Design- Art & Crafts Movement

Art & Crafts Movement



William Morris was a member in this movement. He is well known for his designs that we applied mostly on fabrics and wallpapers. He combined art on the industry by applying the values of fine arts to the production of the commercial designs which was a good tip to the design to evolve to the design that we know today.  He was an artist, designer, printer, typographer, bookbinder, craftsman, poet, writer and champion of socialist ideals. He believed that a designer should have a well knowledge of any media, and should spend most of the time, to learn the techniques that he will be needed, to use for that specific product. He was skilled in  a wide range of arts and crafts.
 
He felt that the nature was one perfect example of God's designs. His idea was to bring back Gothic Art of the middle ages, to glorify God through the practice of their skills.  The model for this idea was the medieval crafts guilds which he saw as a type of socialist brotherhood where everybody have their level of ability.  So he felt that this would enhance  quality of life for of all  artistic activity itself would be seen as a force for good in society. The medieval crafts guilds were groups of artists, architects, and craftsmen who formed a group to do good work and teach other the craftsmanship to others so these talents won't be vanished.

WILLIAM MORRIS (1834-1896)
'Tulip and Willow', 1873
(pencil and watercolour sketch design)

His classic designs can still be found on wallpapers and textiles, which the patterns were inspired by his good knowledge of natural forms discovered through drawing, and then stylized them through his process of the product as it will be needed. They were usually titled with the names, that they taken from  flowers such as 'Chrysanthemum', 'Jasmine', 'Acanthus', and 'Sunflower'. By that Morris have bring the nature to the inside at home by using natural forms to decorate the interiors.

WILLIAM MORRIS (1834-1896)
'Trellis', 1862 (wallpaper design)

For example the above design there are birds flying around rose a tree, when you applied it on a wall it is like the wall is transparent and the movement of the birds is happening at that moment, which you can also feel more closely to nature and appreciate the world around you.

Influences to interiors nowadays from Arts & Crafts Movements

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we can see in these interiors there are things that were extracted from the Arts and Crafts Movement, then used in a modern way. For example the whiplash motif was extracted then used in a modern design for a railing and also for stained glass, natural designs for wallpaper, and other designs or motifs for the furniture and other things that will be used for interiors.

 

 ArtyFactory, 2014.William Morris - The Arts and Crafts Movement. [online]Available at: <http://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/graphic_designers/william_morris.html> [Accessed on 14 April 2014]