ASIA PACIFIC COLLEGE OF ADVANCED STUDIES, INC.
A.H. Banzon St., Ibayo, Balanga City, Bataan
GEC-ART: ART APPRECIATION
LECTURE 15
Visual Elements in Philippine Traditional Motifs and Crafts
Decorative Motifs and Symbols Classification
There are times when we do not understand what is being meant by a word, a thought,
an act, or a thing. We need other things to describe them in order to properly
understand their meanings. This is particularly true when we are dealing with works of art and
in the literary world. This is why symbols and motifs are created: to help us understand.
Motifs
A motif is an image, spoken or written word, sound, act, or another visual, or structural
device that has symbolic significance. It is used to developed and inform the theme of a literary
work. The concept of a motif is related to a theme, but unlike a theme which is an idea or
message, a motif is a detail that is repeated in a pattern of meaning that can produce a theme
while creating other aspects at the same time.
It is closely related to a theme or a symbol and uses different narrative elements. It is
constantly repeated to represent a dominant or central idea or a theme in a work of art. It
relates more to thought which is used to support a theme.
Motifs typically are used in one of three ways:
● A single object that appears multiple times throughout the work with most of the
emphasis placed on the item.
● A collection of related objects that appear multiple times to emphasize the theme.
● A collection of seemingly unrelated items that serve to draw attention to the theme in a
subtler manner.
Classification of Motif:
The motifs or units of a textile design may be classified as: Geometric, Realistic or
Natural, Stylized, and Abstract.
1. Geometric Motif - These motifs include lines in various forms, such as vertical,
horizontal, diagonal, and curved. They form fabric designs, such as stripes,
plaids, checks and circles and their associated designs. Geometric designs lead
the eye in the design or pattern that is created by them.
ASIA PACIFIC COLLEGE OF ADVANCED STUDIES, INC.
A.H. Banzon St., Ibayo, Balanga City, Bataan
2. Realistic or Natural Motif - Natural motifs portray as direct replicas of things as
they exist in nature, such as flowers on trees, animals in the jungle, human
figures and other natural things. They are also called novelty patterns. As
these motifs lack a designer's creativity and require a three-dimensional
platform to copy reality, they do not find wide acceptance in apparel
designing.
3. Stylized Motif - These are simplified variations of natural or man-made objects
that are no longer recognizable. These motifs are full of creativity, as they are
the result of a designer's interpretation of naturally existing things. Stylized
motifs are obtained by rearranging the real objects either by simplifying or
exaggerating them to achieve the purpose of the design.
4. Abstract Motif - These are combinations of color, size, and shape without
relationship to natural or man-made objects. They are full of color and interest in
the fabric. Abstract implies an element of impression and a greater freedom that
is found in most geometric designs. This type of design is used in modern art
Symbol
The term 'symbol comes from the Greek word 'symbolon" which means contract, token,
insignia and means of identification (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1997).
Through symbols, ideas and meanings are represented. In a symbol, there is both
concealment and revelation. Symbols facilitate communication by giving a common
reference point for a variety of original disparate ideas. Symbols are universal, in the sense they
transcend history.
Symbols depicted on objects allow us to decode some of the meanings behind them and
understand better the cultures that made and used them. On some occasions, the object itself,
such as an item of clothing or a piece of regalia, becomes the symbol. The motivations behind
the use of symbols are varied: to impose power, to assert position, to protect the wearer or as
identification with a family or community. Where not all members of a society are literate,
symbols are crucial in communicating ideas or affinities. They can be representational or
abstract, individual or repeated.
Types of Symbols
1. Iconograms are illustrative representations. They are iconic signs which, as an
illustrative representation emphasize the points in common between the signifier and
the signified.
2. Pictograms are pictorial representations, such as ISOTYPE. Pictograms are iconic signs
which represent complex facts, not through words or sounds but through visual carriers
of meaning.
ASIA PACIFIC COLLEGE OF ADVANCED STUDIES, INC.
A.H. Banzon St., Ibayo, Balanga City, Bataan
3. Cartograms are topographical representations with complex functions (statistics,
etc.) and iconic facts, for example an atlas or the ground plan of a house.
4. Diagrams are functional representations. They are visual signs which are partly
iconic representations, but are more functional carriers that illustrate, for example, a
sequence of facts or functions.
5. Ideograms represent a concept. Typically, ideograms correspond to the sign as a
symbol which relates to the object or concept referred to, independently of any format
identification with it. (Note that many symbols can fall into multiple categories, but the
context and intention will help us understand how to "read" them).
6. Logograms are conceptual representations like writing. They are visual, referential
linguistic signs that do not take the phonetic dimension into consideration.
7. Typograms are typographical representations. A typogram is a sign that is also
composed of a sign, derived from a written repertoire such as the alphabet.
8. Phonograms are phonic representations. A phonogram is a sign that is used to signify
linguistic or other sounds.
