Alberta Modern - Seeking interest

[figheadair]

Possibly.....
I have never been very fond of the colours chosen for this tartan, but, I do live in Alberta....

One of the problems with this design is that it breaks the traditional practice of how colours were used in proportion to each other. The shades of those colours will also affect the overall impression. As with most tatans, it looks better in Wilsons' shades/ They of course are not standard and would have to be a special weave.

[Liam]

One of the problems with this design is that it breaks the traditional practice of how colours were used in proportion to each other. The shades of those colours will also affect the overall impression. As with most tatans, it looks better in Wilsons' shades/ They of course are not standard and would have to be a special weave.

That is a considerable improvement!

[Taskr]

Yes. Good advice.
The story of the design might imply traditions of design and colour would not have been foremost. I feel I should, however, remain to the colours as displayed at the AB Legislature, which look a bit better than that of the image on OP. I'm looking for that to post.

[Taskr]

..on reflection, this should have been in the OP
https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/ta...ls.aspx?ref=39

[figheadair]

Ah yes, but the colours are the same. I'm not aware that the exact shade of each was ever specified.

[Taskr]

Probably not as the first weave, to my understanding, was artisan (the Centre that developed) and the Locarron weave by a shop focussed on highland dance attire (so likely 'lighter shades')

[CMcG]

My family is from Alberta, and my mother sometimes wears a sash in this tartan. I'm interested in knowing more details re cost and timeline, although I probably won't be able to afford a new kilt at this point. I've got kilt-wearing friends who are from Alberta, but aren't on Xmarks.

I personally like the colour scheme as displayed at the Legislature in Edmonton, which is closest to the pic in the OP. I've attached another pic below with some actual clothing to help illustrate. The lighter shades work nicely to give a soft visual feel and makes the pink subtle... to me, a darker version overemphasizes the pink. Although there is no rule about changing the shades, there is something of a tradition here.



Even hockey pundit Don Cherry likes the classic sett:

[OC Richard]

One of the problems with this design is that it breaks the traditional practice of how colours were used in proportion to each other.

This is interesting and I was wondering if you could elaborate.

The design has an ungainly look to my eye, and I think I know what it is, the motif (as opposed to the 'ground') having five stripes going narrow-medium-wide-medium-narrow in a simple stepwise size progression (ignoring the narrow dark lines which function visually as borders).

No changes in colours will overcome that.

To my eye the original as woven in the cap above appears a bit pale and not really suited for a kilt. The woven version in the jacket above appears stronger. Peter's WOB colours are stronger yet. None really appeal to me.

For my eye the CGI example from the tartan register, though a bit garish, has the best colours, and I think it would look softer and more integrated if woven.

It's an interesting design challenge, to see if one could come up with a selection of colours that makes the design work really well.

[figheadair]

One of the problems with this design is that it breaks the traditional practice of how colours were used in proportion to each other.

This is interesting and I was wondering if you could elaborate.

Traditionally yellow, light blue and light red were generally used as highlight colours in tartan. It's unusual (I cannot think of an example) to band these three together in the way that they are used in the Alberta. They also tended to be used sparingly whereas the yellow and blue in particular dominate this design.

If it had been me I'd have used a darker blue and arranged the colours in a different order, such as this for example.

[CMcG]

It's fine to discuss the relative merits of the Alberta tartan's design in a hypothetical fashion, but let's not forget that it is a registered sett that was officially recognized by the province in the 1960s. It is what it is, although there is also an Alberta dress tartan that became official in 2000.

The thing about an official design is that it is iconic. Changing it makes it into something else, which could lack the recognition of the original. Imagine someone saying, "hmmmmm... the red in the USA's flag is too dark. Let's make it pink!" or "hmmmmm.... the blue in the Saltire is too light. Let's make it navy!"

That is to say, discuss away, but please respect the provincial tartan!

From the Legislature:


Government website with the Emblems of Alberta:
http://culture.alberta.ca/about/emblems-of-alberta/

Personally, I would get a kilt in the Alberta tartan, if a new kilt was in the budget.