Please enjoy this guest post from graphic designer and woodworker, Mark Loughran.

Introduction

Although I am only a novice woodworker, I have been a graphic designer for over twenty years, have been through art college, and I have taught drawing at third level. So while I am not a furniture designer, I have experience in design. And although its a different discipline, I feel there are some things that are shared in common with woodworking design.

Generally I see a lot of articles on the internet on how to use drawing applications like Sketch Up, but I have not seen many articles for traditional drawing for woodworkers, so I hope this might be of some interest.

As we get more used to using computers to generate drawings, I feel that we could lose touch with a very important part of the design and creative process – the pencil sketch. Of course computers are a powerful tool, and can be used to great effect (I use a computer to develop all my designs), but I believe the humble pencil sketch can be the best way to start the design process, before moving on to a computer. And in the long run the quickest. The advantage here is the speed in which you can get a thumbnail sketch of your idea on to a page, ready for further development.

The 1st Tool of the Shop

Often you will see a woodworker with a pencil behind their ear, or in an apron. I believe that the pencil can be the first and most important tool in the shop.

Where to Start

Start with a thumbnail sketch on paper. A napkin or the back of an envelope is fine too. Wherever and whenever the idea comes to you. Don’t get me wrong, computer applications for drawing are a huge step forward, and are a massive benefit, but there is nothing quicker that a pencil sketch, and that can capture the essence of a design. As when the inspiration or idea comes, its best not to lose it. It is important that as computers become more a part of design, that we don’t forget the traditional design skills like sketching with a pencil. Its not something to keep just for the sake of it, I feel it has real benefits for the designer. I guess woodworkers will probably be the first to appreciate traditional methods, while embracing modern technologies also.

What to Use

Pencils are probably the best thing, no great surprise there. Markers and pens are fine to draw with too, but sometimes its handy to be able to erase part of a drawing that’s not working, or just to adjust a curve. Use a soft pencil like a 2B up to a 6B, its softer graphite so it gives a darker line. The harder pencils are more suited to finer plans and drafting applications. With a softer pencil graphite, you may need a softer eraser too.

Keep it Rough

Leonardo da Vinci did large numbers of rough sketches which went towards making each one of his masterpieces (you don’t need to worry about matching his skill level, I know I won’t ever get there), so do lots and lots of sketches. Keep them quick. Don’t be too precious, no need for expensive art paper. Sometimes it can actually get in the way of creativity, as we tend to be too careful using it. Inexpensive copier paper is fine. Try to avoid lined paper though, as the lines get in the way, and distract from what we are drawing. Be as free as you can. Make a mess! It will actually help in freeing up the drawing process. (See more on Leonardo_da_Vinci)

Practice

Some people think they can’t draw, but anyone can if they practice. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, it just has to capture roughly the design that you have imagined. And only you need to understand it. Some great designers are not great artists, and don’t have to be, but the more you practice, the more useful a skill your drawing will become.

Relax

Practice relaxing your hand before drawing. Squeeze it tight to feel what it feels like when its tense, then relax it. Lift your palm up off the page when drawing, and its easier to draw larger curves. Use your elbow or shoulder as a pivot point instead. Elongate your hand, and push the pencil further out than the normal writing position. Too much tension can get in the way of good sketching. Don’t worry if quality doesn’t look good immediately, keep practicing. Often people will hold the pencil in the same way they would if they were writing, but if you can practice a more relaxed position, with the tip of the pencil further away from your finger tips, and your palm up off the page, this can help. But for the very small thumbnail sketches this is not as important, it’s more important when the drawings become larger in scale.

Draw in Context

If you are designing a chair, draw it with a person sitting it in, see if they are sitting upright to eat, or reclining to relax. You can use a Wooden Artist Sketch Poseable Mannequin to help with drawing people. If its a set of lockers for each side of a bed, sketch in the bed and the room setting straight away, so its in the context it will be used. If its a computer desk, draw it with the computer and keyboard in position. This approach will help to iron out an issues before they arise. A lot of time can be saved in eliminating problems before making the piece by drawing it in context from the very start.

Keep Your Sketches

Sometimes your initial thumb nail sketches can capture the design so well you can benefit by constantly referring back to that original sketch. If you are moving to computer to finish the drawing, you can even scan the drawing in, if you have a scanner, or take a photo of it with a digital camera. Keep all your sketches, and build a file of all your drawings, not just the finished ones, keep everything! Something you decide not to build now, may become relevant in the future, and its nice to keep all your ideas for the future. Its also interesting to look back on the sketch you did for a piece you have made, and see how the design developed on paper, right through to the finished piece.

