I've been messing with building stuff since I was a kid. If there is one thing i would be if I had the choice it would be a furniture maker (Don't look at my projects here, I've been getting better). That said, I've read what everyone says about careers in woodworking. To summarize, it's a romanticized vision and fool's dream. Make it a hobby and do something else to pay the bills. So, I'm an engineer. I don't really like my day job and don't get a ton of satisfaction out of it. But, as a 44 year old father of three I think i have to accept that this is it for me… sigh. "Quit you whining, you've got a job, blah blah blah." I'm not here for a pity party.
What I am here for is to ask what i should do to get better at my "hobby". What is the best way to learn furniture design without having to relocate near a design school? I want that master and apprentice relationship, full of criticism until I've achieved perfect enlightenment (a beam of sunlight just broke through the clouds somewhere), but all I have found are books and youtube… which are fine, but kind of soulless and one sided.
My designs are…. meh. Average person thinks they are good, but I'm not really that impressed. Stuff I have made that I do like are knock-offs (I just found something i liked and extrapolated). I want to make a body of work that i can be proud of, but everything i makes just looks… off, somehow. The proportions are a little wonky. Or they are missing something. Sure some people just have a knack for that stuff, but most people learn from being taught and receiving constructive criticism. I WANT THAT! HOW DO I GET THAT!? I want to make kick ass pieces that when I see them in the wild I can say to myself with pride, "I made that," and then not immediately post it on the internet with the title, "I made this … and I'm awesome," because that really is a pet peeve of mine. Now get off my lawn! I'm starting to sound like my dad.
So the forum is open, literally, to suggestions. I'll take suggestions on books, internet classes, structured online classes, or whatever else you think is useful. If you are in the KC area and know of anything or anyone please let me know (KCAI, for example, although they are not doing much for non-traditional students these days).
Or better yet, if you are a designer, how did you learn?.. maybe I'm looking for a mentor.
And, as always, thank you for reading and taking a moment of you day. I appreciate it.
What I am here for is to ask what i should do to get better at my "hobby". What is the best way to learn furniture design without having to relocate near a design school? I want that master and apprentice relationship, full of criticism until I've achieved perfect enlightenment (a beam of sunlight just broke through the clouds somewhere), but all I have found are books and youtube… which are fine, but kind of soulless and one sided.
My designs are…. meh. Average person thinks they are good, but I'm not really that impressed. Stuff I have made that I do like are knock-offs (I just found something i liked and extrapolated). I want to make a body of work that i can be proud of, but everything i makes just looks… off, somehow. The proportions are a little wonky. Or they are missing something. Sure some people just have a knack for that stuff, but most people learn from being taught and receiving constructive criticism. I WANT THAT! HOW DO I GET THAT!? I want to make kick ass pieces that when I see them in the wild I can say to myself with pride, "I made that," and then not immediately post it on the internet with the title, "I made this … and I'm awesome," because that really is a pet peeve of mine. Now get off my lawn! I'm starting to sound like my dad.
So the forum is open, literally, to suggestions. I'll take suggestions on books, internet classes, structured online classes, or whatever else you think is useful. If you are in the KC area and know of anything or anyone please let me know (KCAI, for example, although they are not doing much for non-traditional students these days).
Or better yet, if you are a designer, how did you learn?.. maybe I'm looking for a mentor.
And, as always, thank you for reading and taking a moment of you day. I appreciate it.