McQualude wrote:

snip

Here is where I think an education in design is helpful. I don't have
one, yet, but I'm self-educating. I have started with "How to Design and
Construct Period Furniture" by Franklin H. Gottshall. Gottshall covers
56 rules of design that are helpful in designing furniture that is
appealing and not gaudy. He also examines many styles and cabinetmakers
from the 1600's to 1900's. It is the only book on design I have read, so
I can't compare it to any others, but I feel it has helped me.


Is Gottshall's book still available? Would like to check out his
56 rules of design. Sounds like a valuable reference book.

You might check out Graham Blackburn's "Furniture by Design"
at www.blackburnbooks.com/Titles/Books.html

snip


(I'm in the "function is essential" camp and grit my teeth when
I see what's called "Studio Furniture")


I don't necessarily agree with you if you are saying that 'studio
furniture' doesn't serve function. Here is what I think of as studio
furnitu
http://njcc.com/~jhein/open.html

Sure looks like Mr. Hein was also influenced by James Krenov. His
cabinets have many Krenovian elements and the same "look and feel"


IMO, studio furniture is the marriage between cabinetmaking and
art/sculpture, both serve a function. Any debate about whether 'art' is
necessary or functional is lighting a tenderbox. I'm not an 'artist',
BTW. Perhaps there is some definition of studio furniture and I have it
all wrong.


The types of pieces that come to my mind when I hear or read the
term Studio Furniture are orange carrot legs on a slanted topped
table or a large plaster four drawer Venus or stuff done by
Garry/Gary Knox Bennett. Back in the 60s I saw, at least temporarily,
a lot of weird furniture in odd colors and they were boring then
and still are - even if you call them Studio Furniture and paint
them day-glo orange (formerly international orange)..

I think most of the Art Nouveau furniture did a much better job of
combining art and functional furniture

I'm starting to think the term has more to do with the idea of
stuff designed,made and finished by one person or perhaps two
people. If that's the case, the Shakers were the most prolific Stufio
Furniture makers and most in this group just need to rename "the shop"
"the studio" to qualify as Studio Furniturists. The latter term avoids
the moniker "artist", or for the affectatious (sp?) - "artiste".

Maybe the Studio Furniture Movement is merely a marketing technique,
intended to promote, and maybe preserve, the small furniture makers.
If that is so then more power to it.

(refering to James Krenov)
He is an artist. Don't strangle me, but I consider much of his work,
studio furntire. But studio doesn't have the same negative connotation
for me.


You're right.


And somehow, he seems to be able to pass much of this
approach/method on to many of his students.

They are imitating.

Ya gotta start somehere and he's as good as any to use as a
starting point to developing your own style. A good teacher
inspires rather than imposes. Krenov inspires.


Back to the original question - how do you stay on track
while making something -or is that important?

By telling yourself 'no' when you think 'what if'. Make your decisions
ahead of time.


That goes back to an earlier question I posed - the process.

It seems you're approach is linear - start at A, the design,
and proceed through B, C, D ... and you end up with the piece
of furniture you "saw" at the end of making the plans/drawings.
Everything's defined and "done" before the first board is cut.

For me, it's an iterative, evolutionary thing which adapts
along the way. A particular board's grain which wasn't
noticeable appears when sanded or scraped and that get's
me looking for more of that grain or pattern in my pile
of wood. A screw up, while considering fixes, becomes
a valuable addition to the overall look and function of
the piece (or not).

You're approach requires far more knowledge of far more
variables/parameters/options than I'm even aware of, let
alone the skills to execute.

But surely "telling yourself 'no' when you think 'what if'"
must have some exceptions. I personally don't think that
anyone can foresee ALL the options at the "scaled drawings"
step in the process of making furniture.

And that get's back to "How to Stay On Track During a Project".

Maybe it's asking and answering some basic questions:
- will this idea compromise the function of the piece?
- will this option make other operations much more complicated
and/or difficult (ie. require cope and stick for the joinery)?
- will this option fit in or fight with what's around it?
- how will this option play with light? Shadows in the
right place can be nice. Eased, chamfered or rounded over
edges can help the eye flow around the piece.
- do I have the skills and tools to do this?
(This one's tough to answer. If you don't have the
skills or tools, do you get the tools and try learning
the skills in this project or abandon that option forever
and never have the need to learn that particular skill?)
- will the wood permit this option to be done?
- do I have the time to do this or the time to make another
part if it doesn't work the way I'd thought it might?
- will this make finishing the piece a real PITA?
- does this feel right?

