added by
Leslie Allen to
Entry (16 months ago)
Ionic: Large scale, high style. Moving to the next order, the Ionic is a bit more luxurious than the spartan Doric and Tuscan. As such, it's best used where a little more polish, high style, and bigger scale is warranted. Also, Ionic capitals visually ease the transition from column to pediment. The way the capitals flatten and stretch out make for a nice transitional element.
The scale of the column should also be in tune with the scale of the overall architecture. More often than not, classically inspired columns are too thin, making them look like silly toothpicks rather than the robust reminders of antiquity they are.
When in doubt, adhere to the 2,000-year-old rules for scale, one of which is that the column height should be seven times the column diameter.