RELIEF DESIGN: SIMPLE CUTS AND SHADOWS

  Relief design might be described as "partially 3-dimensional" because only the front surface is "raised" or comes forward. The background remains flat, unlike a sculpture one can view by looking or walking around it. A relief design can be carved from a plaster block creating forms by carving around them deeper and deeper into the block, or perhaps in clay or plastic by adding shapes to the background to different heights. Here, Introductory level students use paper and stencil knives and simple cuts which are bent upwards leaving the cut area a dark, negative space while the raised shape creates shadows above it.

A simple "plus" sign cut,with varied sizes, opens into a diamond shape. A "V" can be repeated or inverted into an up/down linear pattern.

Raising the cut areas up forms shadows and allows the background to emphasize the negative spaces.

In designing a pattern repeat, remember to allow a full height space between rows, allowing room for lifting and cast shadows.

The repeat pattern of the left triple triangles is a staggered design with cut shapes falling between those of the succeeding rows. It does not need additional space between each row. The cut squared corners of the right pattern will lift up in the same alloted space. It's a nice self-contained design.

Brackets and Strips offer 2 different horizontal or vertical cuts. The brackets lift within its own space, but the strips can be bent, curled, or folded into other forms.

The half circle/oval pattern by itself can be varied or repeated in rows or staggered. Two marks define its size: the circle defines the lifted edges while the space lines at the top and bottom indicate the start and stop of the cut marks.

Placing half circles tangently offers a combined cut of the half circle with curved triangular cuts in-between. An additional circle is drawn around the first one. The space between each outer circle at the top and bottom is cut into curved "v" shapes, and then lifted as needed.

These simple relief cuts can be reinterpreted differently. See its relief "cousin" which becomes a graphic design in Rubbings a nice 2nd step and 2-for-1 composition.