DESIGN ELEMENT - FORM more -->
Form lines are the basic 'skeleton' structure of traditional Northwest Coast art. Primary form lines are the first design elements painted, defining the composition. Formlines usually start at a point, swell once and diminish to a point. Can you identify the formlines in these designs?
Primary form lines are usually black. Formlines, whether painted or carved in relief (as seen in above left photos), are used for the basic structure of the design. Secondary form lines are usually red, and lighter or thinner than the black primary form lines. Sometimes artists experiment by making the primary form lines red. The two designs above and to the right are on a painted skin apron. The design would have appeared to others as upside down (as shown) when worn.
Rarely, other colours such as blue are used in tertiary spaces, as seen in the images below.
Form spaces are the spaces between the form lines, which often conform to the same rules as form lines. They often start at one point, swell once and taper to a point. Like form lines, the top of an ovoid form space is thicker than the bottom.
One of the signs of a master artist is his/her ability to control form spaces. If form spaces are handled well, the design has cohesiveness and integrity.
If form spaces are ignored, the design elements may look as though they have been plopped onto the page, without being connected as part of a single design.
The artists who painted the four boxes below each treated the primary form lines in slightly different ways.
The artist who painted this box used light form lines.
The artist who painted this box used very heavy form lines.
The artist who painted this chest end used much lighter form lines.
This dish has heavy black form lines that do not flow easily. The artist seems to understand the use of form spaces, but the overall design does not have the 'tension' in many other designs.
