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DESIGNING NAME DRAFTS

 

I'll take you step-by-step through the process of creating a "drawdown" graphic design; first with words, then with the diagrams that illustrate each point.  For this "lesson," I am using the name Garret rather than a state name. Any name, short or long, can be done in this manner.
If you want to work along with me on this sample, print out this page first. The instructions and grids will print out, but the squares will not be filled in. They are left open for you to complete.
These are the steps used to create my state name designs, used for backgrounds. I based the shape of my designs on a "name drafting" system where each letter of the alphabet was assigned, in sequence, a value from one to four (a=1, b=2, c=3, d=4, e=1, f=2, g=3, etc.).
I then spelled the state's name out from right to left (as is usually done by American weavers) on my graph paper, using the assigned values from 1 to 4 to determine which of 4 vertical (warp) thread positions each letter should occupy on the grid.
Next, I repeated this task down the right side, spelling from top to bottom. Each of these four columns (1+2, 2+3, 3+4, 4+1) designates the placement (or treadling) of horizontal (weft) threads. Where each thread intersects its corresponding number on the warp, a solid colored square results. The design is, at this point, a "binary" one, of yes (filled) or no (blank) squares.
Most designs also show a third, "shadowed," element. These squares are created by shading in all squares where the second number in a weft treadling intersects the original (first) number in the warp.
Once I had the basic graph, I went two steps further. First, I mirrored the design horizontally, rotating on the left-side column. Then I mirrored that image vertically, rotating on the bottom row. (See the illustration below if I'm confusing you!)
After the patterns were determined for each state, I went to the flags for my colors. Each state's design contains all of the main colors from its flag. Several flags include many minor colors; I have included as many of these as possible. In the typical design with three fields (filled, shadowed, and blank), each of the two most dominant colors is assigned to its own field, while any remaining colors share the third field. This was the part that took a lot of creative experimentation! I hope you're pleased with the results. I am happy with them, and like the way they look on a webpage. The background on this page, for example, uses the "Pennsylvania" design.

If you have any questions, please contact me!
Diane

Letter Values

4 = D H L P T X .
3 = C G K O S W .
2 = B F J N R V Z
1 = A E I M Q U Y

Write Across
T . . . . .
. . . . . G
. . R R . .
. E . . A .

Write Down
T . . . . . . . 4 4
. . . . . G . 3 3 .
. . R R . . 2 2 . .
. E . . A . 1 . . 1
. . . G .
A . . .
. R . .
. R . .
E . . .
. . . T

Graph Solids
T . . . . . . . 4 4
. . . . . G . 3 3 .
. . R R . . 2 2 . .
. E . . A . 1 . . 1
. . . . . . . . G .
. . . . . . A . . .
. . . . . . . R . .
. . . . . . . R . .
. . . . . . E . . .
. . . . . . . . . T

Graph Shadows
T . . . . . . . 4 4
. . . . . G . 3 3 .
. . R R . . 2 2 . .
. E . . A . 1 . . 1
. . . . . . . . G .
. . . . . . A . . .
. . . . . . . R . .
. . . . . . . R . .
. . . . . . E . . .
. . . . . . . . . T

Horizontal Mirror A: Exact Reverse
(Doubled Original Left Column)
. . . . . T T . . . . . . . 4 4
G . . . . . . . . . . G . 3 3 .
. . R R . . . . R R . . 2 2 . .
. A . . E . . E . . A . 1 . . 1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . G .
. . . . . . . . . . . . A . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . R . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . R . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . E . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T

Horizontal Mirror B:
Rotated on Left Center Column
. . . . . T . . . . . . . 4 4
G . . . . . . . . . G . 3 3 .
. . R R . . . R R . . 2 2 . .
. A . . E . E . . A . 1 . . 1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . G .
. . . . . . . . . . . A . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . R . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . R . .
. . . . . . . . . . . E . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . T

Final Design:
Rotation Mirrored Both Horizontally and Vertically
. . . . . T . . . . . . . 4 4
G . . . . . . . . . G . 3 3 .
. . R R . . . R R . . 2 2 . .
. A . . E . E . . A . 1 . . 1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . G .
. . . . . . . . . . . A . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . R . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . R . .
. . . . . . . . . . . E . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . T
. . . . . . . . . . . E . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . R . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . R . .
. . . . . . . . . . . A . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . G .

Text © 1997-2008 by Diane

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