Its Quicker in the Long Run

You may want to get straight into building your project, as you have a clear picture in your mind, but by spending a little time drawing at the start, it can actually save you time in the long run. By ironing out issues and drawing the piece from different angles, you can work out details that save you time in the long run.

Scaling it Up

If you are not using a computer for the final drawing, you can do a scale drawing. 1 to 12 is an easy scale to use if you are using feet and inches, so each inch of your drawing will represent a foot in your actual piece. But if you are using metric, 1 to 10 might be easier, so 1cm can equal 10cm in your final piece. Just add a zero, its easy. Draw a grid on a page, with squares, and you can map out your piece to scale.

Keeping a Scrapbook

Keep a scrapbook of pictures you like, designs that appeal to you, and let it build over time. You can mix your own sketches in as ideas develop. If you see something online that inspires you, keep it in a digital scrapbook.

Make it Fun

Sometimes the design part of the project can be a lot of fun, and with good drawing skills, it can be even more enjoyable. Taking an art class can be a good way to kick start your interest in drawing, and you may also find that you can discover things in your surroundings or in nature that will inspire you in your design choices for furniture design. And also by looking at art that interests you, you can find another great source of inspiration.

Hopefully this brief set of tips, can be of interest to my fellow woodworkers. Although my grandfather was a carpenter, I am only beginning a journey in discovering the pleasure of working with wood, but with inspiration from great teachers like Marc Spagnolo, as I am a big fan of The Wood Whisperer, I hope to improve my skills and increase my knowledge of woodworking, and right now just practicing my skills is good fun. I don’t think my shop will feature on any shop tour on Marc’s site though, as its only a six by eight shed, but who knows :-)

Mark Loughran runs a small graphic design studio, Identikit.ie, with his wife Tanya in Dublin, Ireland, for over twenty years. He has two daughters, Emily and Isabel, who are budding artists. Hobbies are cycling and woodworking.

Every shop needs a tool chest. So I set out to build a beautiful wall-hanging unit made completely from plywood. Plywood is inexpensive, durable, easy to find, and perfect for shop furniture.

The first video in the series focuses entirely on the design. Now I’m no George Walker and I would guess that you aren’t either. So how do we “average Joe designers” go about developing a project concept from start to finish? I’ll show ya!

My general workflow looks something like this:
Identify the requirements –> Establish what we know –> Determine what we don’t know –> Use SketchUp (roughly) to help define dimensions –> Assess visual appeal and apply relevant design rules if possible

Notice I said I only use SketchUp “roughly”. While SketchUp is an incredibly powerful tool and I envy those that are proficient in it, you certainly don’t have to be an expert to use it. Who says you need to sketch the entire project from top to bottom, inside and out? If you can draw rectangles and lines, you already know enough to help answer some fundamental design questions on any project you build. And if you have the time and desire to get deeper into the program, go for it! Your work will only benefit from the additional detail. But if you aren’t inclined to click ‘n drag design, you can still use this incredibly helpful program at the most basic level and still get something useful out of it.

Thankfully, Guild member Robert (TurkVA) is one of those fancy proficient SketchUp users, and he was able to create a SketchUp plan which is available for you to download now.

Remember, this is not a “how-to”; its a “how-I-do”. And you’ll see that I actually have to change my original design after I see how things are going to look in Sketchup. So its a fairly unfiltered look into my process. Oh, and Nicole is back to show us her sweet acting skillz! I should also mention that this video is being pulled from the Wood Whisperer Guild archive for your viewing pleasure. For more information about the Guild, check out WoodWhispererGuild.com

Other Episodes in this Series:
Wall-Hanging Tool Chest Pt. 2
Wall-Hanging Tool Chest Pt. 3

• ShopClass: SketchUp for Woodworkers – Part 1: Getting Started CD
• ShopClass: SketchUp for Woodworkers – Part 2: Advanced Techniques CD
• Drafting and Design for Woodworkers
• Unlocking the Secrets of Traditional Design DVD
• Unlocking the Secrets of Traditional Design: Moldings DVD
• Woodworker’s Guide to Google SketchUp

This is a $175 value that’s going for $99.99. So if you’re looking to beef up your design library, this is a great way to jump start it! And from what I understand, the last Value Pack sold out in three hours. So if you’re thinking about it, don’t take too long! Check it out!

This is the first in a 3-part series dedicated to the design and construction of a trestle table. But its not your everyday trestle table, since it will have a smooth sculpted look and will be used as a PC gaming desk. Made from solid Honudran Mahogany, it will only get more beautiful with time as it ages to a deep dark red color. And for the first time in a long while, I am knocking a “honey-do” project off the list. Nicole is thrilled!

