Transforming Chinese Traditional Patterns into Three-dimensions and Applying Them to Modern Design

For culture continuity and design innovations, the author researched how to apply three-dimensional traditional patterns to product design. This paper introduced the evolution and manifestations of Chinese traditional patterns; it discussed methods of and principles in making them three-dimensional. Through surface enclosure, increasing the thickness and image restoration, their external form and internal implication can be well integrated. By simplifying traditional patterns, combined with characteristics of the times and individuality, this will help to meet the aesthetic requirements of modern society. Introduction Chinese traditional patterns have a long history and diverse forms. They come from the life and work of the people; they are accumulated through generations of traditional culture. Inheriting and innovatively applying traditional cultural elements to modern design has become an unfailing subject. In product design, recreating traditional patterns is conducive to the construction of traditional Chinese culture; it also has great practical significance for improving the artistic taste of products and the people. Evolution of Traditional Patterns In the long stream of Chinese history, traditional patterns have been changing in contents, forms and cultural charm, which have witnessed the evolution of the nation. In the Neolithic Age, painted potteries had vivid, beautiful, classical and bold patterns, with animals, plants, men, and geometrics as the main contents, reflecting ancestors’ totemism and instinct to pursue beauty. Symmetrical and balanced patterns in the Bronze Age were both bold and fine. The images of monsters and clouds, watermarks, geometrics showed the solemnity and mystery of bronze. In Qin and Han dynasties, patterns displayed tales, myths and legends with animals and people. They were simple and intricate, vivid, contrasting, and had a high artistic value. With the economic and cultural prosperity, Tang Dynasty had broader subjects, flowers and birds having been the main themes of this period. Patterns of Baoxiang flowers (a composite design which was a combination of different flowers), floral, flower sprays, curly grass, peonies, lotus flowers were passed down as traditional Chinese models. The decorative style was lively, realistic, and magnificent. Patterns of Qing Dynasty tended to be secular, and the images were detailed and delicate, often with flashy features. [1] In all kind s of patterns, folk designs were rather unique and distinctive in development, in which there was a wide range of rich content. The most prominent were embroidery, paper cutting, shadow play, stone carvings, wood carvings and themes which included animals, people, flowers, birds, fish and insects. Homonyms, analogies, symbols and metaphors and other techniques were often adopted, giving rich meanings to the designs and reflecting people’s good wish and pursuit for a better life. Throughout the course of development of traditional patterns, we can see its manifestation was mostly two-dimensional, such as the designs on textiles, paper cuttings, wood carvings, or stone carvings. [2] When traditional patterns are used in modern products, they appear as enhancing decorations. And restricted by the shape of products, the pattern may adapt to a different form of organization, such as separate patterns, situational patterns, radiating patterns and so on. In modern 2nd Annual International Conference on Social Science and Contemporary Humanity Development (SSCHD 2016) © 2016. The authors Published by Atlantis Press 705 industry, traditional patterns provide important inspiration and guidance for clothing, packaging and furniture design. Likewise, they repeatedly appear in product design, and there have been many morphological beautiful works with rich implication. Methods of Transforming Traditional Patterns into Three-dimensions Study on transforming traditional patterns to three-dimensions will be imperative to the traditional cultural heritage and open up a broad path of development, keeping it alive. Traditional patterns provide products with rich meanings, and help to form the unique national characteristics. In addition, the Chinese traditional patterns were characterized by that “patterns must intentionally have auspicious features”.[3] Therefore, based on the semantics conveyed in product features, they must also have the ability to convey the unique, traditional patterns with auspicious meanings. Transforming traditional patterns to three-dimensions is the inheritance and innovation of traditional culture. The methods are as follows: Flat or Curved Enclosure. Multiple flat planes can be enclosed or a flat plane can be curved, and take on three-dimensional effect. Traditional patterns were originally two-dimensional, by altering the shape of a flat plane and the patterns on it, a variety of geometrics or free shapes will be formed. This method is applicable to some Chinese lamps, furniture and containers. In reality, three-dimensional effect may be achieved by painting, drawing, pasting patterns directly on products’ surface or by carving into and hollowing out the surface. This approach retains the two-dimensional characteristics of the traditional patterns, borrowing the three-dimensional shape of the product as the substrate, so the design is relatively simple, a rich visual effect can be achieved as long as three-dimensional shape of the product is reasonable. For example, in the following design of modern Chinese lamps (Fig.1), the traditional radiating patterns are put onto the four sides as decorations, which gives people a three-dimensional feeling. Fig. 1. Modern lamp with Chinese traditional patterns Fig.2. Outdoor stone table and stone stools