Design & Build a Stool or Side Table
5 Days, Open to All
Summer 2024
August 19-23
This hall table and mirror by Sabiha Mujtaba is inspired by calligraphy.
Finding inspiration for furniture design can be creatively exciting when we interpret from other art forms: music, poetry, painting, and even from symbols and glyphs. In this five-day design and build class, you will reflect on calligraphy; the bold, the delicate, the flamboyant, and the almost architectural looking characters in the Chinese, Sanskrit, Arabic, and Japanese scripts, to name just a few.
Students will see a slideshow of how designers have interpreted this form of expression. Within these pen marks and brushstrokes, you’ll be inspired to discover a small stool or side table.
In this five-day design and build course, students will start by making simple models from their glyphs to develop dynamic three-dimensionality for a unique interpretation. We encourage students to bring calligraphy and glyph images that are personally inspiring or meaningful to them.
Working with provided milled wood, either cherry or ash, students can decide how to construct shapes, applying joinery with floating dovetail splines, dadoes and rabbets; giving mindful attention to where curved forms or through-cut design elements meet. Sabiha will give individual advice and assistance through all stages of students’ projects.
Students will learn safe use and techniques of stationary and handheld power tools. These include: power carvers, carving gouges, rasps and files, router table, and cordless drills. We’ll also cover how to keep a razor-sharp edge on gouges and chisels, and understand grain direction to avoid tear outs in wood.
Tools
Required:
Eye protection (must), closed-toed shoes
If possible, bring your own hand carving gouges
Choose and bring ideas: calligraphy, characters, and glyphs with strong form
Recommended:
Soft leather gloves
Sketch book
Drawing items
Prerequisites
Open to all. For beginners, it gives folks an idea of how to get inspired by unusual ideas and how to interpret lines into a solid form. For intermediate and advanced students, this course should challenge you to expand your own sensibilities in design and your interpretative construction.
Course Information and Registration
Class runs from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday in Building 315 at Fort Worden. Map
Please read our What to Expect page for general information about the school.
Please also read our Registration Policy.
Sign up for the waitlist if the course is full.
Class size: 10
Cost: $895
Materials Charge: $50
