Traditional Japanese Designs From the author - - Introduction Introduction I have been interested in Japanese design ever since my father returned from the Korean War with various delicately crafted artefacts. Then later, my first illustrated children's book was published in Japan. The scripted characters seemed to me like little works of art - small, simple desisns that misht be used as abstract forms, without understanding their meaning. This was not a new observation. In the late Heian period (794 - 1185) members of the Japanese aristocracy became more interested in the visual presentation of the Buddha's teachings than their content. About the designs Japanese design has been influenced by many cultures, notably Chinese, Korean, Indian and Persian, through hundreds of years of invasion, wars and trading. Eventually the influences became completely absorbed and helped to develop original Japanese expression. Symbols, emblems and pictorial images were used to embellish anything from a simple tea bowl to a paper umbrella. Every period in Japan's history has produced its own distinct artistic style. During the Kamakura period (1185 - 1338) the military class, or samurai, developed simple designs with subtle colouring to decorate their armour. Later, during the Momoyama period (1573 - 1603) the kimono - the loose-fitting traditional Japanese dress - became a beautiful art form. Intricately woven, brocaded or embroidered fabrics were used, as were plain fabrics which were tie or stencil dyed to produce elaborate motifs. And finally This book provides material from many inspiring aspects of Japanese design. You can simply copy the patterns, adapt the images to suit your own requirements, or use them as inspiration for your own designs. Soft cover, 32 pages. Price: $18.95 ($17.23)