Skip to main content
Print this chapterPrint this chapter

Week 3 Readings

3. A beginner’s motif vocabulary

3.1. 2-minute Practice: Border vs main motif

Figure 2: Ming Dynasty porcelain bowl

A blue-and-white porcelain bowl with a wide mouth and rounded body, painted with scenes of standing figures in robes and stylised trees and rocks, arranged around the exterior surface; the bowl is shown in a museum display setting.

Set a timer for 2 minutes. Look at the bowl image and write 4 bullets:

  1. Main motif:

  2. Support motifs/fillers: (2 items)

  3. Border(s): (describe where they are and what they look like)

  4. Layout focus: where does your eye go first, and why?

REVEAL (Model answer)

Main motif: a human figure (scholar/attendant) within a landscape scene.

Support motifs/fillers: deer; trees/foliage; rocks/mountains (any two are fine).

Border(s): thin linear band(s) close to the rim; additional banding around the lower body/above the foot ring (simple lines that frame the scene).

Layout focus: the eye goes first to the figure (central visual anchor), then moves to the deer/trees and finally to the rim/foot borders that “contain” the scene.