OPEN WINDOW TRIMMING.
Many decorators of late have found a distinct advantage in leaving shades up and dispensing with screens. They work in plain view of the crowds that congregate to watch them. This would be embarrassing to the beginner or the modest man, but its advantage lies in being an added attraction for the store. People are often curious to know how a window display is built up and arranged, and enjoy watching the workman. Often the people attracted are the loafers of a town, and those who, having no business of their own, would not be likely to bring business to the store. But in cities where the streets are crowded, the open window may be considered a distinct attraction to the casual observer and the general public.
The last three chapters are preparatory to the real work of decorating, and should be read with care by the student of the art.
CHAPTER IV.
FRAMEWORK.
The beginning of any work is always its most important period. Begin right and you may succeed; begin wrong and you are certain to fail.
When a window display is conceived in the fertile brain of the artist, his first work is to erect the framework for his creation. He must have something to build upon. Many trimmers—even some experienced ones who ought to know better—go to the wood pile when they wish to erect a framework. I advise every one to carry on hand a stock of standard pieces for frames. Almost any one who can handle a saw can make them himself, but a carpenter may be employed where necessary. Not a great variety of pieces are required, and the number of them depends on how many windows you have to trim. But with a supply of the regulation standard pieces you may construct an endless array of arches, pillars, shelving, centerpieces, pedestals, etc.
The trimmer who is driven to attack the wood pile when he starts to make a display is not only to be pitied, but is badly handicapped in his work. The amount of time consumed in building each special fixture in your window is detrimental to profitable trimming, and annoying to yourself and your employer. A well equipped fixture room is a money maker, as well as a time and labor saver.
The first system of standard pieces I will explain is that adapted and invented by the veteran decorator, Charles W. Morton. It is very simple. In many cases these fixtures for framework may be covered and trimmed in your room, in sections, and afterwards taken to the window, where they are easily put together. This is a wonderful assistance in making a rapid change.
These standard pieces are mostly made of half inch wood, and are covered with black cambric or painted. They are light in weight, strong and durable.
Each piece represents a useful stand in itself, and there is no limit to the variety of designs obtainable. The following is a brief description of the pieces:
Nos. 1, 2 and 3 on the first illustration are pedestals (or boxes). The size of smallest is one foot square (or a cube). The second size is one foot square and two feet high. The largest size is one foot square and three feet high.
No. 4 is a circle, two feet six inches in diameter, and made of 1-inch board.
No. 5 is a half circular stand, three feet high and one foot six inches in diameter, and covered with heavy paper.
No. 6 is what I call a cap. It measures one foot square at small end, three feet square at large end, and one foot six inches deep. It is a good fixture for laces, embroideries or notions.
No. 7 is a 1-inch pine board, one foot wide and eight feet long, or any length suitable for the window to be trimmed.
No. 8 is a round pillar, eight inches in diameter, and three feet six inches high.
No. 9 is a cap, eight inches in diameter at bottom, twelve inches at top, and ten inches high.
No. 10 is three half circles, each made one foot square, and boxed in, the small one measuring three feet six inches in diameter (outside measurement). The second one is five feet six inches in diameter, and the largest half circle seven feet six inches in diameter.
No. 11 is a half circle box, one foot high and two feet in diameter. The pyramid is one foot square at the base, and two feet high.
The second illustration shows a few devices, made of ½-inch wood, and measure about three feet high, and will suggest themselves for showing many lines, such as notions, jewelry, cutlery, hardware, etc.
The other illustrations give you a few examples of the many designs obtainable from this modern combination fixture.
Another set of standard pieces which has been quite largely used and is recommended by many decorators, is illustrated below.
The first illustration shows how to make pillars, stands, etc. They will need little explanation, but I will mention, for example, that A is made from two circular pieces of wood, 1, joined together by strips of wood, or lath. These circular pieces are very useful. The cone, C, is made by connecting the pieces 5 and 3 by strips or lath. D is a standard having 3 for its top. F is a useful stand employing the pieces 1 to 5 connected by short standards.
STANDARD PIECES FOR FRAMEWORK—FIRST ILLUSTRATION.
STANDARD PIECES FOR FRAMEWORK—SECOND ILLUSTRATION.
STANDARD PIECES FOR FRAMEWORK—THIRD ILLUSTRATION.
One thing is important. Do not use nails larger than is necessary to hold the structure together. Many novices spike their pieces together as firmly as if they were to endure to the end of time, and the consequence is that many pieces are broken and destroyed in taking the framework apart. Temporary security is all that is required, and by the exercise of a little care the frames will last for years.
The second illustration shows the use of circles for arches, domes, etc., which may be built into a bewildering variety of effects. The stock pieces required are the full circle, A, the half circle, B, and the quarter circle, C. These should be sawed from 1-inch lumber, in a variety of sizes, and in connection with the uprights, for pillars, will enable you to make any sort of arch or dome you may desire.
