Design via Inspiration (Legge workshop)

As I had posted here much earlier, over the last weekend I took part in a 'Design Masterclass' by Adrian Legge, organized by Sandra Dunn at TwoSmiths in Kitchener.

Honestly, I found the whole experience exceptional. Adrian is an excellent teacher, combining insight and knowledge through a very direct and honest manner. I was especially impressed how he was able to cut to the core - and present guidance well suited to each individual student. The class group varied considerably in terms of technical ability and past experience, but it was clear direction was given to each as best needed.

So - this is the preparation work that was given to each of us: 

Two Smiths design class
Adrian Legge

Prior to the class I would like you to do some Initial Research
You might like to investigate the potential for developing a personal style/creative identity or perhaps you are more interested in looking at a particular design problem such as something that addresses a specific site or uses an established aesthetic style that you are interested in

Collect 25 examples visual information that inspires you, comprising of both primary and secondary source material

A)    Primary source material can be e.g. observed drawings from your sketchbooks, photographs taken by you, actual objects, investigative forge examples etc

B)    Secondary source material can be e.g.  downloaded or magazine images, examples of work by others, research, creative writing etc

Try to avoid just collecting examples of ironwork that you like as this will tend to push you towards working within an existing style

C) As you collect the information to be selective and intentional  in your approach- have a reason for your choice

D) For each example produce a word or sentence that ‘explains’ what you like about it. Try to use emotive rather than descriptive. For example ‘I like this because it reminds me of the spring’ rather than ‘this is a snowdrop’
Choose images and words that excite and inspire you and that you will be able to use to generate ideas and concepts. (1)

And here are the images / objects I chose (2)
These are set loosely by source type, not in order of my initial selection:
A) My own photographs

* 'Chaos Theory' (iron smelting slag tap)

'Combined Elements' (dinosaur skeleton)

'Surprise Detail' (crab on stone shore)

B) Images by others

* 'Colour, Scale?' (fish scales, micrograph) (a)

'Curves' (leaf centre) (b)

* 'Fantasy' (CosPlay image)

'Influences' (Japanese sand garden) (b)

* 'Nature Surprises' (sea mollusk)

'Organics' (natural plant forms)

'Complex Patterns' (false colour of atoms in cloud chamber) (a)

'Patterns, Scale?' (overhead view of settling pond) (a)

'Symetry' (sea creature burrow) (a)

* 'Variation Pattern' (detail of starfish) (b)

 C - Work by others

'Structure from Organics' (Paris Metro, H. Guimard)

'Texture & Material' (Lee Sauder)

'Flow' (the Batersea Shield / Celtic Bronze Age)

'Integration' (Castle Henrietta, H. Guimard)

'Repetition, Influences' (St Padridric's Bell Shrine, Irish c 800)

'Scale' (artist unknown)

* 'Spirit' (Lady of Shalott, Waterhouse)

 D - My own work

'Exploration' (Hector's Bane)

 E) Objects (insets show actual size on enlarged version)

'Antiquity' (water worn / pierced stone)

'Attachments' ('live rock' with kelp)

'Context' (cast bronze, found object?)

'Segmentation' (trilobite fossil)

A couple of things became clear when all the individual images were laid out and viewed together :

* Most of the source images are organic / show organic lines.
* Many of the images show complex patterns.
* A number of the pattern images show the effect of one line on to another.
* A number of the images were chosen for their colour as much as the lines (3)

The two larger format images, (starfish / cloud chamber) were the two sources I ended up settling on for further work inside the workshop.....

(1) Shared in the spirit of education. Text written and provided by Adrian Legge

(2) In most cases, I had collected these images over many years. Please consider them 'scammed' as in almost all cases I can not cite the source / owner:
a) taken from 'Discover' magazine
b) taken from the Mac 'screen saver' collection

(3) For presentation at the workhop, I had printed off each image. Only the ones indicated with (*) were rendered in colour - the remainder printed in grey scale.

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