Principles of Modernism: Celebrating Science

Atomic by Tibor Reich, 1951

Pattern artists have always been inspired by nature, but in 1951 a group of British designers copied the natural world in designs based on x-ray crystallography.

Lesley Jackson's book From Atoms to Patterns

discusses this cooperative work between

scientists and patternists

 for the 1951 Festival of Britain

Flamingo, Tibor Reich 1957

Collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum

The interest in scientific images was encouraged by screen 

printing using photographic processes.

It looks like pattern designers have been looking for ideas through

microscopes for generations.

Early-19th-century prints in coral style.

This one from the Powerhouse Museum files....

http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/electronicswatchbook/

With better microscopes, a closer look:

Fabric by S.M. Slade, 1951

based on the atomic structure of the metal afwillite.

Read more:

http://universityofglasgowlibrary.wordpress.com/2011/02/04/friday-gem-from-the-stoddard-%E2%80%93-templeton-design-archive-festival-of-britain-2/