The elements of design
Many people think they cannot do design.
The word conjures up images of artist types in front of a drawing board. The
reality is that each one of us does design every day of our lives. When you
dress for the day, it is with some premeditation. You have an idea of what will
happen during the day. This is your design brief. Therefore, you choose your
outfit accordingly. Do you need to impress, get dirty, celebrate or mourn, relax
or communicate with an important person? Each has its dress code. So you select
for image, fit comfort, colour, and durability.
Putting together a knife requires the
same thinking- what kind of knife must it be? Where will it be used? Who is the
user? What are the results he expects from this knife?
Design is not magic. It is a process of
putting on paper what you see in your mind’s eye, working at the drawings until
you are satisfied, then, combining different materials and techniques in the
workshop.
A good knife works- it does what it is supposed to do.
It attracts- it
grabs the buyer’s attention.
In order to prepare a meal you have to
have the right ingredients. When you understand what each ingredient adds to a
dish, you can make up your own recipes. If you make the right choices about what
to put in your recipe, you will succeed in making a good dish. The same is true
when using the elements of design: Purpose, function, line, shape, texture,
space, and size, value and colour.
Once you understand what the elements of
design are and how they work you can make the right choices to create your own
knives.
