George Walker has written a fascinating piece for Issue Two that we’re calling ‘Dividing the Line: Assessing the Eye of Blue-Collar Geometers’. In this essay, George presents his own design research from a new perspective. By comparing two 18th century cabinetmaking cousins’ apron profiles to each other, George is able to reverse engineer their designer’s eye for us. At first, you think their aprons look similar enough but after he walks you through the layout process, you see how different they really are.
This fascinating exercise will help you in your workshop by teaching you how to layout your own aprons or profiles. How do you capture your inner designer’s eye? How do make something that reflects not just general attractiveness but your own unique voice in the piece?
I’m so grateful that George is taking us back to the essential principals of design that we all missed out on as 21st century mostly self-taught woodworkers. (If you missed his piece in Issue One, you can pick that up here.) His research fulfills a critical role in the Mortise & Tenon vision.
Hang tight for Issue Two… November 1st is not far away!