Tree Branches and Aluminum
In Wisconsin we enjoy almost half the year without leaves on the trees. The patterns the bare tree branches create against the sky have always interested me. They are so perfectly organized and layered. Shift your perspective and there is an entirely new pattern created with the same branches. It is interactive.
Recently we worked on a series of organic finishes on aluminum. We looked at nature in both a macro and micro level for our inspiration in this group of patterns. Bark, leaves, fruit and vegetables all found their way into our studio as we explored this theme.
The inspiration for one finish came from that fascination with the endless patterns formed by bare tree branches. The structure we needed came from the silhouette the branches created. The next step was deciding how to interpret this on aluminum. It was important to us to let the reflectivity of the metal show through. The finish also needed to have depth and movement. The final pattern used a layering of processes and color to achieve the look.
A person seeing the pattern for the first time may not associate it with its creative source. Each individual will look at the finish from a different point of view. This impacts their interpretation and response to the finish. The fun thing about this surface is the story it has to tell.
Sometimes we look in unexpected places for inspiration. What surfaces in nature have stimulated your thoughts?
Subscribe to Design Blog
- 2021 (1)
- 3D (5)
- Aluminum (88)
- Aluminum In-mold (3)
- Aluminum Trim (87)
- Anodize (2)
- Appliance (5)
- Architectural (9)
- Art Deco (4)
- Automotive (15)
- Black Finish (2)
- Boats (1)
- Brushed Aluminum (25)
- Carbon Fiber (11)
- Ceiling Tile (3)
- Classic (2)
- Coating (1)
- Coined (3)
- Color Development (2)
- Color Trend (2)
- Copper Finish (2)
- Cosmetics (2)
- Custom Patterns (49)
- Customization (7)
- Customized Patterns on Aluminum (2)
- Decorated Metal Cards (1)
- Diamond Cut (2)
- ebook (8)
- Faux Finishes (20)
- Favorite Finish (19)
- Fine Art (5)
- geometric (1)
- Geometric Finish (8)
- Gloss (3)
- Gold Finish (2)
- gray (4)
- Holiday Card (3)
- IDSA (3)
- Inlay (4)
- Large Format (3)
- linear (2)
- Linear Finish (6)
- Lithography (2)
- Match Box Cover (4)
- Materials and Processes (29)
- Mechanical Finishes (37)
- Metallic (2)
- Micro Finish (4)
- Modern (2)
- Mood Board (30)
- Nameplate (3)
- NeoCon (1)
- Organic Finish (2)
- Organic Finishes (13)
- Patina Finish (12)
- Pattern on Pattern (1)
- Powerful (2)
- Process Color (6)
- Promotional Products (13)
- Recycled Aluminum (3)
- Resources (12)
- Selective Patterns (9)
- Silver Finish (7)
- Simplicity (2)
- Stainless Steel (3)
- Surface Collection (32)
- Surfaces (87)
- Technical (11)
- Texture (15)
- Top 10 (9)
- Top 3 (1)
- Watermark (2)
- White Finish (3)
- Woodgrain (7)
- Worn (3)
- Woven Finish (6)