Can you name that style?

[shilala]

Does anyone know the name of the particular style or period that originally made use of all the flourishes and floral swags you see in Vector Art packages?

Reason being, I'd like to study the style in more depth so that I can make use of the models. It seems that a lot of people are drawn to the style, or at least appreciate it, and I'd like to be able to express that style without it looking like a fat, snuff chewing, gravy licking hillbilly did it.
It's not going to be easy to pull off. :D
Despite my shortcomings, I have a pretty good eye. I'm sure I can make it work if I have a starting point for study.

[rb99]

I will guess the French Renaissance.

[Ajcoholic]

Georgian, and French Empire both used carvings - especially of Icanthus leaves and shells, etc. Victorian used a lot of carved leaves and vines. There are a lot of style periods - studied that stuff back in woodworking college but that is a while ago now (like almost 20 years).

There are books out on that topic, try Amazon. I have some school texts on the topic but they are at work.

AJC

[Brady Watson]

Check your PM.

-B

[Ajcoholic]

Check your PM.

-B

Why not share with the rest of the class... we all want to know! :)

[shilala]

I don't think Brady will mind me saying that he pointed me at a couple books. I found them on Amazon and I'll be downloading them as soon as I get away from the computer.

After I posted, I thought to text my step-daughter. She's in her 4th or 5th year at Kent State, she's an Art major. She's seen lots of the stuff I do and was able to point me in the right direction, then I followed the trail. I told her "Your education was not wasted!!!" and she was both thrilled and tickled she could help.

The cartouches, leaf borders, and some flourishes are decidedly Greek. Then there was a long period where all the art was full of carvings of people, along with scrolls and cartouches and other old Greek elements, that was the Romanesque period. Then things got more interesting in the Renaissance period. The Victorian period grabbed everything, took a hit of acid, and threw up what is a lot of the particularly garish Victorian things you'll see by Googling "Victorian Design" or "Victorian Art Elements".
Swags were Greek, becoming more interesting as Romanesque, but I still haven't traced the beginnings of the floral swags you see in the Vector models.

I think my taste lies right at the advent, or slightly before floral swags became the rage. That's just a guess, but it's borderline educated at this point. Greek style is nice, but too sparse. Victorian style is way too busy for me. With the books that Brady pointed out, I can study all of it and pick and choose my own "style" that allows me to incorporate elements that should be tasteful and easy on the eye.

I've gotten pretty good with Aspire, and I'm sure I can build a lot more models that are exactly what I want, whenever necessary. I don't know how much software you guys have been exposed to along the way, but I've struggled through TONS. Aspire is so perfectly done for what we do that it's just plain amazing. I only mention that because I'm sure there are countless folks out there that don't even realize what an absolutely wonderful tool they have.
Aspire will be as much a part of this adventure as are the books and my Shopbot. I couldn't do any of it without any one of them. And you guys. :)

[bleeth]

Scott:
Ancient Greek design went through three stages from most simple to most decorative. Sounds like your tastes are running somewhere between Doric and Corinthian.

[shilala]

Scott:
Ancient Greek design went through three stages from most simple to most decorative. Sounds like your tastes are running somewhere between Doric and Corinthian.
You may well be right, Dave. I've been reading steady and ill soon be able to put a finger on it.
I can tell you for sure that I love art-deco. I think that's why I don't like exceptionally busy stuff and I love curves.

[bleeth]

I have a fondness for Art Deco too-Something about living in South Beach Miami years ago when they were just revitalizing the area and saving all the old Art Deco hotels. The flowing curves definitely do it for me.
On another historical note Dark Ages architecture was like a regression to earliest Greco-Roman with heavy lines and very little decorative elements (Other than lots of gargoyles). Then as the Renaissance kicked in the designs started getting more and more added elements that were more for the sake of decoration than construction. I have to say I also like Louis XIV because although the decorations can be pretty flowery the lines are so graceful.

Some years ago my wife gave me a book that was a historical timeline outline. So for a particular period (like 1750-1760) it would have subheadings on what was going on politically, architecturally, artistically, and in literature. It tends to put a real perspective on how they influenced each other.

[shilala]

Do you remember the name of that book, Dave? I'm sure it'd be a good read.
I found some decent writings on the Internet yesterday, but none were very in-depth. The Wikipedia entry was very good and I could chase all the links, but I think I'd enjoy something like you mentioned a lot more.

[bleeth]

"The Timetables of History"
Bernard Grun
On Amazon.

[myxpykalix]

Since we are having a discussion about styles let me ask some of you....

Do some of the various styles, where we see styles on inside also go along with styles of architecture?

The reason i ask is, this is the house i grew up in. Growing up it was like a mansion to us. It was built in the late 1800's by John D Rockefeller for the executives of the newly formed Standard Oil company.

There were transoms above the bedroom doors, elegant staircase, fireplace with anthicus leaves and other appointments, glass french doors among other things.

In the picture where you see the square spires on the end we discoveded a dumbwaiter that went from the basement to the attic. We used to take turns riding up and down.

Now given that period and the style you see what if anything does that tell you?:confused:

[steve_g]

It tells me that it's hard to heat...

Actually, builders have been borrowing elements from predecessors for ever, so knowing when a structure was built only eliminates future styles.

SG

[bleeth]

A cross between Georgian and Federalist with additional elements by the architect. The spires don't belong, and neither do the brick columns. There was also a gothic revival going on at the time, that in a weird sort of way they may have come from. That would suit Rockefeller wanting something "grand" added to make sure the rest of the folks in town knew they were for their "betters".

[myxpykalix]

Dave,
I can't believe how you absolutely hit that right on the head. Ours was one of the largest and nicest houses in the town. Most were frame houses, row houses where the "workers" lived on the other side of town and our neighborhood was one of the nicest.

You can definitely see a difference between the houses constructed on the North side of our main street with mostly brick construction and others with gingerbread details. Everybody knew where "the castle" was in our town.

Steve,
you were right about heating. The glass windows would rattle with the wind coming off lake michigan and you could feel the breeze blowing in the house. I can recall folding up newspapers and stuffing in the cracks around the doors and windows to keep the cold air out. It would get so cold up there, down to -50 windchill factor that i've seen car batteries freeze and bust.
But for all that i wouldn't change a thing about the town and that drafty old house. The best time of my life was growing up in that house...oh well.