I have been working on Triangular frames recently. To be honest, at this time, I am not sure why or what was the Muse. But never-the-less, there were some distinct problems. I might have mentioned it in my Facebook Page, but I do not remember.
The original idea was three overlapping triangles. At first it seemed easy enough until I realized that the middle part of the outer edge had screws for two different triangles, but that each triangle did not share the same screws. Some had one, some had another and some had both. Now since threading them correctly requires me to skip the same number of screws each time, I had to be able to distinguish which identical screw was to be used by which triangle. Twas difficult, particularly because I was concentrating on the shapes and doing each triangle in the same palette.
The result was called Prince’s Star, due to his death as I was threading it. I am disappointed in the photograph, but you will notice a six pointed star in the center.
I think I have mentioned the need for a Prime Number of screws. I won’t go into detail here but it is necessary in order to avoid overlapping thread or multiple knots to tie the thread off. So each triangle here had their own prime number of screws. The strange thing was that as I was running through the design, I realized that if I counted all the screws, not just the ones for a particular triangle, that also was a prime number, and that got my head working. I ordered another frame.
The threading began more easily as I did not have the issue of distinguishing which screws were for which triangles. Also, since I chose a different palette each triangle was easier to thread. The major problem with this project was the discovery of a broken thread. As I was completing the third layer (one for each triangle to complete a layer) I discovered a broken thread in the second layer. Unfortunately, in pulling out the second layer, I caught and broke a thread in the first layer. Not a good result.
An interesting discovery in this pattern was what happened in the center. As I moved up through the layers there formed another triangle in the center which, at a particular layer, reversed direction. You will see the center triangle in the third layer photo above, close down to the center in the sixth, and then open up in the final 12th.
So I chose to blend towards darker colors to the cross over point, and then lighten up again.
The two triangles have been submitted to a show, and we will see what we will see.
Rob Monroe