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Where do designs come from?
Thursday, 26th August 2010 21:24 PM
Where do designs come from? Obviously they are the creation of the human intellect. But how do we dream up designs, where do the ideas come from? Interesting questions, for none of which do I have the answer!
The reason I am thinking about this is that Philip Dobbins has just delivered to the gallery a magnificent coffee table that he and David Wilson have worked on. Simple in conception, full width curved legs in walnut support an almost square top in burr walnut. Curves of walnut are inlayed into the top so the curved legs appear to come through to the top. The table is finished with a lacquer to a gloss finish. This is a stunning piece and has already drawn much comment from visitors to the gallery.
David’s designs have a number of signatures, shapes below reflected in a top, curved rails dropped to the floor, thick section parts. He applied this design vocabulary to most of his commissions and comes up with some excellent designs.
I am not consciously aware that I have as strong a design vocabulary as David. For some time I have been thinking of making a speculative piece for the gallery. We have more tables than you can shake a stick at, so I have been thinking of a cabinet. Following the delivery of the coffee table a design suddenly came to me, while I was having a pee actually? How did a coffee table precipitate a cabinet design?
Well, I suppose I was thinking about the gloss finish on the burr walnut of the thick section of the coffee table. Could I use the contrast between that and plane matt finished sides in a plane wood all with fairly thick sections? That idea jelled into the design shown in the following drawing, the only later addition was the fluting on the sides. I am also considering painting the sides rather than having them in oak, possibly a dark red matt (I like red).
A few years ago I used to spend many hours on the road driving to see aging parents in Devon. This coincided with a very fertile design period for me. I believe this was due to the time spent designing in my head whilst driving. I also think that some of the forms were influenced by what I was seeing on these trips. For instance the split table was an attempt to reduce a table to basics within the Arts and Crafts ethos. However I also think it looks a bit like a motor way bridge! The curve cabinet, also designed at that time, was intended to contrast formal lines and curves in an asymmetrical context, but the curve of the door also reminds me of a Devon hillside. Lastly I also designed the turning drawers at this time, when open they remind me of a multi storey car park.
In my courses I offer a one day design seminar. Wonder about this, is it possible to teach design? I am sure the students would not be impressed if I told them to go on long drives to improve their designs! All I can offer is ways to develop and refine designs from these initial ideas. And usually it’s the development of the idea that makes the design (unless it comes to you fully formed while having pee of course!) As far as the initial ideas are concerned, you’re on your own.
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Coffee table by David Wilson and Philip Dobbins in walnut and burr walnut
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Design for walnut cabinet
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Split table - motorway bridge
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Curve cabinet - Devon hillside
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Turning drawers - multi story car park