A theory of pure design

by Denman Waldo Ross

187. In connection with the practice of Pure Design, as I have described it,—the composition and arrangement of lines and spots of paint; of tones, measures, and shapes: this in the modes of Harmony, Balance, and Rhythm, for the sake of Order and in the hope of Beauty,—the student should take up the study of Order in its three modes, as revealed in Nature and achieved in Works of Art.

188. The method of study should be a combination of analysis with synthetic reproduction. Taking any instance of Order, whether in Nature or in some work of Art, the first thing to do is to consider its terms,—its positions, its lines, its areas, its measure and space-relations, its tones and tone-relations,—bringing every element to separate and exact definition. The next thing to do is to note every occurrence of Harmony, of Balance, of Rhythm,—every connection making for consistency, unity, Order. In that way we shall get an exact knowledge of the case. We shall know all the facts, so far as the terms and the principles of Design are concerned. That is what I mean by analysis. By a synthetic reproduction I mean a reproduction of the effect or design, whatever it is, following the images which we have in mind as the result of our analysis. The reproduction should be made without reference to the effect or design which has been analyzed. There should be no direct imitation, no copying. We must not depend so much upon the memory as upon the imagination. Having reproduced the effect or design in this way, following the suggestions of the imagination, the reproduction should be brought into comparison with the effect or design reproduced and the differences noted. Differences should be carefully observed and the previous analysis should be reviewed and reconsidered. When this is done another attempt at reproduction should be made. This process should be repeated until the effect or design is thoroughly understood and imaginatively grasped. The evidence of understanding and comprehension will be seen in the reproduction which is made, which ought to have an essential but not a literal correspondence with the original. Analysis should precede; synthesis should follow.

I hope, in another book or books, to be published later, to give some examples of Order in natural objects or effects, also examples of Order in Works of Art, with a careful analysis of each one, showing how the points, lines, and areas, the measure and the space-relations, the tones and tone-relations come together in the forms of Harmony, Balance, and Rhythm, in the modes of Order, in instances of Beauty. In the mean time, as the methods of analytic study and of synthetic practice are clearly indicated in the preceding pages, the student who has taken pains to understand what he has read will find himself well prepared for the work. He can take up the study of Order in Nature and of Design in Works of Art without further assistance.

CONCLUSION

189. It does not follow, even when our minds, in consequence of the study and the practice which I have described, are richly stored with the terms and the motives of Design, that we shall produce anything important or remarkable. Important work comes only from important people. What we accomplish, at best, is merely the measure and expression of our own personalities. Nevertheless, though we may not be able to produce anything important, it is something to appreciate and enjoy what is achieved by others. If our studies and our work bring us to the point of visual discrimination, to æsthetic appreciation and enjoyment, and no farther, we are distinguished among men. The rarest thing in the world is creative genius, the faculty which creates great works. Next to that comes the faculty of appreciation. That, too, is rare. We must not believe that appreciation is easy. It is true that the recognition of Order is instinctive and spontaneous, but untrained people recognize it only in a few simple and obvious forms. Order in its higher forms—the order of a great number and variety of terms and of different principles in combination—lies altogether beyond the appreciation of untrained people. It is only as we are trained, exercised, and practiced in the use of terms and in following principles that we rise to the appreciation of great achievements. The sense of order, which we all have, in a measure, needs to be exercised and developed. The spontaneity of undeveloped faculty does not count for much. It carries us only a little way. Let no one believe that without study and practice in Design he can recognize and appreciate what is best in Design.

Appreciation and enjoyment are the rewards of hard thinking with hard work. In order to appreciate the masterpiece we must have some knowledge of the terms which the artist has used and the principles which he has followed. We know the terms only when we have ourselves used them, and the principles when we have tried to follow them. The reason why the appreciation of excellence in speech and in writing is so widespread is due to the fact that we all speak and write, constantly, and try, so many of us, to speak and write well. The reason why there is so little appreciation of excellence in other forms of art is due to the fact that the terms are not in general use and the principles are not understood, as they should be, in the light of personal experience and effort. It is for this reason that I am anxious to see the teaching and practice of Design introduced into the schools, public and private, everywhere, and into our colleges as well as our schools. I have no idea that many able designers will be produced, but what I expect, as a result of this teaching, is a more general understanding of Design, more interest in it, and more appreciation and enjoyment of its achievements. Among the many who will appreciate and enjoy will be found the few who will create and produce.

The purpose of what is called art-teaching should be the production, not of objects, but of faculties,—the faculties which being exercised will produce objects of Art, naturally, inevitably. Instead of trying to teach people to produce Art, which is absurd and impossible, we must give them a training which will induce visual sensitiveness with æsthetic discrimination, an interest in the tones, measures, and shapes of things, the perception and appreciation of Order, the sense of Beauty. In these faculties we have the causes of Art. Inducing the causes, Art will follow as a matter of course. In exercising and developing the faculties which I have named, which naturally and inevitably produce Art, we are doing all that can be done by teaching. There is no better training for the visual and æsthetic faculties than is found in the practice of Pure Design, inducing, as it does, discrimination in tones, measures, and shapes, and the appreciation of what is orderly and beautiful. The result of the practice will be a wide spread of visual and æsthetic faculty which will have, as its natural and inevitable result, the appreciation and the production of Works of Art.

Our object, then, in the study and practice of Pure Design is, not so much the production of Works of Art, as it is to induce in ourselves the art-loving and art-producing faculties. With these faculties we shall be able to discover Order and Beauty everywhere, and life will be happier and better worth living, whether we produce Works of Art, ourselves, or not. We shall have an impulse which will lead us to produce Works of Art if we can. At the same time we shall have the judgment which will tell us whether what we have done is or is not beautiful.