Multiple surfaces show play of light and shadow. By George R. Walker Pages: 20-21 From the June 2010 issue #183 Buy this issue now Time was when I thought mouldings were handy for covering up mistakes at the workbench. I used a mallet and clamps to force ill-fitting joints together – then held my breath … Read more
Play with proportion to achieve pleasing design.
By George R. Walker
Pages: 26-27
From the December 2010 issue # 187
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The black stallion’s name was Step. Marvin, the only man I ever saw ride him, called him simply “the horse,” his raspy Southern voice pausing for emphasis. I was 5 years old the first time I laid eyes on Step. He was the scariest and most wonderful thing I’d ever seen. A force of nature, his frame all rough and muscled as though a master sculptor had chiseled him out in a hurry. His ebony coat reflected blue and purple in the sunlight, and the turf shook when he stomped his hoof. Perhaps the thing about Step that set him apart was that everything about him was perfectly proportioned. His massive ironlike legs would have been out of place on a lesser horse, but they fit perfectly with his body and muscular neck.
There’s a lesson there. When proportioning legs to a furniture design the legs need to reflect and connect with the overall mass they support. A workbench uses sturdy tree-trunk-like legs not just for structural support, but also because the hefty timbers visually support the massive top.
I’ve been looking at legs on furniture and studying how they are proportioned. Because they play a key role in such a wide variety of forms, there are few rules that apply across the board. A light side table calls for a much thinner leg than a dining table, even though they are similar in height. Sounds easy, but it can be challenging to design a leg that’s sturdy enough and still looks like it belongs with the overall mass of the piece. I tend to make legs too stocky and have learned through my mistakes to scale them back. Make it a point to closely examine how the legs are proportioned in a variety of built work. Regardless of style, this can help you develop a good eye for proportions.
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A dash of ornament highlights a form.
By George R. Walker
Pages: 22-23
From the November 2010 issue # 186
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Thanksgiving at our house means shoehorning 14 guests into a dining room meant for eight, football on the television and the aroma of Barb’s sage dressing filling the house. Every year she makes a bigger batch (last year it was 56 cups) and every year it seems there is only a smidgen left over. She knows just the amount of seasonings to bring out that signature flavor that makes the whole meal sparkle.
I like to think of ornament in furniture design similar to the spices we add to food. It serves to bring out the underlying flavors or in the case of furniture, enhance the underlying bones of a form.
Blog: For more Design Matters, read George R. Walker’s blog.
Blog: Read about Editor Christopher Schwarz’s visit to George R. Walker’s shop.
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A visit to the shop of a designer & craftsman
By George R. Walker
Pages: 20-21
From the October 2010 issue # 185
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Creativity is a slippery thing. A lucky few are born with a creative streak that seems to flower without effort. Others (most of us) have to work at it to unlock our creative potential. Rarest of all is that bird that combines generous natural gifts and hard work.
Words like “artist” and “master” come to mind when describing furniture builder Brooke Smith of Columbus, Ohio. His small one-man studio turns out exquisite furniture that spans a broad range. I liken Brooke to a classically trained violinist who’s comfortable playing Bach, rock or bluegrass. His work encompasses corporate boardroom tables, high-style period reproductions and one-off modern studio pieces. Craftsmanship and attention to detail are first-rate, but the thing that most stands out is his talented designer’s eye.
Blog: George R. Walker writes three times a week on the Design Matters blog.
Web site: See more of Smith’s work at his web site.
In our store: George R. Walker’s DVDs. Read more
Repetition of proportion and shape can create design harmony.
By George R. Walker
Page: 22
From the August 2010 issue #184
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Depending on your canoe route, Little Crooked Lake is about two days of paddling and portaging from the nearest highway. It’s worth it. On a still morning, you can hear the smallest sound carry across the fog-shrouded water and echo off the steep rocky shoreline. A wood thrush pipes its fl ute-like song and the music folds back on itself to transform the solo into a chorus. I fi rst hiked into Little Crooked intending to catch a fi sh dinner. The fish weren’t hungry, but I took away memories of those haunting echoes that I still relish. I don’t know why echoes can capture our imagination. They don’t have to be loud; sometimes it’s the small, subtle echoes that engage something deep within us.
Blog: George R. Walker writes three times a week on the Design Matters blog.
Blog: Read about Editor Christopher Schwarz’s visit to George R. Walker’s shop.
In our store: George R. Walker’s DVDs.
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Unlock your creativity with this humble tool.
By George Walker
Page: 20-21
From the February 2011 issue #188
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How comfortable would you be giving up your tape measure? If that puts you in a cold sweat, I can relate. Time was when I worked only from prints, taking careful measurements to make accurate parts. I thought design was for the talented few – those folks blessed with a good eye. Here’s a little secret: Some are born talented but many acquire design skills much the same way as learning to cut dovetails. It’s a matter of building foundation skills and a little practice.
Lesson number one: Get acquainted with your new instructor – the simple, humble pair of dividers. They’ve been
rightly called the “tool of the imagination.” In pre-industrial craft, artisans used this simple pair of pointed legs joined at a fulcrum both to explore and apply proportions. Dividers were the stock-in-trade for all the woodworking crafts: carpenter, cabinetmaker, wheelwright and everything in between.
Blog: Read more Design Matters on George R. Walker’s blog.
Blog: Work with some more example mouldings to practice divider use.
In Our Store: George R. Walker’s DVDs. Read more
