I. Introduction
In the past, tartan-type textile configurations have been among predicted fashion trends for future fashion seasons, typified, for example, by the designs offered by participants at Première Vision, in Paris. Often, promotional terms such as “textured checks”, “deconstructed tartans” or “patched checks” can be found. Invariably, these are based on design developments from tartan setts. This paper is concerned with examining various proportions found in tartan setts, and the distortion of these to provide a means of creating original textile pattern designs. While distorted patterns may be considered by some to have a range of minor aesthetic disadvantages, overall a positive contribution is made by allowing well-planned and developed fundamentals to underpin original designs.
The origin of tartan and its means of production are reviewed first. Grid distortion possibilities are then identified. It is explained how traditional textile designs expressed in tartans can be manipulated to provide original designs. Garment suggestions are also presented. This paper is a development of a paper presented at the 2019 International Textiles and Costume Congress in Gujarat (India), within the theme “Indigenous Textile Crafts - Global Markets & Trends”.
II. Background
The English word “tartan” is derived from the French word “tiretaine” and, according to Coltman, was used in Scotland to describe a type of textile (Coltman, 2010). Dickens stated that it was “…a twilled stuff alike on both sides” (Dickens, 1873), or was a “pattern or distribution of colour of a plaid/ garment” (Dickens, 1873). In the relatively modern context, tartan was considered to be, “a traditional art form based on the regular interweaving of warp and weft stripes to form repeated pattern blocks or squares.” (Grossman & Boykin, 1988). The majority of tartan designs are more than 100 years old, many are over 150 years old and some are over 200 years old, observations made over seventy years ago by Stewart (Stewart, 1950).
Tartan has a multitude of social, cultural, economic and political associations (Coltman, 2010;Stewart, 1950), and has a strong link with families and clans in Scotland (Dickens, 1873;Grossman & Boykin, 1988;Stewart, 1950). Early evidence to confirm this link dates to 1578 (Stewart, 1950). Numerous tartans produced in the mid-18th century and later were associated with families in the Scottish highlands (Stewart, 1950). Often, highlanders wore the tartans of their leaders (Stewart, 1950). Invariably, social ranks could be indicated by the brightness of colour and the complexity of patterns (Stewart, 1950). Group association was thus strongly attached to tartan (Stewart, 1950) and, in time, the cloth was regarded as an expression of Scottish nationalism and regarded as a uniform in times of war (Dickens, 1873;Stewart, 1950). This potential was recognised by the British government in 1746 (Coltman, 2010) and soon afterwards published an act to prohibit people from wearing tartans apart from the military (Coltman, 2010;Dickens, 1873). The community use of tartan was lost and this remained so even after the government’s prohibition was removed (Dickens, 1873;Stewart, 1950).
Tartan was a calculated means of dressing up (Coltman, 2010). The presentation of tartan depended on the numerical proportion of setts (Stewart, 1950). The “cloth sett” (or simply “sett”) of a tartan gives the planned colour order and number of warp threads and weft threads per unit length (inchs or centimetres) (Urquhart, 2000). Therefore, a tartan plaid can be woven larger or smaller by adding or removing the threads in the setts proportionally (Grossman & Boykin, 1988). “The full sett is the sequence of colours read from right to left, turned about the pivot, and repeated” in reflected form (Urquhart, 2000). The pivot point thus acts as a point of reflection symmetry (indicated in <Fig. 1>), and the warp and weft setts are identical (Grossman & Boykin, 1988;Stewart, 1950). In the weaving process, the warp and weft setts intersect at 90 degrees. It is apparent that the repetition of square pattern blocks provides visual order (Grossman & Boykin, 1988).
For example, a MacKeane tartan (Fig. 2) has warp threads ordered as follows: 4 yellow, 2 black, 24 red, 16 black, 8 red, 16 black and 8 red (considered at the “sett” or, occasionally, with symmetrical tartans, as the “half sett”) which is reversed or reflected to continue in reverse order as 16 black, 8 red, 16 black, 24 red and 2 black; with reflection occurring therefore at each of the two pivots (4 yellow and 8 red), and the yarns at each pivot reflected themselves (Stewart, 1974). In short-hand form this order of threads (in both warp and weft directions) can be represented as: 4/Y, 2 Bk, 24 R, 16 Bk, 8 R, 16 Bk, 8/R which is reversed at either of the two pivots (each shown as an oblique stroke) “…to produce a “symmetrical” arrangement (which means that all the design elements are arranged completely “balanced” or centred in a piece of design work)… “repeated”… in the same colour sequence in both warp and weft directions” (Hann & Wang, 2016).
Although most modern tartans are symmetrical, some asymmetrical (which refers to a state of lack of balance or symmetry) tartan can be found in past records. Among these, according to Stewart (1950), is the Buchanan tartan (Fig. 3) which is probably the most striking asymmetrical tartan, with a sett of 2 black, 18 white, 8 crimson, 4 white, 8 crimson and 4 white (Stewart, 1950). In this case, there are no pivots, and the sett or order of threads will simply repeat across and down the cloth (Hann & Wang, 2016).
