Roger:

One approach used in "lateral thinking" is to change what
they refer to as the "entry point"

Think about a table
What are the parts
legs
apron
top
maybe stretchers
possible a drawer

Consider the legs
Normally there are four, sometimes three and sometimes one
central pedestal. What it there were FIVE - or only two? What
if there were NONE? Would it then be a "shelf"? But if the
top were "table size", would it still be a "shelf"?
Consider the apron
does it have to be straight on top, on the bottom or on
either the top or the bottom?
does it have to be flat or can it be curved?
can it be pierced to the point of being almost non existent?
does it have to intersect the legs it's full width or only at
a small area, or perhaps a couple of points?
Consider the top
how thin can the top be and still be functional AND not
look odd?
does it all have to be flat? What about a step down in it,
or a raised feature?
can the ends curve up or down, or one up, one down?
do the sides have to be parallel and the ends as well?
does the thickness have to be uniform or can you go
with a taper and adjust the legs so the top surface is
horizontal?
Consider the stretchers
can they be arcs rather than straight?
do both ends have to meet the legs the same distance
from the floor?
Consider a drawer
why one instead of two or three?
do they need to be layed out symetric on the apron
or can they be asymetric? What about staggered
one up, one down, or stair stepped?

Now think about some of the joinery.
do the legs have to meet the table top at 90 degrees?
can some, or most, if not all, of the joinery be "blended"
(think Sam Maloof rocking chair joinery) so that you
can't tell where one part ends and the other begins.

What about color and shades of a color. Dark looks
"heavy", Light looks - well - light. The eye sees the
highest contrast first. So a dark leg on a table in a
light colored room will be noticed before lighter parts.
What if you play with a heartwood/sapwood piece for
a leg or two and exploit the light and dark outline?

Basically it's a break things down and examine each
part - and consider other possibilities than the "tried
and true", "traditional" assumptions of what each one
"should look like" - or how it's "supposed to work".

The world of woodturners break all "the rules" and
new ideas and techniques have been, and continue
to pop up and spread through the community. Turners
are scorching and sand blasting and grinding and
carving and painting, inlaying, bandsawing and wire
brushing pieces exploring possibilities, starting with
Why A Round Cross Section? Why Symetric
About a Single Axis? Why A Single Piece Of Wood?
"Flat Work" on the other hand is pretty static, with
a few exceptions - some of Michael Fortune's work
for example.

charlie b

ps
pick up a copy of "Lateral Thinking - Creativity Step By Step"
by Edward de Bono - ISBN 0-06-090325-2 $15.00 US for
much better explanations, examples and exercises

Charlie,
I like the akimbo approach--the looking at something from a different angle
or level--the what if and so what if I did attitude.
Thanks,
Roger


"charlieb" wrote in message
...
Roger:

One approach used in "lateral thinking" is to change what
they refer to as the "entry point"

Think about a table
What are the parts
legs
apron
top
maybe stretchers
possible a drawer

Consider the legs
Normally there are four, sometimes three and sometimes one
central pedestal. What it there were FIVE - or only two? What
if there were NONE? Would it then be a "shelf"? But if the
top were "table size", would it still be a "shelf"?
Consider the apron
does it have to be straight on top, on the bottom or on
either the top or the bottom?
does it have to be flat or can it be curved?
can it be pierced to the point of being almost non existent?
does it have to intersect the legs it's full width or only at
a small area, or perhaps a couple of points?
Consider the top
how thin can the top be and still be functional AND not
look odd?
does it all have to be flat? What about a step down in it,
or a raised feature?
can the ends curve up or down, or one up, one down?
do the sides have to be parallel and the ends as well?
does the thickness have to be uniform or can you go
with a taper and adjust the legs so the top surface is
horizontal?
Consider the stretchers
can they be arcs rather than straight?
do both ends have to meet the legs the same distance
from the floor?
Consider a drawer
why one instead of two or three?
do they need to be layed out symetric on the apron
or can they be asymetric? What about staggered
one up, one down, or stair stepped?

Now think about some of the joinery.
do the legs have to meet the table top at 90 degrees?
can some, or most, if not all, of the joinery be "blended"
(think Sam Maloof rocking chair joinery) so that you
can't tell where one part ends and the other begins.

What about color and shades of a color. Dark looks
"heavy", Light looks - well - light. The eye sees the
highest contrast first. So a dark leg on a table in a
light colored room will be noticed before lighter parts.
What if you play with a heartwood/sapwood piece for
a leg or two and exploit the light and dark outline?

Basically it's a break things down and examine each
part - and consider other possibilities than the "tried
and true", "traditional" assumptions of what each one
"should look like" - or how it's "supposed to work".

The world of woodturners break all "the rules" and
new ideas and techniques have been, and continue
to pop up and spread through the community. Turners
are scorching and sand blasting and grinding and
carving and painting, inlaying, bandsawing and wire
brushing pieces exploring possibilities, starting with
Why A Round Cross Section? Why Symetric
About a Single Axis? Why A Single Piece Of Wood?
"Flat Work" on the other hand is pretty static, with
a few exceptions - some of Michael Fortune's work
for example.

charlie b

ps
pick up a copy of "Lateral Thinking - Creativity Step By Step"
by Edward de Bono - ISBN 0-06-090325-2 $15.00 US for
much better explanations, examples and exercises