The third illustration depicts the most useful centerpieces and fixtures known in window trimming. The stairs, or shelves, may be taken down and used in a variety of windows, and the same will apply to the other fixtures shown.
All the frames described are best made of pine, as soft wood is easier to tack or pin to. Provided they are perfect in form, they need not be well finished, as they will be covered with puffings, pleatings and draperies.
These pieces may be added to by the preparation of smaller ones to be used as shown in the fourth and fifth illustrations. These can be used in almost endless variety and occasions will often arise when a corner or section of your window will appear bare, and may be furnished with some small, attractive design made from your stock pieces.
However, the first set of fixtures described is recommended as the most perfect and therefore the best for general use.
CHAPTER V.
HARMONY OF COLORS.
After erecting the framework the decorator proceeds to cover it, in order to complete his background. But before doing this the harmony of color must be considered, as the real success of his window will depend upon the good taste and arrangement of the colors employed.
No man need be frightened at facing this frequent bugbear to the novice:—color harmony. Any one will readily understand it after reading this chapter.
“What is color?” you ask.
Nothing but common daylight deprived of some of its wonderful properties.
When this is understood the subject is robbed of its terrors, for we know we are facing a natural effect, and nature is simplicity itself.
When light strikes any object, such as a blade of grass or leaf, the rays of white light are separated or decomposed; part are absorbed by the grass or leaf and the others reflected to the eye, causing the sensation of color; in this case green, the grass or leaf having reflected the blue and yellow rays and absorbed the red. To understand this thoroughly a little scientific experiment will demonstrate clearly. Go into a dark room, shutters, doors, etc., closed tight. Now make a very small hole through a shutter to the outer daylight, when a fine pencil of light will penetrate the darkness. Into this ray of light place a prism of glass, when the ray, after passing through the prism, will be diverged and separated, showing the solar spectrum in all its beauty.
The colors thus shown are the elementary colors of white light, commonly called the “primary” colors. The red, blue, and yellow are the most dominant in the spectrum, and in consequence always understood when we speak of “primary” colors; the intermediate rays shade into the various colors of the spectrum and are called “complimentary colors.” They show all the tints of the rainbow, which is in fact a gigantic solar spectrum.
The blade of grass has appropriated the red rays of the spectrum (or light) and leaves us only the blue and yellow, which, being reflected and blended, give us the sensation of green instead of white.
Every color affects the eye (or optic nerve) with a different vibration, which enables the optic nerve to inform the brain of the color. In this way we get the sensation of color. Black is the absence of all color; that is to say, it absorbs all the rays and returns none. White is the reflection of all the rays, none being absorbed.
The “primary colors,” red, blue, and yellow, have their “secondary colors,” which is the combination of any two primaries; as a mixture of blue and red make purple, the complementary (or contrast) of yellow, blue and yellow make green, which makes red the complementary or contrast. Yellow and red make orange, the complementary of blue. The secondary colors are therefore purple, green and orange.
The tertiary colors are those obtained by a mixture of all the primary colors (one proportion of which produces black), making what are called “broken tones.”
The “secondary colors,” produced as above, make the perfect contrast or complementary colors of the primary set, and the “tertiary colors,” or “broken tones,” produced as above, enable us to carry out harmony effects.
No harmony of color is perfect unless it contains all three primaries in some proportion or other. Thus, green (blue and yellow) and red are correct, having the three primaries in the composition. For simplicity I will not go into shades, which are simply lighter tints of the primary colors; but I may add that in harmony of color the color value or intensity of the shades must be carefully noted, to be effective; that is, a brilliant orange (red and yellow) will not be complementary to light blue, but would be correct with blue of same intensity. All the innumerable shades or tones are produced from the three primary colors, by reducing the strength of tint; that is, making it lighter, and the tones are produced by admixture of black, etc., or, rather, the admixture of the three primary colors, in different proportions, lowering the tone, and making lighter. Thus all the shades are made, each having its proper complementary color or contrast.
All colors, when brought into close proximity, affect each other by reflection or absorption, and the nearer they are in tone the more they will suffer. The difference in tone should be considerable, or a neutral line of black, white or gray placed between them; otherwise you have reds in proximity to blue appearing yellow, the complementary of red and blue. Red in proximity to green (its complementary) is purer and brighter. Red in proximity to black becomes duller. Red in proximity to white appears lighter (pink). Red in proximity to gray becomes brighter; so that the same red will appear of different shades according to its arrangement with regard to other colors adjacent. The same law governs the arrangement of all colors. If red and white are placed in contact, the white becomes tinged with the complementary of red (green), and the red appears deeper and brighter. White placed beside a color strengthens its tone. Black dulls it. Black surfaces appear faintly tinted with the complementary of the adjacent color, because of its low reflective power.
Black and white are commonly said to be complementary to each other, and to harmonize with all the other colors.