Adam King Studio Fine Furniture & Antique Restoration

In a previous post, I discussed techniques to gain inspiration for design. So, you have these ideas, thoughts, images, all floating around in your head. Now what? How do you go about transforming these ideas into reality? While everyone's methods of design are different, there is still a systematic approach to the basics of good design. Over the next two weeks, I will take a look at these fundamentals, and hopefully lay out a clear direction to help you in your design endeavors.

Let's start at the beginning. With all of this new - found inspiration creating ideas and projects in your mind at an alarming rate, how do you begin to "flesh" these ideas into something tangible? Here are the basic steps to start turning your inspiration into a masterpiece!

Sketch Everything
I cannot say this enough. When an idea pops into your head put it down on paper. Draw this idea, then draw it again and again. Sketch every angle, draw close up views of special features, make little notations of possible size, materials, etc. Trust me folks, you do not need to be a graphic artist to sketch your ideas. They will be simple thumbnail size sketches that convey your ideas to you! It doesn't need to be a little masterpiece within itself, just a two - dimensional representation of your inspiration. So, get a sketchbook, or two, or three! My favorites are the hard cover spiral bound books, that you can lay flat as you draw. Also, invest in some quality drawing pencils or a mechanical drafting pencil. It's easy to draw with and it never goes dull. Also, get a good mars eraser. Yes, you will sometimes erase things. It's important to draw your initial ideas, whether good or bad, so that you don't forget them! This helps you to begin to see the idea as an actual object taking shape. It allows you to start thinking about size, proportion, and detail. (All topics that will be covered in future posts.) Most importantly, it gets the wheels inside your head turning. All of a sudden you might find yourself drawing many different versions of one original idea. Start sketching those ideas.

Reference the Past
With so many resources right at our fingertips, it's become easier than ever to solve problems and find answers to questions that arise during the initial stages of design. Maybe you are puzzled over what profile to use on some molding. Perhaps you're wondering what joinery would be most appropriate in a particular situation. Whatever your problem, someone, somewhere, and at sometime has solved it. History, whether 200 years ago or 20 minutes ago, has so much to teach us. As you are sketching the initial designs take a look at past pieces that are similar to what you're designing. The internet has an endless array of references and photos to work form. Make a special photo file for pictures that not only inspire you, but inform and educate you as well. A good collection of books covering different styles and periods of furniture and architecture are always indispensable and can be open as you sketch. These pieces from the past are there to help guide us and give us building blocks upon which we can express ourselves. Do not neglect good reference sources as you work through the beginning stages of your design.

Limit Yourself to Nothing
As you design, do not design with limitations in mind. Do not mentally inventory your current tool list and decide what is possible and impossible based upon what you possess. You see, the initial stages of design are for simply letting your inspiration and imagination guide your hand. Your sketches are simply a translation of this inspirational language. If you immediately begin to think that some aspect of your original idea is impossible, then you are denying yourself a chance to learn, grow, and mature as a craftsman. The limitations that exist are only there because we have allowed them to exist. There is always a way.

These are just short summaries of some basic principles to guide you as you begin your design work. Keep in mind, that these can be applied to any style and any medium. Whether you are a painter, illustrator, ceramic artist, or furniture maker, I hope that this has given you some direction and insight to help you get started today.

What are your methods of approaching the design process?
I'd love to find out how you go about your design work. Is it similar to this? What differs? What works for you?

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