Download Lao Traditional Pattern Design

Lao Traditional Pattern Design
By Christopher Khounbanam
In my mind this is the great benefit of learning Lao pattern drawing for young people
today. The children nurture their creative and hand-eye skills, develop planning and skills
of composition and problem solve. They can appreciate learning a new way to draw they
can compose and change to their tastes, allowing their artistic ‘matrices’ to grow and
expand to their tastes and individual creativity.
In modern Laos, Thailand and Cambodia and other countries with similar design
traditions; designers, manufacturers, craftspeople and artists enjoy tapping into the rich
influences of these geometric designs today to create beautiful traditional wares and art as
well as modern decorative forms, architecture, furniture and clothing. Their influences
have also been seen in studio and performing arts as artists combine, change and innovate
on their favorite pattern forms to convey their ideas and inspirations for today. In these
countries these art forms are public style and enjoyed and used by people everyday.
In Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia it is known that public schools teach traditional pattern
drawing to teach: artistic skills of hand-eye coordination, problem solving, design
aesthetic but also to foster patience, harmonious attitude visually and psychology towards
others around them and the phenomenal natural world. This is also a reason why in Lao,
Thai, and other SE Asian temples monks highly recommend drawing these patterns as a
sort of therapeutic practice similar to meditation as it requires patience, study, and
discipline as well as creates a calming atmosphere. It is also a said that drawing these
patterns also improves ones writing calligraphy and shows finesse. It is a fun activity that
is both interesting and useful for developing agility of the mind, hands and develops an
eye for noticing patterns around you.
Lao Traditional Patterns Design is a simple pedantic drawing method that uses small
basic motifs and shapes overlapped, interlaced to create large, complex and visually
interesting decorations. These types of traditional decorations have cousins throughout
the rest of asia in Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, India, and relate to other International
traditions of patterns such as Batik. These designs are used on architecture, artwork,
furniture, clothing, and just about any surface that could be embellished. Like a
honeycomb of little flames or heart shapes, these designs harmonize artwork, people, and
space together creating a beautiful visual harmony. This is intentional, it is philosophical
as well as a stylistic choice.
Both our organs of perception and the world itself are systems of patterns, geometric
structures and proportions, therefore when ancient cultures such as Lao culture chose to
examine reality through the metaphors of geometry, visible and invisible patterns. For
example the human body and its existence rely on invisible, immaterial world of pure
form and geometry (our cells, our organs, nervous and blood systems etc.).
The particular designs from Laos, Thailand and their neighbors comes from the jungle
flora of SE Asia, the first most essential motif in Lao Pattern design is the lotus flower.
The lotus flower is a basic frame for various repeating patterns. The lotus represents
growth, change, renewal and self expansion. It also represents the human spirit and its
desire to flower, be pure and beautiful, independent and ever self-cultivating. By studying
a simple style of drawing, a student can develop the skill to create many complex patterns
seen on historic artwork and architecture with ease and fill huge areas of a studio space,
decorate sculptures with beautiful arrays of patterns... or their homework notebook.
When studied, Lao Traditional pattern designs can have many benefits. Learning
about the history, the method and drawing simple traditional shapes and motifs they build
up more complex designs. Soon they can try more complex shapes and soon develop a
rich vocabulary of shapes to draw and use. They also can learn about another culture’s
history and values in aesthetics, as well as foster positive attitude towards art, and other
patterns in the world for inspiration and exploration and interests.
The Meaning of Lao Pattern Design
By Christopher Khounbanam
Although Lao culture has had many influences including those from countries near as
India and China, the veritable roots of Laos‘ s art history stem from architecture and
pedantic styles related to Hinduism and Buddhism. These styles strives for accord and
serenity, and this is plainly represented throughout the artwork. Lao‘s traditional art
began when Buddhism and Hinduism were rudimentary when they reached the country.
The society of the past decorated the walls and ceilings of the monasteries and temples
(wats) with murals depicting Buddhist sand Hindu objects visual charge and rituals calm
with scenes from their everyday life.
The Lao Pattern Design incorporates many symbols and patterns that have special
religious significance. However, unlike other Buddhist imagery, the design style is
designed to harmonize and fill space, down to its simplest anatomy to insure that it is
multi-functional and depending on the surface; the designs can be very simple or
complex decorations. Examples of which can still be found on the walls and ceilings of
wats throughout Laos today. The larger images are filled with a rich lattice of similar yet
smaller geometry of finer details and motifs; like cells make up a human body.
The respect for the patterns of nature around us is the inspiration for the metaphors and
symbolic shapes of Lao pattern drawings. Both our organs of perception and the world
itself are systems of patterns, geometric structures and proportions, therefore when
ancient cultures such as Lao culture chose to examine reality through the metaphors of
geometry of motifs that represent visible and invisible patterns. For example the human
body and its existence rely on invisible, immaterial world of pure form and geometry (our
cells, our organs, nervous and blood systems etc.).
Lao Art patterns are derived from shapes and forms found in nature in a abundance. Like
a rich jungle filled with animals and plants, vines and grasses seemingly in a harmonious
balance together as part of an inclusive system.
The world is made up of the combinations of patterns of things in our lives. The patterns
of growing rice, growing grass, sugar cane, the scales of a fish. This is often
accomplished by symbolist totems from the inanimate or animate world—crabs for
resourcefulness, snakes for fertility, butterflies for beauty, birds for success, and so on.
Stars convey protection as well as dragon patterns. Recognizable folk icons can be used
to express personal outlooks or projections.
The first pattern being the lotus pattern, which all other patterns used in lao pattenr
drawing are derived represents purity, the theory of karma says that, just like the lotus
flower, our life is made up of cause and effect. Every cause -- be it action, word or
thought -- will imprint an effect that can be seen in this lifetime or in future lives. The
lotus produces a beautiful flower even with its roots in the dirtiest water. The symbolism
is that a person can rise above being rooted in the ugliness and suffering of this world,
and should try to be pure and help others with the beauty of the spirit. The lotus flower is
believed to be able to reproduce from its own matrix. In this regard, it is the symbol of
"self-regeneration" -- svayambhû in Sanskrit.
Svayambhû can also mean "self-existent" and "independent. Here, is the symbol of the
awakened Mind, which is self-existent, independent, and self-regenerating. Thus growing
patterns derived form flowers can have similar deep meaning.
The historic subject matter of the traditional pattern drawing has been architecture,
clothing, tools, and illustrative work. The most common subject matter used along-side
these drawings styles is Buddhism since its arrival in laos, many of the murals if they are
illustrative are about the Lord Buddha’s stories Jatakas or Chadok and are used for
teaching, Illustrative drawings that use the pattern drawings as decorations are offered
primarily as a guide to the subject matter of the patterns and design. The subtle message
of their pairing is to suggest harmony; enlightenment and a deep spiritual connection of
the human being with the world. Many of the murals can be enjoyed for their color,
composition and other artistic points of view but can also be enjoyed fro m some
knowledge of the stories- adds a greater dimension of understanding and pleasure.
Buddhist tales and stories were not exclusive to use of these patterns; in Laos and
Thailand Hindu epics were also illustrated using these design styles of pattern drawing.