Charles Rennie Mackintosh — Scotland's Greatest Designer

Mackintosh — life and work

1. 1 Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868–1928) Glasgow-born architect, designer, and artist. One of the most original creative minds in British history. Developed a distinctive style combining Art Nouveau with Scottish geometric tradition.
2. 2 The Glasgow Style Mackintosh worked with his wife Margaret Macdonald and others (the 'Glasgow Four') to create a distinctive Glasgow Art Nouveau — more geometric and angular than continental Art Nouveau.
3. 3 Glasgow School of Art Mackintosh's masterpiece (1897-1909). One of the most significant art school buildings in the world. Damaged by fire (2014 and 2018) — restoration underway.
4. 4 Hill House (Helensburgh, 1902) The most complete Mackintosh domestic commission. Exterior: harled (roughcast) white with geometric windows. Interior: famous white bedroom with dark horizontal accents.
5. 5 The Mackintosh Chair His high-backed chair (c.1898) is one of the most iconic pieces of furniture design in history. The exaggerated height was symbolic rather than functional.
6. 6 Flower art Mackintosh made extraordinary watercolour paintings of flowers in the last decade of his life (in France). Highly stylised but botanically accurate. Among the finest botanical art of the 20th century.

• ▶ ROSE DESIGN: Mackintosh's stylised rose is his most recognisable motif. Draw a simplified rose — symmetrical, geometric, with a central square. Use pink, white, and grey.
• ▶ GRID AND ORGANIC: Mackintosh combined strict geometric grids with flowing organic plant forms. Try a grid pattern with stylised flower/leaf shapes growing through it.
• ▶ COLOUR PALETTE: Mackintosh favoured white, grey, and purple/mauve with touches of rose pink. Avoid primary colours — keep it muted and sophisticated.
• ▶ TYPOGRAPHY: Mackintosh lettering is distinctive — tall, condensed, slightly Arts & Crafts. Try designing your own name in a Mackintosh-inspired font.
• ▶ ARCHITECTURE: design a building facade using Mackintosh principles — simple geometric forms, unusual window placement, harled white walls with dark accents.