Pattern and Design With Dynamic Symmetry (Paperback)

by Edward Bartholomew Edwards (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 122 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (June 1978)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486217566
• ISBN-13: 978-0486217567
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,606,682 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Classical Proportions and their Timeless Principles, June 24, 2000

By	Kelly Peck (Houston) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If one wishes to understand the underlying design principles that caused, created and drove the art of Classic Greece, Rome and Byzantium, the Renaissance, as well as Neolithic artifacts, and some of the most popular 20th-century art, one must grasp these principles of aesthetics. Even the orbits of the planets are found to correspond with these timeless proportions. All aesthetic harmonies and symmetries, from the lowliest atom to the expanding universe itself to the most creative works of man--Leonardo, Praxiteles and Mozart--based upon a single proportional relationship.

Caveat: We live in a babyfood world now--everything is pre-analyzed, pre-digested and pre-packaged for us--comparatively this book is a steep learning curve; using it successfully takes some diligent work. Much as "On Walden Pond" by Thoreau, oil the rusty old cogwheels of the mind before proceeding. This is a workbook with plenty of exercises and one must really do them. If one tires of 'state of the art' fads that are obsolete whilst rolling off the assembly line, find a Ticonderoga #2 with a good eraser, some drawing tools and a stack of paper and hunker down with this book.

One can go through life a practical man, with enough understanding of things to be successful, yet without true understanding of underlying principles. This book is for those who wish to be truly professional, and are willing to do the homework to make it happen.

5.0 out of 5 stars interesting and inspiring, October 11, 2006

By	casual.remark (Texas) - See all my reviews

I purchased this book to copy the patterns from it and use them as borders in my boutis projects - not exactly a lofty, heady pursuit at all.
However, upon reading it I was enthralled with the practicality of design principles based upon what Mr. Edwards calls, "dynamic symmetry." This book was indeed thought-provoking and has inspired me toward creating and designing patterns instead of just copying them from books.
I'd be willing to bet this book would be a nice accompaniment to design software as well; it would be a sort of 'framework' or 'where did that concept come from' kind of partnership.