Alberta Modern - Seeking interest

[Taskr]

If one or two more commit to an AB(modern) that would be sufficient to go ahead.

[Taskr]

There are two of us, so going to move ahead on this

[Taskr]

The committed pulled, so the AB modern kilts project is stalled. To be fair to them, the price point was higher then anticipated - the weave being the major culprit in slamming the wallet.

[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.

[OC Richard]

The thing about an official design is that it is iconic.

Yes I suppose for better or worse that's true.

On the other hand the fact that some body or other has adopted a tartan doesn't make it a good design, and as an artist I'm interested in good design, and couldn't care less about politicians and their actions. In other words political approval legitimises things in the eyes of some, but not for me.

A perfect example of this is the West Virginia tartan. The real actual traditional tartan is an old relic brought from Scotland by an early settler. The tartan approved by the State is the same, but changed in a clumsy awkward ugly way. I utterly reject the bastardised tartan as being both false and hideous.

In any case my approach would not be to change the Alberta sett, but rather adjust the colours to make something as pleasing as possible. The sett is what it is, as you say. My understanding is that a sett is subject to changes in colours, and to a certain extent proportions, without invalidating the sett.

[OC Richard]

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.

Thanks, now that you've explained it I know what you mean, like Royal Stewart with its sprinkling of narrow lines of white and yellow over the red/green/blue base.

Looking through a book of tartans I see a few that have narrow stripes of yellow and white together, and in one case a fairly wide yellow/white/yellow band (Mackintosh Chief) but save for those few exceptions narrow stripes of white and yellow are nearly always separated by a darker colour.

[Taskr]

Well CMcG I am seeking a different source, so I'll test those figures against your budget when I get them.

While the design might not have all of the artistic merits, there are other tartans that are far more hideous. The back story to the official AB Tartan is not from an artist nor politicians, but from a group supporting those in need of physical rehabilitation. That story says as much about the character of Albertans as do the colours reflect geograhical attributes.
It may not be the fanciest or most appealing tartan, but I will wear it for everything it represents.

[CMcG]

Yes I suppose for better or worse that's true.

On the other hand the fact that some body or other has adopted a tartan doesn't make it a good design, and as an artist I'm interested in good design, and couldn't care less about politicians and their actions. In other words political approval legitimises things in the eyes of some, but not for me.

A perfect example of this is the West Virginia tartan. The real actual traditional tartan is an old relic brought from Scotland by an early settler. The tartan approved by the State is the same, but changed in a clumsy awkward ugly way. I utterly reject the bastardised tartan as being both false and hideous.

In any case my approach would not be to change the Alberta sett, but rather adjust the colours to make something as pleasing as possible. The sett is what it is, as you say. My understanding is that a sett is subject to changes in colours, and to a certain extent proportions, without invalidating the sett.

It’s unfortunate that the State of Virginia bastardized their tartan. The Alberta tartan, however, has more than just political approval— Albertans have adopted its use.

To give just a few examples, my buddy went to a private school in Edmonton where all the boys wore Alberta tartan ties and the girls wore Alberta tartan kilted skirts. Not too long ago there was a movement called "Join Together, Alberta" where the provincial tartan was used to protest cuts to government funding. Participants took photos of Albertan tartan scarfs all over the province. There was also a band called the Hay City Rollers who used the Alberta tartan as part of their stage attire.



Tartan Mash-up Submission by Jerry Edmonton, on Flickr
Tartan Mash-up by Jerry Edmonton, on Flickr
Join Together Alberta_0007.jpg by Jerry Edmonton, on Flickr


Part of the success of this tartan is that it looks like Alberta. The associations embodied in the colour choices thus are neither arbitrary, nor primarily aesthetic.

I’d be interested in a sort of “ultimate” Alberta tartan where the colours were tweaked to be their best—but only if they still fulfil their symbolic function of representing the big sky, clear lakes, abundant wheat, boreal forests, wild rose, and black “gold” (i.e., oil).