A Craftsman’s Guide to Design

Ex-contractor and furniture worker Todd Clippinger provides excellent tips for designing and being inspired.

1. Expose Yourself to More Designs and Ideas
   1. Understanding Space and Dimensions
   2. Getting a sense of Volume
   3. Art Galleries and Museums
2. Make Connections with Other Artists
   1. Tendency to gravitate towards like minded people
3. Keep a Record of your Design and Ideas
   1. Pictures
   2. Sketches
4. See with a Creative Eye
   1. Capturing an essence
   2. Gaining an Impression

Notice that the principles remain the same even for contractor work. Nudge design behaves no differently. I was tasked to expose myself to various photographs to discover inspiration for my logo, and record any influential portion of the design process into a PowerPoint presentation.

So remember, if you’re ever stuck in finding inspiration for your design, stick to the foundations!