And a quick note about the tools used in this episode. On most of my projects, I try to use tools and methods that are accessible to as many folks as possible. This is NOT one of those times! This was one of my personal fun projects where I basically use whatever tool I want to get the job done. So while I am using my preferred tools for each operation, I do try to recommend alternative options as I go.

Topics Covered:

• Trestle table basics
• Taking a design from concept to a full-size prototype
• Creating free-form curved templates
• Cutting thick stock at the bandsaw
• Creating leg blanks from rough stock
• Using the Festool Domino to create tricky mortises

Other Parts in this Series:
Part 2
Part 3

My Shop Journal articles for this project:
Trestle Table – Playing with Curves
Trestle Table – The Dreaded Prototype

Here’s a link to the glue spreader I used in this video:

The Music Analogy

When I played drums in college, I learned something about my personal level of creativity. I joined a band that was in need of a new drummer. Spinal Tap anyone? So one of my first tasks was learning the old songs. I found this process very easy and natural as I would digest the original drum beat, and then modify it to my liking. Sometimes I would find areas that could do with some improvement and the end result was clearly just a refinement of the original. Other times, the situation called for a complete overhaul. Either way, I followed my instincts to create what I thought was appropriate for the song and life was good. Unfortunately, my creative challenges didn’t stop there. I was also responsible for creating beats for the new songs. I found that I was much less creative and a bit stifled when I was responsible for the beat from the ground up. You might call it paralysis by analysis. I actually longed for someone to take that initial responsibility out of my hands and create the starting beat for me. That way I could see what direction the beat was going, and then I could cleverly guide it to the place it should be. Obviously, getting someone else to make your drum beats isn’t really a good way to stay in the band, so I had to do my best at creating the new beats from start to finish. How did I do it? Read on!

The Art of Emulation

My secret weapon was what I would call emulation. This is vastly different from blatant copying. I would listen to as many songs as possible, waiting for inspiration to strike. If I found a particular beat or fill that I liked, I would try to modify it so that it would fit into my song. And sometimes, that one fill or small part of a beat would be enough to inspire the rest of the song. A small spark that turns into a roaring fierce fire of creativity. Did I copy? Well….sort of. That’s why I call it emulation. I took inspiration from an idea, built upon it, and turned it into something I can call my own simply by following my instincts. Now I didn’t think much of this process at the time. I was mostly focused on getting the job done so I wouldn’t look like an idiot at our next gig. You know, girls to impress and all that. But as a woodworker, I can see how these same limitations and creative loopholes exist and I still struggle in exactly the same way.

Emulation in Woodworking

I take inspiration from many places and countless other woodworkers. But instead of copying something, I try to emulate an idea and modify it in such a way that it is pleasing to my eye. I’ll even combine concepts from multiple pieces and create something completely different, but still owing some credit to the original ideas for the constituent parts. I see nothing wrong with this method of creating and I encourage others to do it. As a person who feels he lacks the gift of natural creativity, this system allows me to build pieces I can be proud of, while slowly but surely increasing my tool chest of options for new designs and concepts. Call it “training wheels for the analytical mind”.

We All Have a Role

As I see it, there are three types of woodworkers:

• The Creators – the few who are gifted with the ability to create truly unique designs.
• The Copiers – the people who re-create existing designs.
• The Modifiers – the people who take inspiration from exiting ideas, and modify them enough to call it something “new”. I think most of us would fall into this category.

Regardless of which type of woodworker you are, you play a vital role in the woodworking ecosystem. If you are an emulator, don’t feel bad about it! All the advances in modern science and medicine wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for people emulating the work of others. The story of Rock & Roll probably wouldn’t be the same if the Beatles weren’t a part of it. As time passes, it becomes more and more difficult to create something truly unique and original. In music, there are only so many notes to work with. A song is simply the result of shuffling those notes into a different order and time. In woodworking, our “notes” are things like joinery, wood species, and shapes. Your final creation is your “arrangement” and your creativity manifests itself in the uniqueness of that arrangement. Use the design rules to help you avoid dissonant tones, but be careful not to let the rules stifle you into creating elevator music. There is nothing worse than a perfectly-designed piece that is completely forgettable. Let your creative fire rage on, but try to make it a controlled burn using design rules as your guide.

