Egyptian rural heritage as an entry point to decorative design

Abstract

In light of the rapid technological developments and with the spread of propaganda of globalization, many features and elements of heritage that distinguishes societies from each other has begun to disappear, and many art students of the new generations have begun to lose the connection with their national heritage. Therefore, it was necessary to support the students and continue to provide them with visual and intellectual insights into their national heritage. By using the experimental and analytical method, the resercher clarified the relationship between design principles and plastic art and she helps the art education students to be aware about the aesthetic values of their Egyptian rural heritage as one of the features of the Egyptian artistic identity. She showed them documentary films and some pictures of the Egyptian rural heritage, and she analyzed a few paintings of pioneering contemporary Egyptian artists which were inspired by the Egyptian rural heritage and based on the principles of decorative design. By employing skills and prinsiples of decorative design, using traditional artistic tools and using a few of digital effects, the researsher trained the students on how to extract motifs from some of heritage elements of the Egyptian countryside and how to employ them in designing decorative paintings that contain many aesthetic values and combine originality and innovation