RICHARD'S FURNITURE REFINISHING "Give Your Furniture a Face Lift" Free Estimates 600 Euclid St., Whitby Cail Rick Forestali 666-2992 or 655-4560 CERAMIC ACADEMY VALENTINE SPECIAL OFFERS 50% OFF FIRING PRESENT THIS AD AND REGISTER BEFORE FEB. 14,1981. 10 LESSONS....$25.00 EXCELLENT GREENWARE SELECTION FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL 668-7219 Forms play important role By PETER SZARKA Ary's Gallery Forms are 3 dimensional shapes which we see around us everyday. They are 3 basic shapes. Cabinets, chest of drawers and ottomans may be reduced to a cube or series of cubes. The circular top table is a cylinder with parts cut away. The ceiling light or a lamp base is described as a sphere. Where we use these forms in relation to our rooms can make or break the harmony of that room. The form of any object must be suited to the space in which it is placed. That is the definite relation. If we take a kidney-shaped desk and place it against a wall at one end of a sofa, notice that the desk looks better at right angles to the wall (solid line) than with the curved back against.the wall (darked line). And a rectangular desk with its flat side against the straight wall looks even better. Now let's take our two desks and put them in a low window. Your eyes tell you instantly that the kidney - r I Cube shaped desk looks better in the bow window that does the rectangular desk. Why? Because the curved lines of the kidney desk are com- patible with the curved lines of the bow window, just as the straight lines of the rec- tangular desk are com- patible with the straight lines of the rectangular room. Study, one at a time, the sketches that follow. Try to decide what it is about each form that makes it. com- patible or incompatible with the panel in which it ap- pears. Obser.vè the oval mirror in the square.panel. Your eyes tell you something is wrong) The top and bottom of the oval seem to press against the top and bottom of the panel. Now look at the oval in the rectangular panel. The top and bottom of the oval are no longer crowded and love breathing space. Harmony is acheived because the longer-than- wide oval is now in a longer- than-wide rectangular panel. Place a circular mirror in the rectangular panel. See how wrong it looks. There seems to be too much empty space at the sides of the panel compared with that at the top and bottom. See how right the circle looks in the space panel. They have harmonious proportions. By looking at the diagrams, you can see where triangles should be placed to har- monize. Line and form have an emotional quality as impor- tant as colour. A similing face is ever so much more pleasant than a frowning face. The upward curve can be translated into an arrangement on a mantel shelf. Note the dashed line that follows the curve of the arrangement. A curved line, then, is a joyous line. The straight line also produces a special feeling. It indicates solidity and stranght. As we progress, you will learn that a balanced use of curved lines and straight lines makes a more in- teresting room. Cylinder Sphere Much of our furniture tend to be relatively the same height. That is one of the reasons why we advocate the use of one tall piece in a room. Too many horizontal lines quickly becomes boring. However, too many vertical lines going up and down are also disturbing. The caution against the over use of vertical lines also ap- plies to wallpapers. Consequently, think twice before using wallpaper with a pronounced strip in any room. As you contemplate the use of certain pieces of fur- niture, analyze back piece by asking yourself: (1) Are the lines of the piece please to your eye? (2) Does the form seem too bulky and thick or too delicate and spindly? (3) Will the piece be too heavy or too light when placed next to other pieces of furniture? (41 Will its lines, its overall form be compatible with the space it will occupy. If you start now to cultivate the habit of studying furniture by asking yourself these questions you will observe the many errors in judgement made by others and thereby learn how to avoid these errors. With continous practice, in a very short time, you will be able to select the form which will fill a given space most harmoniously. Next month, we examine proportion. L_683-19