In previous research Hann and Wang (2016) selected twenty-five tartan setts, noting the colours and yarn numbers for each (Table 1). From this twentyfive, ten tartan sequences were chosen, with the underlying grid structure used to create novel textile pattern design structures. A further development of this outlook is provided below.
III. Methodology for Grid Manipulation
In a range of disciplines, grid structures are best considered as assemblies of lines (Hann, 2012), which, in practice, have been used in textile fabric design (Adams, 1989;Adanur & Vakalapudi, 2013;Böhm et al., 2013;Guilmain, 1985, 1987;Hausding, Lorenz, Ortlepp, Lundahl, & Cherif, 2011;Liu & Zhang, 2009;Qayum & Naseer, 2016;Rybicki, 2018;Shaw, 2010), computer image recognition (Hu et al., 2017;Lu, Mok, & Jin, 2014, 2017;Ma, Baciu, Hu, & Zhang, 2010;Wang, Yang, Huang, & Jin, 2012;Zhang & Xin, 2016), biology (Arad, 1997;Damyanovich, 2018), mathematics (Azarenok, 2003), geography (Crawford, 1983;Davies, 1974;Mackay, 1969;Myklestad & Birks, 1993), chemistry (Michl & Magnera, 2002), art (Johnson & Martin, 1998;Peden, 2004, 2012) and architecture (Collins, 1962;Jacobson, 1986). Grids can provide proportions in design practice, and subdivision and grid distortion are common methods to create visual effects of various kinds.
In textile pattern design, grids (without distortion) are used commonly to provide units of measurement and invariably function as underlying structures (Qayum & Naseer, 2016;Shaw, 2010), often to hold a design (or a motif) of some kind; the design may occupy one or more grid units and repeat across the entire cloth in both horizontal and vertical directions (Qayum & Naseer, 2016;Shaw, 2010). Examples can be found in garments, rugs, wall hangings and canopies (Shaw, 2010). In the handmade textile crafts of West Africa, for example, often the symmetry provided by underlying grids allowed a piece of work to be made by a few people while still retaining an aesthetic order or regularity (Adams, 1989).
Patterns with underlying grid structures can be manipulated in several ways including by “superposition”, “nesting”, “combination” and “parameter variations”. Also, the type and of design may be adjusted (Liu & Zhang, 2009) to produce what are known as “quasiregular patterns” (Liu & Zhang, 2009). <Fig. 4> provides examples of four quasi-regular patterns; in each case the regularity emanates from a central position, rather than from left to right or right to left.
Lu et al. (2014) distorted a pattern by changing its functions, giving titles such as “time-line”, “comb”, “wavy”, “circular time-line”, “vortex”, “stylus” and “ripple”. Examples are given in <Fig. 5>.
By combining the adjustment in different pattern functions, a grid-like pattern can be created from the distortion of concentric circles (Lu et al., 2014); this is shown in <Fig. 6>. Marbling effects are another possibility, created according to a pattern-distortion method (Fig. 7); this can function in textile patterns (Lu et al., 2014).
Another application of grid distortion in textile design can be obtained through mapping two-dimensional patterns onto three-dimensional models (Lu et al., 2017). As the majority of all textile patterns are designed in two-dimensions intended for garment use and the human body is three-dimensional, it is inevitable that pattern distortion will occur in reality (Lu et al., 2017). Designers then can thus use a grid system to calculate the exact distortion rate between the textile pattern and the reality of wearing the design. First, grids were drawn on a two-dimensional pattern, and then the same grids were distorted over a three-dimensional surface (as shown in Fig. 8). By comparing the positions of the grid vertex on both the flat textile pattern and the three-dimensional model, the distortion rate can thus be calculated (Lu et al., 2017).
A similar phenomenon can be found in map systems which distort grids to more accurately reflect distribution patterns in a particular area. For example, Myklestad and Birks (1993) used a grid-based map to study the species distribution of European flowers in Europe. This is shown in <Fig. 9>. A map with shaded areas in grid form is also used in census surveys (Davies, 1974). It should be noted however that when areas with irregular boundaries are considered, the grid-based data usually has a limitation of accuracy (Davies, 1974).
The application of grid distortion can be found in various visual art works. The anamorphic art style (Johnson & Martin, 1998) and wave-space art (Peden, 2004) contained distorted grids as underlying features. Anamorphic art is a type of “…artwork that is indistinct when viewed from a normal perspective but becomes recognisable when the image is viewed from a different perspective” (a) the anamorphic art work (Johnson & Martin, 1998; Fig. 10). In the creation process, an anamorphic grid was in the past used as guidelines by European artists (b) the drawing grid (Johnson & Martin, 1998; Fig. 10).
A wave effect was created by Peden (2004) based on a twisted square modular grids (Fig. 11).
The division (or sub-division) of grids as a design methodology is widely used in carpet design, due to the nature of the technique of weaving. The original guide grids can be sub-divided accordingly. <Fig. 12> illustrates the sub-division of grid units to suit pattern design (Guilmain, 1987).