Then again ...

babble mode OFF

charlie b

Interesting thread. My approach varies with the project. On commercial
projects; I decide, before I start, what I am going to do, and then just do
it. This is dictated by the customer and price quoted. I correct mistakes;
otherwise the process is decided in advance. For personal projects, the
process is either the same or starts with only very general "requirements"
and is adapted/adjusted along the way.

When I built my bench; I detailed the major parts (vises, min/max
dimensions, height) in advance and then just worked with the wood on hand to
build the final product. I am a firm believer in knowing what I am going to
build, before I start; and "selecting" the wood to be used, before any
cutting starts.

--
Alan Bierbaum

Web Site: http://www.calanb.com
Recent Project Page: http://www.calanb.com/recent.html
Workbench project: http://www.calanb.com/wbench.html


"charlieb" wrote in message
...
McQualude wrote:

snip

It seems you're approach is linear - start at A, the design,
and proceed through B, C, D ... and you end up with the piece
of furniture you "saw" at the end of making the plans/drawings.
Everything's defined and "done" before the first board is cut.

For me, it's an iterative, evolutionary thing which adapts
along the way.
charlie b

In article , charlieb
wrote:

Is Gottshall's book still available? Would like to check out his
56 rules of design. Sounds like a valuable reference book.

Amazon says out of print, but 6 available used...

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...qid=1058135439
/sr=1-5/ref=sr_1_5/002-6641520-4356020?v=glance&s=books

djb

--
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who
have not got it." -- G.B. Shaw

charlieb spaketh...

You might check out Graham Blackburn's "Furniture by Design"
at www.blackburnbooks.com/Titles/Books.html

thanks, I'll take a look

I'm starting to think the term has more to do with the idea of
stuff designed,made and finished by one person or perhaps two
people. If that's the case, the Shakers were the most prolific
Stufio Furniture makers

LOL! Stop, or you'll have us all in the society pages.

Maybe the Studio Furniture Movement is merely a marketing technique,
intended to promote, and maybe preserve, the small furniture makers.
If that is so then more power to it.

Bingo. Maybe it's just about some guy who convinces everyone his
furniture is 'in' and manages to sell it to society's elite.


It seems you're approach is linear - start at A, the design,
and proceed through B, C, D ... and you end up with the piece
of furniture you "saw" at the end of making the plans/drawings.
Everything's defined and "done" before the first board is cut.

Thanks, but you give me too much credit. I have yet to draw plans for a
piece of furniture, a sketch is usually sufficient. I work out the major
details and proportions in my sketches and the minor details on the fly.
After the first piece, I make a detail drawing so that if I ever want to
make another it will be easier.

For me, it's an iterative, evolutionary thing which adapts
along the way.

You're approach requires far more knowledge of far more
variables/parameters/options than I'm even aware of, let
alone the skills to execute.

No, it's the same process, perhaps I go through the process consciously,
while you are moving through the process subconsciously.

But surely "telling yourself 'no' when you think 'what if'"
must have some exceptions. I personally don't think that
anyone can foresee ALL the options at the "scaled drawings"
step in the process of making furniture.

No, that's why our new dining room table is 2" shorter and 1/2" narrower
than planned! It now has a bullnose edge rather than the nice long bevel
I wanted. The tapered legs are ~1 13/16 rather than the planned 2".

--
McQualude

McQualude spaketh...

charlieb spaketh...

You might check out Graham Blackburn's "Furniture by Design"
at www.blackburnbooks.com/Titles/Books.html

thanks, I'll take a look

FYI, to anyone interested, Amazon.com has some great deals on this book.


--
McQualude

The types of pieces that come to my mind when I hear or read the
term Studio Furniture are orange carrot legs on a slanted topped
table or a large plaster four drawer Venus or stuff ...

Skill without imagination is craftsmanship and gives us many useful
objects such as wickerwork picnic baskets. Imagination without skill
gives us modern art.
-- Tom Stoppard