Collage with Notan Principles

Notan (dark/light in Japanese) is a guiding principle of Eastern art which focuses on the placement of light and dark elements within a composition. Embodied in the ancient symbolism of the Yin and the Yang, it recognizes the separate but equally important identity of both a shape and its background.

In this workshop, we will use the mediums of cut paper and collage to experiment with the balance of positive and negative space while learning the design principles of Notan. We will proceed through a series of exercises to understand and apply this design tool, and use the beautiful papers of the Morgan Conservatory to create a final project of the students choosing.

Instructor Bio:

Patricia Brett works in stone, plaster, embossed prints, and ink to create works that focus equally on forms and their negative spaces.

Patricia is a past recipient of the Schweinfurth Scholarship (Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cleveland AIA) and the Schimberg Prize (Yale School of Architecture). She has a Master of Architecture from Yale University and a BS in Architecture from The Ohio State University. She taught architectural design at City College, NY, and was a graduate teaching assistant in architectural design and free-hand perspective drawing at Yale.

While living in New York City, she studied at the National Academy of Design School and the Arts Students League of New York.

Her work is in the permanent collections of the New York Public Library, The Art Students League of New York, and private collections in the US and Europe. Patricia recently relocated to Cleveland Heights from New York City

Student Supply List:

Scissors

Pencil

Eraser

Small scrap/inexpensive brush (for applying PVA glue)

Small bottle (for sharing of PVA)

Low-tack artist’s tape or straight pins

Glue stick or PVA glue

Scrap paper/newsprint/old phone book (for gluing)

Large manila folder or cardboard folio for transporting work back home

Ruler, triangle

Metal straight edge for cutting paper to size

X-acto knife or Olfa knife

Cutting matt or heavy cardboard to use as cutting surface