Project: To refurbish and repurpose an old drawing table in order to emulate the ideals I believe a designer should aim for. (admittedly subjective - explanation below)
Initial resources at disposal : Rusty galvanisted metal table stand, original nuts and bolts, table top.
During 2012 I completed my first year of university, which challenge both my understanding and preconceptions about design. The course (Bachelor of Design - industrial design) has ignited not only my passion for design, It has tasked me to develop a design philosophy or ideal to work by.
I undertook this project with the attitude that a drawing table should embody the work ethic and ideals I should have as a designer whenever I sit down to work. In essence I want to create a workspace that encourages a design ethic of:
Purpose driven design
Innovative solutions
Humble
Functionality
Sustainability
Strength and longevity
Personalisation
Resourcefulness
By Daniel Horne
Disassembly
Rust proofing and painting
Detials matter
Here I've painted each nut and bolt with a silver enamel.
Here I've painted each nut and bolt with a silver enamel.
Reassembly
With just a few coats of paint the tables appearance has improved a lot. At this point I contemplated leaving it as it is because I liked the natural aesthetic of the wooden table top. Unfortunately it is soft wood and imprints can be left. Nothing is more annoying than drawing a line and it realigning with the bumps underneathe which exposes a drawing to unwanted mistakes.
With just a few coats of paint the tables appearance has improved a lot. At this point I contemplated leaving it as it is because I liked the natural aesthetic of the wooden table top. Unfortunately it is soft wood and imprints can be left. Nothing is more annoying than drawing a line and it realigning with the bumps underneathe which exposes a drawing to unwanted mistakes.
Reusing and repurposing.
Here I reuse an old silky oak window frame to make a light box. I found having a lightbox gives the designer a great advantage to redraw a sketch with subtle improvements.
I haven't painted the two faces of the frame to expose the beautiful silky oak grain. I also believe a designer should surround themselves with aspects of nature. It's all too easy to dream up something unnatural with 3d modelling and forget the environmental impact it may have. When bringing sustainability into the workplace you task the user to think about natural resources in the initial design process.
Here I reuse an old silky oak window frame to make a light box. I found having a lightbox gives the designer a great advantage to redraw a sketch with subtle improvements.
I haven't painted the two faces of the frame to expose the beautiful silky oak grain. I also believe a designer should surround themselves with aspects of nature. It's all too easy to dream up something unnatural with 3d modelling and forget the environmental impact it may have. When bringing sustainability into the workplace you task the user to think about natural resources in the initial design process.
Electrical work and light fitting.
A light has been installed to make this window frame into a functioning 'lightbox'. I used low watt fluorescent light to minimize heat and electrical consumption.
A light has been installed to make this window frame into a functioning 'lightbox'. I used low watt fluorescent light to minimize heat and electrical consumption.
To be continued..
As you can see, if i put the light on whilst the top frame is flat against the table top the light doesn't disperse much. To fix this I will need to be able to fix the top frame at an optimal angle using hinges. I have tested this and it disperses the light nicely (briefly shown above- top, centre). One of the great advantages a drawing table can have is an adjustable angle. It helps with drawing in perspective and with posture.
The design of this table leaves all elements openly visible, giving the user the ability to understand it. Too often, I feel design is left to ignorance of the inner workings of products. I'll often find myself taking objects apart to see how it works. That being said, a drawing table needs a clean aesthetic so it doesn't detract/distract the user from their sketches.
I'd love some feedback. :)
The design of this table leaves all elements openly visible, giving the user the ability to understand it. Too often, I feel design is left to ignorance of the inner workings of products. I'll often find myself taking objects apart to see how it works. That being said, a drawing table needs a clean aesthetic so it doesn't detract/distract the user from their sketches.
I'd love some feedback. :)