Looking for some tips on traditional design? Check out George Walker’s “Unlocking Secrets of Traditional Design” DVD. Save 10% by using code: Wood10ww

The coolest part about this process is the challenge that collaboration brings. Making a piece of furniture for myself is rather easy. My personal tastes influence every decision I make and I simply build to my liking. But building within the confines of someone else’s tastes can be quite difficult because I am forced to differentiate between bad design and what is simply a unique set of personal preferences. So its important not to give in to that knee-jerk reaction that says, “That wouldn’t go in my house!” If you can see beyond the initial visual shock and analyze the piece within its own world and on its own merits, I think you are one step further on your path to “open-minded” design.

Now I am a relative noob when it comes to traditional design theory, so I am probably too open-minded for my own good. But personally, I would rather start with a wild set of design ideas and slowly but surely contain and restrict them, as opposed to starting with a strict set of design rules, and slowly learning how to branch out and become flexible. This way just sounds like more fun to me!

I feel a music analogy coming on! As a drummer, I played in numerous bands for several years before I started taking lessons. At first, the lessons were difficult and the rigidity of the play style I was being taught didn’t seem to help me much in my live gigs. That is until one day, things just clicked. Suddenly, the rudiments I had been perfecting during lessons found their way into the creative side of designing a beat for a song. The end result? I was a better, more creative drummer. On the flip side of things, I had a friend who was classically trained on the piano. As hard as we tried to get him to play in our band, it just never worked. He couldn’t do anything without a sheet of music in front of him.

I suppose the point of this article is just to make you think a little. I am currently working on a new piece for the customer I mentioned above, and it got me thinking about these design issues. So I thought I would share a few thoughts with you. As always, I never claim to know the right way to do things. I am just sharing MY way of doing things. Hopefully you can extract something useful from it.

Oh and by the way, thanks to folks like George Walker, the challenge of incorporating elements of traditional design into my work is becoming a reality. I highly recommend subscribing to his blog, Design Matters. Knowing how to design is impressive. But explaining it in a way that everyday woodworkers can understand is nothing short of awesome! Also, you are going to want to pick up his DVD, Unlocking the Secrets of Traditional Design. Hands down one of the best woodworking DVDs ever made.

Now I’ll be honest, I haven’t delved too deeply into the world of traditional design simply because it bores the hell out of me. If you are not a Guild member, you missed a silly little skit of me falling asleep while my Design School teacher (Nicole) recited the Golden Ratio out to 10 decimal places. It was all in good fun, but that satire was rooted in truth. Most design conversations I have observed or been a part of usually don’t go much further than basic proportions and the Golden Ratio. And that, my friends, is why this DVD stands apart as a bright and shining beacon in a sea of sleep-inducing design talk. It simply gives me a basic set of tools that I can immediately put to use in my own work.

I have to admit though, the DVD didn’t have me at hello. Here was the interaction between George’s words and my brain:

George (walking out of old colonial meeting house): “What a great old building!”
My Brain: “Hey look at that nondescript boring white building.”
George: “I’d love to meet the people who built this.”
My Brain: “Here we go….. another guy talking about architecture, pilasters, buttresses and corbels………”
George: “The same principles that helped create this colonial meeting house can be applied to a table or a sideboard or a dresser.”
My Brain: “OK, you’ve captured my interest. Well played Walker…..well played! Now teach me something useful man!

And teach me he did! George did a tremendous job of outlining what he considers to be the fundamentals of good design, and how we can apply those to our furniture using simple whole number ratios. He even designs a piece of furniture right at his drafting table, in two different styles, all while justifying and explaining each and every choice. At some points, it gets a little deep and that just means I’ll be watching it again. But that may be one of the most amazing things about this DVD: I actually DO want to watch it again! I know I missed a few things so I am about to rev up my laptop for another go ’round.

Walker’s explanations and advice are incredibly useful and easy to understand. And as if that weren’t enough, the visuals, graphics and videography are second to none! This is a DVD that sets the bar very high in both quality and content. Kudos to the Lie-Nielsen crew who did all the behind the scenes work.

“Unlocking the Secrets of Traditional Design” doesn’t just throw terminology in my face and make me run away wondering why I wasted my time studying biology for 4 years when I should have been in design school. It breaks a few simple concepts down into usable chunks that I can actually apply to my woodworking. Such a simple concept, yet something I have yet to experience in my limited exposure to the world of design. And THAT, is worth way more than the price of the DVD. This is a must-have for woodworkers looking to design their own furniture. And if you are working your way “backwards” in your woodworking education, like me, I highly suggest checking out this title.

