sections to be repeated eight times, when the circle will be filled. The units may be adopted also for border designs.

Historic Ornament

Individuality in ornament has been characteristic of most nations, even among the barbaric. Each nation seems to have adopted some unit or series of units and adapted them so repeatedly that they have derived a claim to some specific form of ornament. When these designs have passed down the ages they have been accepted as the historical ornament appertaining to the respective nations.

The greatest historic styles of the ancients are the Egyptian, Greek and Roman.

Of the Middle Ages there are the Byzantine, Romanesque (founded on the .later forms of the Roman ornament and approaching the Gothic), Saracenic and Gothic.

The modern styles which, however, included those prevailing for several centuries past (since 15th century) are usually termed Renaissance, meaning literally, new birth, or the revival of anything which has been extinct or in decay. Previous to the Renaissance there had been a tendency to imitate in decoration the Byzantine and Gothic.

The revival of Roman and Grecian art was called the Renaissance. Among the ancient styles are included, but as secondary, the Assyrian and Persian styles. There is today a tendency toward their revival.

The Oriental styles are the Persian, (East) Indian, Chinese and Japanese.

Graceful lines running in the same general direction is all that is aimed at in Figs. 19, 20 and 21. The shading is to be added, with the same display of quick lines flowing along the same curves.