Develop Your Own Designs
A step-by-step process unlocks your creativity
Synopsis: Learning to design furniture can seem intimidating, but Michael Fortune has boiled down his technique into seven basic steps that any woodworker can follow. His process begins on paper, works its way up to models, and requires la sense of adventure and a commitment to keeping all your notebooks and never throwing away an idea. So don’t get bogged down worrying about whether you can design the perfect piece. Take some tips from Fortune, let your ideas flow, and start building.
For many furniture makers—even those with advanced technical skills—design is the most daunting aspect of the craft. Learning to design can seem intimidating, even mysterious. But there’s no magic involved. Anyone with the desire and a little perseverance can be creative. In fact, the overall concept for a piece of furniture can be discovered and its details beautifully resolved by walking through a series of simple steps.…
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Comments
As someone new to woodworking I find just getting an idea from my head to paper to be the biggest hurdle (after that being getting rough cut lumber in a jeep). I'm a horrible artist and have had trouble picking up SketchUp or like software. It gets me down because I know if I start sawing wood without a plan I'm just going to generate waste and not something nice and usable. I like the flow that Michael Fortune suggests and will try to employ it myself.
I think whatever tool you use to do your design work, you need to practice using it. Whether you are drawing on paper or on the computer, start by drawing existing things like your desk or dinning room table or a bookcase. That way you can get used to using the tools without also having to worry about the design.
It's like cooking. When you start out, it's best to follow existing recipes. Once you have the methods down and figure out the flavors, then you can branch out into developing your own dishes.
I agree with the three steps Michael, but I find working to make the best use of the available timber is crucial to my design journey. I only work with pre-loved timber so my resource is quite limited and my designs must find a way to best exhibit the timber's beauty.
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