Formative Characters in Shapes and Colors of Korean Traditional Flower Motifs Seen in Embroidery

Korean traditional flower motifs have often been used in traditional embroidery on personal products and on decorations. The flower motifs seen on embroidery with a variety of techniques show the shapes and colors changing to more and more brilliant and colorful design. Even today the flower motifs in embroideries continue to be reinterpreted in both modern ways and also in traditional ways with their fancy beauty in the design industry. This research is based on documentary and demonstrative studies conducted to find out the formative properties of these motifs through and analyzing the shapes and colors of flower motif embroideries from the Choseon Dynasty as applied in developing modern designs in harmony with their traditional beauty. A summary of the research is as follows. First, the peony blossom appears the most, with its gorgeous flower shape. It was used in a variety of ways for decorative purposes as well as in wishing for wealth and harmony on clothes or on personal products. Second, the result of analyzing the flower motifs on embroidery shows that 'realistic-complex- flower patterns' and 'stylized-complex-flower patterns' are mostly seen. Third, many of the peony blossoms, chrysanthemums, and Japanese apricots were in a radial shape and front facing with stamens, and the lotus flowers were mostly shown on the lateral side. Fourth, as a result of analyzing the colors of the flower motifs on embroideries, a tendency is shown toward the R and RP colors of v, b tone and the shades YR, Y, GY, and G colors of lt and p tone.