Fall Day

Here is a little birds nest that Sue spotted in the sugar maple that we planted near the goat barn.


















It's made out of my shaving pile. I can't tell you how many times folks have commented that I should find a use for my shavings (I do mulch and burn them), and I assure them that my market research has come down heavily on the side of chairs being the more valuable outcome of my labors. But leave it to this little bird to prove me wrong, as far as a housing material, what a jackpot.


Below is an orthographic projection of a chair that I am designing for a class next year. It's a more realistic view of the actual look and process that I follow.























I start with "stick" drawings, like the one that you see in the front view and then use the various views to inform my design. Once I like the basic skeleton, I'll add some thickness to some of the parts to get a better feel for the proportion, like in the side view. I didn't know how to draw orthographic projection until Dave Sawyer showed me how, so don't mind if I back up to explain it a bit, figuring that maybe you didn't arrive with this info either.

Basically, it's a means of taking information from one view and mapping it onto another. The creepy looking floating eyes show how the views relate.

For me, it becomes a game of give and take, playing what looks right in one view against how it affects another. On the given drawing, you'll notice a large square that connects the same point on each drawing. Notice that by "refracting" the side view at the 45 degree line, the information from the side view can flow correctly to the overhead view. This is a vital piece of info for the techniques that I am moving towards showing.

I generally begin with the seat shape, of course I draw it as a large block and then later create the actual seat shape. I really suggest giving the drawing board some time, it may not become your process, but it will definitely help cement the chairs elements in your head.

This is a pretty easy drawing because the only curve (the bow) is parallel to one of the sides. Later I'll go into what happens when a curve follows a sightline off the square axis.

For those of you who have been following the progess of my goats etc... here is the finished goat barn!


















Here is the milking room, which for now is where I am storing the hay for easy access to the built in manger.























The manger is in the wall that separates the milking room from their "loafing" area.
The hay that they love to pull out and then disregard forms a bed that they can enjoy while laying in the sun coming through the front door, we should all have it so good!























It looks like we've found a proper suitor for our Maggie and hope to get her in "the family way" in the next few weeks.