Maori Designs - Penny Brown

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With tales of the Hobbit and its NZ setting ringing in our ears, it is not surprising that attention is being focused on native NZ art. The swirling patterns and intricate designs have a definite ethereal, other worldly feel. Penny Brown has created 100 stunning patterns and motifs based on tattoo designs, pottery, carvings and woven work. The level of detail is amazing. There are pattern edges, animals, birds as well as maori figures and masks. All of the designs can be copied and used time and time again. There is also a useful free CD rom included which enables both Tiff and Jpeg images to be printed out. These are designs which will be useful for many different types of artists and craftspeople. From children wanting something unusual to colour, to carvers looking for an intricate design which can be incorporated on any material. Drawing such designs freehand needs a lot of skill. Making these designs available for printing or copying enables them to be used by a much wider audience.-Monstersandcritics.com Maori Designs / Aboriginal Designs: With 100 specially commissioned, hand-drawn original images, these design source books contain a wonderful selection of illustrations inspired by the traditional art and crafts of the Maori and Aboriginal people. The patterns and motifs are based on tattoo designs, woven work, pottery, jewellery, extraordinary rock paintings and the patterned and figurative images that were painted onto everyday items. These excellent source books are copyright free, they include a free CD-Rom and should fire your imagination and give you all the help you need to create stunning, personal art.-Fabrications There are 100 black-and-white designs in this book, drawing on the Maori heritage. As their traditional art was rooted in depictions of ancient legends, gods and their status in the world, the designs reflect the non-representational nature of these traditions. Symbols such as curling fern fronds, spirals, chevrons and curves are incorporated onto figures, animals, borders and masks in a very distinctive way. There is a good variety of shapes to work with which makes this a good design source. This would make a good companion with the forthcoming Aboriginal Designs from the same series.-Workshop On the Web