Therefore, grid distortion has been used across diciplines including: as quasi-regular patterns (Liu & Zhang, 2009); changing pattern functions such as “time-line”, “comb”, “wavy”, “circular time-line”, “vortex”, “stylus” and “ripple” (Lu et al., 2014); distortion of concentric circles (Lu et al., 2014); marbling effects (Lu et al., 2014); mapping two-dimensional patterns onto three-dimensional models (Lu et al., 2017); grid-based map systems (Myklestad & Birks, 1993); anamorphic art work (Johnson & Martin, 1998); twisted square modular grids (Peden, 2004); sub-division of grid units (Guilmain, 1987).
Tartan has a checked features due to the assembly of different coloured threads in both warp and weft directions which intersect at 90 degrees. Grid plaids can be produced by commonly available computer software such as photoshop according to the proportions between the tartan setts (Fig. 13-Fig. 22). Those grid distortion methods reviewed above can be applied onto the tartan grids structure. Detailed manipulation methods and pattern effects are discussed in the following section.
IV. Findings and Discussion
As Hann and Wang observed previously, “The dominant aesthetic characteristic of tartans is their checked appearance, based on warp threads in a given order of colours interlacing at right angles with weft threads in the same order.” (Hann & Wang, 2016). Proportional relationships exist therefore between the number of threads (or setts) in each colour. Frameworks were generated based on the following numerical sett numbers provided by Stewart (1974): Abercrombie (thread count: 28, 2, 14, 14, 4, 4, 4, 4, 14); Baird (with thread counts: 6, 2, 2, 16, 16, 16, 4, 6); Balmoral (thread count: 4, 2, 16, 4, 4, 2, 2, 2, 8, 4, 2, 2, 2); Davidson (thread count: 2, 12, 6, 12, 2); MacCallum (thread count: 2, 12, 12, 8, 2, 4, 16); MacLeod (thread count: 6, 4, 30, 20, 40, 4, 4); MacPherson (thread count: 2, 2, 16, 2, 2, 2, 16, 2, 2); Macrae (hunting) (thread count: 6, 2, 30, 28, 8, 4, 8, 4, 28); Montgomerie (thread count: 8, 10, 8, 56, 8, 10, 8); Stewart of Galloway (thread count: 6, 48, 8, 2, 4, 2, 8, 12, 6, 2, 4, 2); then these grid-like frameworks were distorted using PhotoShop (Version: CC2019) by modifying various settings, including freehand; mirror; waves; two-points; poke; pinch; growth; circuit; shutter and pages. Forecasted fashionable colour palettes were added (these were largely womenswear colours anticipated for the Spring/ Summer, et al. listed below).
<Fig. 13> illustrates the pattern design resultant from the “waves” distortion method, using an Abercrombie tartan grid as a guide to proportion. <Fig. 14> shows the freehand style applied to Baird tartan grids. <Fig. 15> shows the two-points twist on Balmoral tartan. The Davidson tartan has a balanced underlying grid (Fig. 16) and was distorted using the “poke” method. The pinch method can twist images in a radial way; <Fig. 17> shows its application on a MacCallum tartan. <Fig. 18> illustrates the application of the “growth” method on a MacLeod tartan. The design on MacPherson uses a “mirror” method (Fig. 19), which gave a symmetrical appearance of the pattern unit. The “circuit” method distorted pattern lines by 90 degrees, and this method was applied to a Macrae (Hunting) tartan (Fig. 20). A Montgomerie tartan (Fig. 21) has a balanced structure and after applying a “shutter” distortion, the new pattern unit grid remained symmetrical. The layout of the Stewart of Galloway tartan (Fig. 22) showed complications compared to other tartans; the “pages” method was applied. For further illustration, a range of clothing designs is shown in garment form in <Fig. 23>.
This study applied 10 different grid manipulation methods onto 10 different tartan grids to illustrate the various possibilities of pattern design based on tartan proportions. Literally, all the methods can be applied onto one particular tartan sett, and this study had already tried that. However, some manipulation methods work better on one tartan grid over another. Thus this paper only illustrated what are considered as the 10 best tartan grid and manipulation combinations.
V. Conclusion and Implications
Tartan has been used in textile form for a long time. The characteristic feature is a checked format. In Scotland, different formats (or setts) have been associated with different families. This paper was developed from a paper presented at the 2019 International Textiles and Costume Congress in Gujarat (India), and responded to the theme of “Indigenous Textile Crafts - Global Markets & Trends”. It has been shown how the checked feature of tartans can be manipulated, in which freehand; mirror; waves; two-points; poke; pinch; growth; circuit; shutter and pages were illustrated, in this case using a forecasted colour palette. Grid and grid distortion is a common method used in art and design practice. This paper provides a methodology for textile pattern design by distorting tartan’s underlying grid structure using commonly available software (in this case via Photoshop). In this paper, the origin and nature of tartan were firstly reviewed. A few past grid distortion applications in art and design were then identified. The possibility of grid distortion of underlying structures in various tartans was discussed and illustrated in detail; it is believed that this procedure may contribute to the future development of textile pattern design, computer graphics, and creative thinking in general.