Recent periodic table activity

Since the last installment, the project pick up speed and interest. Added to the table were the basic techniques for cleaning, opening, and gutting a gourd in preparation for art or craft work. Two layers of what can be done to the gourd were then added to give a basic overview of skills an artist can use to decorate his or her gourd.

Although the table is broad in the broadest sense of the word, as a starting point it would be helpful to a beginner who wants to get a big picture or the more advanced person who just wants something quirky to hang up in the studio!

Adding gourd activitles to the chart

A friend shared her poster of the Periodic Table of Sewing Elements found atby the Scientific Seamstress.  At the bottom of the chart is a mini-chart of activities that can be done with sewing. Brilliant addition to the information provided and something a Periodic Table of Gourds should have!

In the sewing chart, additional activities for sewing projects involve tie dying and hocking,  There is a 2-line collection of things that can be done with sewing projects.

Activities for gourd projects would include woodburning, staining, wax relief, tole painting, one-stroke painting, alcohol inks, chip carving, rim attachment, embellishment, etc. and on and on.  A whole new addition to the Periodic Table of Gourds,

Adding up the recent improvements..

Adding up the recent suggestions for periodic table improvements (font changes, individualizing the squash designations, and deepening the color to visually strengthen the changes from edible to inedible), here is the current table:

Remember, the gradation from left to right, or edible to inedible, to show there are squashes in the middle area that cross-over from an edible food to decorative/utilitarian purposes: food - food/fall decoration - food/fall decoration/commonly recognized - decorative use/utility use/commonly recognized - decorative use/utility use - decorative use.

another layer of meaning...

While reading a book recently about typefaces [Just My Type], it became apparent the font used to denote the squash/gourd designation could add another layer of meaning to the table. For example, a sans serif face might suggest a basic need such as food whereas a blackletter face such as Santas Humanum Salvator would visually describe a more decorative purpose.

As an experiment, the cell letters have been changed to reflect the nondecorative and decorative purpose.  For example, a squash only used as a food zucchini could use Arial, whereas a snake gourd used exclusively for decorative purposes might benefit from a curly font such as Henny Penny.

Refining the squash designations...

To maximize information, the individual cell designations will not include a picture of the edible or inedible squash.  The R (rots) or D (dehydrates) will go at the top between the harvest color and Edible/Inedible information.






The image of the squash will be in the lower right-hand corner as stated, directly opposite of the purposes: F (food)  / D (decorative) / C (commonly known).

Good catches!

Repetition on the table!

2 As
2Bs
2Cs
2Ss
2Ps and 2Ws

Yikes!!

Laying the table...

As a preliminary stab, here the edible and inedible members of the squash family commonly known to most people. While not a comprehensive collection, the table does begin to lay out the edible squashes to one side the inedible/crafty ones to the opposite side.  In this particular table, the middle area are squashes that have multiple purpose and therefore considered for this project as 'cross-overs'.