Along with through mortises and pegged joinery, the ‘cloud lift’ stands out as one of the significant design elements of Green and Greene furniture. It is thought that this element was borrowed from Asian influences and indeed, the cloud lift can be seen as a dominant feature of Asian architecture.
According to Darrell Peart, author of Greene & Greene Design Elements for the Workshop, “There are no set rules to applying cloud lifts to a design; only good judgment combined with personal preference.”
For those that don’t know it by this term, the cloud lift design element is the rise in two horizontal lines connected by two small radii. It can be seen in the Thorsen Table.
In most cases, when employed in a table apron, it looks like an arch with the horizontal lines rising to the middle. This makes architectural sense, because the skirt appears to be supporting the top in the way a bridge-arch supports the roadway.
However, some furniture designers/makers reverse the arch so that middle horizontal line falls in the middle.
I prefer the former approach, but obviously, I’m expressing personal taste here.
What do the rest of you Arts & Crafts – Green & Green aficionados think?
-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.hilsbiblechurch.org/
10 comments so far
Obi
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posted 948 days ago
I prefer the rise… Don’t know why.
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Phil Brown
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posted 948 days ago
I enjoy the design shown.
-- Phil Brown, Ontario
Roger Strautman
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posted 948 days ago
I prefer the lift.
-- " All Things At First Appear Difficult"
Dick, & Barb Cain
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7045 posts in 1198 days
posted 948 days ago
Thank you for this interesting post Don.
This is my first venture into Greene & Greene style. I’ve always gone with what you may call the Cain & Cain style. LOL
I kind of prefer the lift, but as you can see with my table, I used both. You will see in my future blogs, the reason I chose the downward swoop in the apron.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
Karson
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posted 947 days ago
I think that the cloud lift gives a lightness to the design. It makes the wood seem lighter, thinner etc. Perception and not reality can make something seem smaller when it’s not.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
Diane
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487 posts in 1022 days
posted 947 days ago
Lol, I thought the cloud lift was a finishing technique for a project not a design. I don’t understand still what it is but I see some raised arches in the design. At least I don’t think it is a way to apply some finish any more. The reason I thought this was the word cloud as in not a clear finish. I bet that all give you a little giggle, which I understand.
Diane
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Dick, & Barb Cain
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7045 posts in 1198 days
posted 947 days ago
Your correct Diane, It’s a different way of saying raised arches. I just learned that myself, while doing the ThorsenTable.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
scottb
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posted 947 days ago
shouldn’t the inverse be called a cloud fall?
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oscorner
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4572 posts in 1210 days
posted 946 days ago
I like the lift, too.
-- Jesus is Lord!
Dick, & Barb Cain
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7045 posts in 1198 days
posted 946 days ago
It’s very uplifting. LOL
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1