FYI:
George Walker is now writing a regular column for Popular Woodworking and is featured on the cover of the Feb. 2010 issue. You will also want to check out his blog, Design Matters. For a more detailed description of this DVD, check out Chris Schwarz’s Review. And if you are interested in buying this DVD, you can do so here.

I am planning a display case for a shotgun (grandfather’s) and a putter (dad’s), and perhaps a smaller case for two pocket watches (grandfathers’). I was thinking simple boxes at first, then I started considering adding some detail that could represent my contribution when I give them to my son (he’s 28).

I’ve been playing with G&G type joints you are using on your gadget station but I seem to be hitting a stumbling block (sketches attached). I think I need a face frame to add some thickness to hold glass, but the top/side/front intersections get a little clumsy and busy. They need to be a little light, since the pieces are fairly small. The face frames are typically wider and fit inside the case on bigger cabinets, and I haven’t been successful at finding examples of more delicate 3-way jointing. I was wondering If you could offer any suggestions.

One way to solve the problem is to “change the question” and build a single cabinet for all four pieces, but I would really prefer a “set” of smaller wall mounts. But I’m open to any reaction or ideas you may offer. Thank you in advance.

And here was my reply:
Hey Tom. Sometimes we can over think things to the point that we make them more complicated then they need to be. And communicating this via email is going to be tricky. So I will do the best I can to explain. Worse case scenario, I can always get on the live cam and show you examples of what i mean.

First off, I would start designing the piece as a basic box. That will serve as your empty canvas and you can simply add things or take things away as needed in order to arrive at the final design. So in your mind, start with 4 sides and simple butt joints. Then add in the back panel, which is set about 3/4″ in from the back in order to allow for the french cleat. The panel has to be at least 1/2″ ply and will sit in grooves that are cut all around the inside edges of the box. The front has a simple face frame with a rabbet for the glass. The face frame can be glued directly to the body since its a long-grain to long-grain joint. Use biscuits or dowels for alignment purposes if you need to. OK so now you have the template for the basic box. Let’s start making it fancy. Start with the corner joints. Instead of butt joints, we upgrade them to Greene & Greene style joints. Although these are a lot cooler looking, they don’t really change much in terms of our basic box design. How about the face frame? Lets have the face frame joined with mortise and tenon joints and lets have them pegged, just as you do in your sketch. The face-frame is then glued to the front of the box, and trimmed flush on all four sides. No need to inset the frame itself into the box. Hopefully you see where I am going with this. This is how I start all of my box designs. I just find it much easier to adorn a simple box than to reverse engineer a complicated design. Hopefully that will help you get rolling. Let me know if you have any questions and good luck!

This table was the original inspiration for my design. It was created by John T. Heinrich and the photo is directly from Taunton’s Design Book Two. I was really taken by the spider-like legs and the potential for some fun joinery. I also loved the concept of blending the vertical and horizontal components so that they look like they were carved from a single piece of wood. Think Maloof Rocker. The table it topped off with an interesting piece of glass. All in all, this table is an amazing piece of craftsmanship.

This is my table. As you can see, it was heavily influenced by Heinrich’s design above, but clearly takes it in a different direction. The table is smaller with a tighter stance. And the top is obviously figured maple, instead of glass. And rather than resting on top of the legs, the top floats between them via steel dowels.

Now this is a table submitted by Spike Sofranko. You can see Spike made some significant changes. His features a thick bowtie/dog bone-shaped top with multiple woods laminated together. The legs are a little more squared off at the edges and the top is secured with two dowels in the skinny ends of the top (not visible in this pic. What I find to be the most compelling part of Spike’s design is the fact that he flipped the leg assembly upside down. This was by far the most popular feedback I received from viewers. MANY folks felt the table looked better upside down. So finally, we have a real world example of what the table would look like in that orientation. Thanks Spike!

This next table was designed by John Bratton. The most notable change here is the top. Its a perfect circle and rests on top of the legs. John secured the top with screws in elongated holes to allow for movement, and capped the screws off with an accent wood. The legs are similar to Spike’s in that they are a little more squared off than the other designs. I also had numerous suggestions to put a round top on the piece, and thanks to John, we can now see how that looks.

And finally, we have this table from Todd Ouwehand. This table has all the delicate grace of Heinrich’s piece, but actually takes it a step further by keeping the stretchers thin as well. This design really has fun with varying thicknesses and the builder did a tremendous job of blending the joints so they simply appear as a single piece of wood. Also notice the wooden top, which happens to be attached in a similar manner as the Heinrich piece.

Now I am not looking for anyone to pick favorites here. My goal is to simply show you how the same starting concept can result in numerous end products, simply by altering the most important and influential variable: the craftsman.