Parts of Tartan

[bookish]

Hi all,

I am sure that I have come across resources in the past on this topic, but for the life of me, my search engine skill seem to be lacking, and I can't seem to find what I am looking for.

I'd like to know how one classifies the constituent parts of tartan. I'll lay out what I think I know, and I would love correction and clarification.

I believe the dominant color of tartan fabric can be referred to as the "ground", since it often seems to be the base that other colors "stand on" or are supported by.

I believe that where the colors of warp and weft meet are called "check".

I do not know how to classify the intermediate spaces where colors are blended.

I do not know how to classify the relationship between the ground and the other colors, other than maybe to discuss the secondary, tertiary, etc., colors.

I have a degree in the fine arts, and I understand color theory and have a solid grasp of design language. I would like to extend that vocabulary for tartan and to be able to analyze tartan designs better.

Thanks for your assistance!

[figheadair]

Hi all,

I am sure that I have come across resources in the past on this topic, but for the life of me, my search engine skill seem to be lacking, and I can't seem to find what I am looking


I'd to know how one classifies the constituent parts of tartan. I'll lay out what I think I know, and I would love correction and clarification.

I believe the dominant color of tartan fabric can be referred to as the "ground", since it often seems to be the base that other colors "stand on" or are supported by.

Correct, but most tartans have more.than one ground colour. In the Balck Watch the blue.and green are the gound.colours; in the Grant it's the red and green.

[]

believe that where the colors of warp and weft meet are called "check".

No, they are called pure colours.

I do not know how to classify the intermediate spaces where colors are blended.

They are called half-tones.

I do not know how to classify the relationship between the ground and the other colors, other than maybe to discuss the secondary, tertiary, etc., colors.

Bars and overstripes, depending on the size and position.





]

[bookish]

Correct, but most tartans have more.than one ground colour. In the Balck Watch the blue.and green are the gound.colours; in the Grant it's the red and green.

[]


No, they are called pure colours.



They are called half-tones.



Bars and overstripes, depending on the size and position.





]

Thank you very much for the clarification!

I'll do some more targeted searching regarding "bars" and "overstripes". I have some graphic design terminology that I would like to explore in terms of tartan, and I think this info is enough to get me moving on that.

[Darrin1200]

I found this at the Tartan Registry. It doesn’t seem to use specific terminology, but it does discuss the relationships of the base colours and cross over points.

https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/threadcount

[figheadair]

Cross posting of something I wrote on my FB page.

Here's a graphic representation of how the 6 pure colours interact to produce 30 half tones in which diferent pure colours cross. It’s a wonderful example of the exponential growth in variations as another pure colour is added:

• 4 pure colours = 12 half tones.
• 5 pure colours = 20 half tones.
• 6 pure colours = 30 half tones.

The difference between combinations of the same two colours, for example; blue crossing green and green crossing blue is obvious.

[figheadair]

Connection to my previous post, here's a graphic representation of how the 4 pure colours interact to product 12 half tones. The difference between, for example; blue crossing green and green crossing blue is obvious.

[figheadair]

A visual overview of some of the terms that are integral to the study of tartan but can be confusing for those less familiar with the intricacies of tartan weaving.

On this combined image of the same c1820 Sinclair single-width plaid are a number of the commonly used tartan/weaving terms.

· Pivot – The two points on a symmetrical pattern where the pattern (known as the sett) repeats in the same colour and threadcount order in every direction. Most tartans are symmetrical.

· Half sett – Also called the ‘half repeat’, it is the point from the middle of one pivot to the middle of the other. The threadcount of the half sett is all a weaver needs to know in order to set up and weave the pattern. A warp is measured by the number of half setts

· Full sett (or repeat) – The complete pattern measured from a pivot to the next occurrence of the same pivot. A full sett comprises 2 half setts.

· Selvedge - Literally, it is a self-edge and refers to the woven-in edges of a piece of cloth that prevents the fabric from unravelling. A selvedge can be described as a form of over-locking and is a result of the weaving process where the weft (cross-ways) threads pass around the edge of the warp (length-ways) threads so binding them in. When the finished cloth is turned through ninety degrees the selvedges are the top and bottom edges.

· Balanced sett – The most common type of layout for a symmetrical tartan in which the pattern repeats sequentially from the centre out to each selvedge.

· Pure colours – Only occur where a colour in the weft intersects with the same colour at the same point in the pattern of the warp. Pure colours are only found in the diagonal from the pivots.

· Half tones – Where a colour in the weft crosses a different colour in the weft. Because of the angle of the threads, the half tones of two colours, for example; red and green, will look different in warp and weft. Where green crosses red, the half tone will look redder; where red crosses green, it will look greener. The greater the number of pure colours, the greater the number of half tones.

[OC Richard]

I believe the dominant color of tartan fabric can be referred to as the "ground", since it often seems to be the base that other colors "stand on" or are supported by.

I do not know how to classify the relationship between the ground and the other colors, other than maybe to discuss the secondary, tertiary, etc., colors.

There doesn't seem to be all that much in the way of fixed terminology. Much of it is the visual impression one gets, rather than any kind of technical thing.

So yes some tartans give the impression of having a "ground" with stripes and lines overlaid. As Peter points out the reality is that all the various bands of colour interpenetrate each other.

As Peter mentions some tartans are divided 50/50 in which neither colour appears as the "ground".

But then many tartans are sort of in the middle, 60/40 or what have you where some people might consider the majority colour to be the "ground" but other people might not get that impression.

I've always spoken of "bands" "stripes" and "lines" to distinguish various widths but it seems that most people call everything "stripes".

I have a degree in the fine arts, and I understand color theory and have a solid grasp of design language. I would like to extend that vocabulary for tartan and to be able to analyze tartan designs better.

I also have a fine arts degree. Just a heads-up that, when speaking of tartan, people will sometimes use art terms in a different way than the technical meanings those terms have in the art field.