FIELD NOTES / LBR / Western Africa
Liberia
Indigo cotton & joined woven strips.
START WITH A PLACE
Blanket, Vai artist, object 84-8-8
A Vai blanket from Kataka in the Smithsonian collection is made from narrow cotton strips joined into a larger cloth. Alternating indigo and pale blocks are interrupted by small additions of brighter thread.
Read the source Smithsonian National Museum of African ArtA CLOSER LOOK
A study in grain and rhythm.
Follow a seam between strips and compare it with the woven pattern. How does a small colour interruption change the rhythm of a regular grid?
An editorial observation prompt, grounded in the reference above.
WORKING COLOUR
A palette to begin with.
Five editorial tones for this surface family. Use them as a starting point for a study; they are not measured samples from the site.
Fibre paper#ece9dboklch(0.933 0.019 96.873)
Cut straw#c5b08aoklch(0.766 0.057 82.249)
Forest shade#4d7162oklch(0.517 0.048 166.710)
Thread ochre#bd8453oklch(0.660 0.096 60.682)
Grain ink#283630oklch(0.318 0.021 166.943)