372 PROCEEDINGS OP THE AMERICAN ACADEMY. 



basis for design, to be a verification or correction of visual feeling. The 

 part which visual feeling plays in design is well enough understood. 



The third element of the spot of paint, the one which we have not yet 

 considered, is shape. To study shape alone we avoid all differences of 

 tone and measure. For tone we may take black on white paper, and for 

 measure the square of an inch. Then we must vary the shape in every 

 possible way without varying either the tone or the measure. It is a 

 little difficult to vary the shape without varying the measure, but we can 

 do it, approximately, with the help of an underlay of small squares put 

 under a tracing paper upon which we draw. The power of estimating 

 the measure of the shape, no matter how irregular it is, is a power which 

 every drauglitsman, every paintei-, every designer must have. Make as 

 many different shapes as you can; all black on white paper, and all in the 

 measure of the square of an inch. Observe that some of the shapes are 

 rhythmical, suggesting a joint action or movement of parts, that others 

 are symmetrical, suggesting opposition or contradiction of parts, while 

 others show both rhythmic and symmetric elements. Shapes are in 

 harmony when they have the same or a similar character. Straiglit lines 

 go together in harmony. Curved lines have in common their curvature, 

 and fall into classes, circles, spirals, etc. Square spots harmonize as 

 squares, and round spots as rounds. Angles go together in scale-rela- 

 tions based upon degrees. 



Observe, however, in this connection as in others, that a little difference 

 is more disturbing than a large difference, when there is no sufficient 

 reason for any difference at all, when the repetition of the same shape- 

 character would be as satisfactory. Most perfect harmony exists, of 

 course, between shapes which have one and the same character, so in 

 design we prefer a repetition of similar elements to any composition of 

 insignificant differences. We are, however, apt to have differences of 

 character given to us in the terms or conditions of our problem. AVhat we 

 have to do is to make the best of these conditions. In such cases we can 

 make up for any lack of harmony in shapes by harmony in other than 

 shape-relations. Shapes are in harmony when they have the same meas- 

 ure (harmony of measure). They are in harmony when they have the 

 same tone (harmony of tone). Tliey may have the same value without 

 havino- the same color, and the same color without bavins: the same value. 

 They may have the same color without having the same intensity, so that 

 there are many ways of achieving harmony when there is no harmony of 

 the shapes themselves. 



Shapes having the same measure are in balance when they are reversed 



