Handbook of Ornament

By Franz Meyer

Book Overview

The Handbook of Ornament by Franz Sales Meyer is a comprehensive guide to decorative art and design. Originally published in German in 1898, this book has been a valuable resource for artists, designers, and architects for over a century. The book covers a wide range of decorative styles, from ancient Egyptian and Greek to Renaissance and Baroque, and includes examples from various cultures and periods. The Handbook of Ornament is divided into three main sections: Historical Styles, Technical Processes, and Materials. The first section provides a detailed overview of the major decorative styles throughout history, including their key characteristics, motifs, and color schemes. The second section focuses on the technical processes used to create decorative art, such as carving, casting, and painting. The third section explores the various materials used in decorative art, including wood, stone, metal, and glass. Throughout the book, Meyer provides detailed illustrations and descriptions of decorative motifs, patterns, and designs. He also includes practical advice on how to incorporate these elements into one's own work, as well as tips on how to create original designs. Overall, the Handbook of Ornament is an essential reference for anyone interested in decorative art and design. It provides a wealth of information on historical styles, technical processes, and materials, and is an invaluable resource for artists, designers, and architects alike.A Grammar Of Art Industrial And Architectural Designing In All Its Branches For Practical As Well As Theoretical Use.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 125881708X
• ISBN13: 9781258817084
• Release Date: September 2013
• Publisher: Literary Licensing, LLC
• Length: 564 Pages
• Weight: 2.02 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

My favorite ornament book.

Originally published in 1888, this book is the real deal. Honestly, this book renders so many others I have on the shelf useless. It goes through EVERYTHING ornamental from furniture, to alphabets, to architecture, to tracery, plain design, cutlery, and everything else you can think of. At first, I scoffed when I got this book because it covered such a wide range of ornamentation. I mean, what book have you ever seen that does a GOOD job covering a range? Then, when I got into it, I realized that it DOES go into detail in each section. Having 3000 images makes this possible, but what I like too, is there is a substantial amount of text explainig where the design comes from. I think its nearly impossible to find a book this rich in resources for less than $20 USD.

Wall Nut

This is an indispensable resource for the novice or serious designer/painter. Some designs are very small, and others are so ornate that they would be difficult to reproduce without spending considerable time and effort. However, I found most to be easy to scan, print on a transparency, and enlarge with an overhead projector. The section called "bands" has beautiful designs that could be handpainted or made into border stencils. Chapters include geometric designs, natural forms such as foliage, fruit and flowers, mythical creatures, individual ornaments, capitals and bases for columns, decorative panels, vases, several lettering styles, and much more.

An artist's secret resource!

This book has been in print since 1888! Yes, it's that good! It's a bound version of an earlier work that was a folio. Forty years ago, my art teacher showed me his copy. I went out and got one. It's still on the shelves, but price has risen. It a collection of drawings from many sources: Cathedrals, Estates, Chateau, public buildings, museums and their contents! All collected before the Franco-Prussian war. Many things that no longer exist in this world. If you wish to depict life in the dark ages, the renaissance, Atlantis, Troy, the enlightenment, Hyboria, Byzantium, Rome, Carthage, etc., YOU NEED THIS BOOK!!!

Indispensable Ornamental Design Resource

Not only does this book contain a huge assortment of extremely clean and scannable examples of ornamental designs from different periods and cultures, but also provides diagrams and information you can use to create your own original designs in a given style. This may be the last book I buy (except newer copies of THIS book!) on ornamental design.

handbook of ornament

I have used this book for years for picture frame design. This book has a great general over look of ornament styles.The chapters are object types witch help in reasearch for design decisions.I seem to ware out a book about every 4 years.I recoment this book for design ornamentation problems.