Wednesday, May 4, 2011

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF DUMB DESIGN IDEAS The Three Striper!

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF DUMB DESIGN IDEAS

The Three Striper!

The discovery of a group of Dutch painting hidden behind a large Louise Nevelson assemblage that was removed for fumigation by a major American museum, has provided an opportunity for me to point out some errors of judgment by a little known painter. The example above is a triple striper design.

The tyro artist was invited to the lakeside cottage of a friend or compliance officer. He was told repeatedly what a lovely view of Chancrebristle Lake it had, and that a great painting might be made there with ease!. And indeed, it did have a fine view, any officer would be proud to have his family there on Holiday! However when our tyro artist completed this painting it contained a grievous fault! Yes, it did indeed.

You see, all of the elements in this painting run from one side of the canvas to the other! Like stripes on a mattress. What could be more static! Our tyro knew he had copied the scene in front of him with the utmost fidelity, yet the painting was not attractive, or valuable. That's because;

He was looking for nouns (in this case, the lake) rather than an arrangement of attractive and valuable shapes that set one another off!

It seems there are many lovely places that may present the tyro artist with unwelcome challenges. How much better if he had eschewed the expected lake view and found a more dynamic arrangement. Perhaps he could have pulled his easel back and obtained a more varied and pleasing foreground, or looked along the receding line of the lakeshore and at the small copse of tender withies arrayed there.

13 comments:

Sarah Faragher said...

Ha! I've been there. In fact I seem to have a knack for picking out the stripey locations and dedicating myself to them. Stripey water, islands, and sky. I'm getting better at the footlights problem, though. (I think.) Love these posts - thank you.

Durinda Cheek, Fine Artist said...

A great series of posts, Stape! (now that I am back on-line after a series of tornadoes ripped through my area) I bet all of us could post at least one of our dumb design ideas.

Philip Koch said...

Aha, Stape you are revealed as an essayist of high style and most accomplished philosophy. It does remind one of nothing so much as the esteemd art reviews of the late 17th century art critic for the Amsterdam Evening Post, Horst van den Fleegle.

That said, great post.

I've long suspected those Nevelson wall sculptures concealed forgotten treasure (perhaps for Louise N. extra cigarette holders and a case of ultra-black eyeliner).

Brady said...

Those crazy Dutch! Don't they ever learn?

Unfortunately I think I created a dumb design today, except mine's a five striper.

Unknown said...

If you were to add a vertical element in a painting like this, a tree, or telephone pole, or really tall Dutchman, would that change the "three striper" stigma?

the verification word today is "woothip". I think I need to use that in a sentence this week.

Erich said...

Fine, I'll ask at the risk of public shame. What is this "tyro" that you've mentioned in the last couple of posts

Brady said...

@ Erich

A tyro is an absolute beginner. Or if you are up on today's lingo:

Tyro = Noob

Stapleton Kearns said...

Sarah;
Thank you.
................Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Durinda;
I drove through all that stuff in Louisville- Cincinnati
..............Stape.

Stapleton Kearns said...

Philip;
I believe I saw her once. She was originally from Rockland Maine.
..................Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Brady;
These are synthetic Dutchmen.
...................Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Deb;
That can help, but often the problem remains.
...............Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Erich;
That is an archaic word, Brady answers you below.
................Stape