May 15 – 16
Secrets Of Refining Design
with George Walker
Experience Level: All
Class Details
There’s a bit of mystery around a design that stands out. Our medieval ancestors would have described it as radiant. For sure, a good design makes a connection that we can’t always put into words. One thing that elevates a good design are those refinements and small tweaks that pull everything together to make it sing.
Building on the skills learned in the “Unleashing Your Designer’s Eye” class, this workshop is about taking something good and making it into something exceptional. A big part of that is getting comfortable changing things up and playing with details in a design. We’ll do some exercises where you’ll begin to understand how to play and sift through refinements and dial into a sweet spot. You’ll have a chance to play with curved lines and see how they can bring life and delightful surprise to a composition.
This workshop is in Covington which is home to some wonderful examples of great historic architecture. We’ll take some design walks and explore examples of refinements written in brick and stone. We’ll cap the weekend off with a simple hands-on project to help you put these refinement skills into practice.
Key Learning Points (or “From this class you will:”)
- Understand how details can highlight an underlying form
- Grasp how edge treatments can carry the eye
- Understand how light and shadow can add visual pop
- Learn to combine straight lines and curves so they flow naturally
- Learn to use proportions to get elements to play off one another
The price includes all materials (wood, glue, etc.) Each class also includes a light breakfast and lunch every day.
Tool List
Class Tool List
Required For the Class
- Sketch pad – prefer something large format 18” x 24” (Link)
- Small sketch pad – 9” x 10”
- Mechanical pencil and eraser
- Compass and extra pencils or pencil leads
- Two pairs of dividers – one that has eight or nine inch long legs
- Straight edge. A drafting ruler or wooden yardstick will suffice
- Plastic drafting triangles & small T square
- Comfortable shoes for design walks around Covington
George R. Walker has been building things for over fifty years. First as a journeyman machinist in his day job and then back home as a self taught woodworker. For the first twenty years he made things using plans drawn by others. Then he got the itch to break free and explore design.
He spent years poring through historic books on design and studying examples of traditional furniture and architecture. That quest took him on a journey that began with early furniture in America and wound its way back to antiquity in ancient Greece, Egypt, and the far east. He began writing about these foundations of design and penned a column titled “Design Matters” for Popular Woodworking magazine for over eight years. He also teamed up with Jim Toplin and wrote “By Hand & Eye” published by Lost Art Press. That book has become a go-to design reference for woodworkers as well as a wide variety of crafts Jim and George went on to write a series of design books covering both the history and practical aspects of design, bringing traditional knowledge to the contemporary woodworker. George is married to his lovely wife Barb who is an accomplished artist in her own right
Website – https://www.byhandandeye.com/
Instagram: georgewalker.design
Register for the Class
information here about Registration; how it is over email and see the page for details
See here to register for the class
Cancellations will be accepted until eight weeks before the class for a full refund. If a cancellation occurs within eight weeks prior to the class date, a refund will be issued only if the spot can be filled.