I have one important piece of advice when I teach our authors to take photos, junior editors to design book pages or students to design chairs. Here it is: Never trust your first instinct. Force yourself to take another photo from a different angle. Make an alternative page layout. Try a different arrangement of sticks.
Sometimes my first instinct is correct. But (for me, at least) I’m batting .500 with my first instincts. So I know that if I make a second attempt at something, then about half the time I will make that thing better.
Here’s a real-world example from earlier in the week. I’m working on a new stick chair design that has seven back sticks and three short sticks under each arm. After working out the spacing and splay of the long back sticks, I began playing around with the short sticks.
I do this with bamboo skewers and sticky putty. You know, the stuff you used to hang the “Daisy Duke” poster over your bed.
The position and angle of the short sticks changes the way the chair looks. It can look formal. It can look like it’s about to pounce on a victim. Or that the sitter is in a Maxell cassette commercial.
I worked out one arrangement that I liked on one side of the chair. Then I forced myself to make a second arrangement on the other side of the chair.
After that, I walked away for a bit to do something else pressing. I always do this if I have the time. It’s ideal to walk into a room and “encounter” the two designs after a break. That usually gives me my answer.
Sometimes, however, the best design is obvious, and I plow forward at full speed.
I’ll leave you to decide which of these two designs you like better.
— Christopher Schwarz
I’m really hoping the better one is the second one. That’s the one that (I think, at least at first!—yikes!) most appeals to my eye.
That said, let me say that I adore the practice of walking away for a bit and returning with a mind open to a fresh “encounter” with the proposed plan. Such has saved me on more than one occasion, sometimes from what would have been heinous mistakes.
Clearly, the top photo. But it’s impossible, I think, without seeing it from different angles, and without the back spindles in place.
I don’t like that the hand on the arm in the second photo is so far away from the first spindle.
For me it’s the first one. It seems to resist more lean back force and looks less like a crib. If even that would make sense these days
The first one I find racy and cool and all sorts of good things, but my druthers are nevertheless unequivocally the serenity and calm poise of the second. Not boring, just subtly sublime.
The second one is more appealing to me. But both look good.
The second one. Or maybe split the difference. Great exercise!
I love all the opinions! All the “rights and wrongs”. Who’s the chair for, what’s the chair for, what’s the predicted setting the chair is for. Consistent measured placement.
Progressive/expanding placement, contracting placement, animated or formal/ static/rigid. If it’s an art piece even erratic inconsistent and or unusual placement is fantastic. Let the melee continue
Number two.
I would lean towards the first one in this chair. The angles are more exciting as is the exit point at the hand. I don’t think the even deck spacing will matter for this chair though in some scenarios it’s a driving force, like in my hexagon chair, and more exciting angles must be sacrificed for pattern.
I’m sorry but I’m not a fan of either. The second is better than the first one. The forward stick on the top photo is just awful, way too much rake. It makes the arm look as if it is falling off the front of the chair. Now this is just my opinion and should not be taken seriously, you are the builder and only your opinion matters.
Always the safe answer.
I think it depends on the use of the chair. I like the calm of the second for my office (I can pick it up when you’re done), but the puckish attitude of the first for the family room. In a related note, I recently finished a chair in ash, using your soft wax and beeswax recipe (my first chair, thanks for all the teaching!). After sitting in it for a week, I decided that I wanted to reshape parts of the arms and hands, which was not a big deal because that finish is so easy to reapply when I was done. Not so easy with the more ‘durable’ finishes. No seams between old and new applications. And really nice looking on ash. I’ll be using that finish a lot now
C: in between. the first is to aggressive, the second to proper.
I like the asymmetry of having both, why have both sides the same? I’m a rebel at times!
Interesting and true! However it is hard to assess how the two sides will look from the photo. More are needed from other angles especially on the far side.
For me it would be the second one
I am fascinated and impressed with the jigs for holding the arm/back piece solidly in place while making the determination and ultimately, I assume, drilling for the actual spindles. Figuring out how to have three or four extra unmoving hands to help during a project makes all associated work so much easier. Informative and inspiring.
This is how I end up with 7 variations of anything I make. My suggestion is to split the difference between #1 and #2.
Thanks Chris. I was partial to the TDK full metal cassettes for copying my reccords so I could play them in my off brand Walman.
The second. Didn’t care for the first at all…Thanks for the chance to vote.
#2..
I find my eye goes right to the steeper angle of #1, and stands out in stead of blending in as part of the chair.
#2 blends nicely and acts as a compliment to the rest of the chair without standing out in an aggressive way.
Meh. Any other choices percolating in your head? Neither looks quite right. (One more so than the other. I’ll let you decide which.😁)
Not a fan of #1 at all. Like an early post mentioned I would want to see these with the back spindles mocked up. I’m not a fan of Sketchup but, in this instance, it might give you a better idea of the finished product.
Number one is good but could use canted arm bow (lower in back-higher at arms) to accentuate the spindle projection. Number 2 is more static but works with a level arm bow.
Which one does Bean like?
I much prefer #2, given only those choices. The vertical lines are more appealing to my eye.
clearly, number 2
I quite enjoy the design in the first photo.
In general, I prefer the top photo with the angled sticks.
However, the front stick angle looks a bit extreme to my eye; perhaps make it slightly less angled.
The middle stick needs a bit more angle – close to the (revised) front stick angle – but not exactly the same.
The rear stick is far too upright, and needs some forward angle – probably not quite as much as the (revised) middle stick.
Without knowing how you are going to arrange the long sticks – more or less straight or somewhat splayed, it’s difficult to really decide what angles the short sticks should be.
Were it me building the chair, I would decide on the long stick angles, and then more experimentation with the short stick angles would be in order.
The second one looks better, from here. But I’m standing back a couple thousand miles.
Number one feels welcoming, number two is rigid and formal. What do you want this chair to say?
For me it depends on if the spindles are going to simply be straight or if there will some shape given to them. I find straight spindles boring. Merry Christmas all.
Interesting commentary above. The first is very similar to the 1940’s /50’s American colonial Windsor chairs I got from a dining set from my grandparents. They are beautiful maple chairs and horribly uncomfortable. But that is because their back rake ( seat and back) is too extreme – weird chairs! I’d give it a go with a more upright posture. However, maybe that turns into the ejector seat???
I’d try a third time. LOL I always take a break while working out a design. I do the same with every endeavor that means something. It’s just good policy.
I think I got it right: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cmzt-6JOjYp/
(It was the second photo; first arrangement)
By golly (if I may be allowed to express myself that stereotypically), you did! That is one drop-dead gorgeous chair, that is!
I love the floating hands, and the subtle but oh-so beautiful rounding over on the underside of the armbow – it makes the arms look really slender and tender. Also, the length of the back sticks and the height of the comb really complement each other, and combine with the air gaps between short and long sticks to make the whole design look ready to take off.
You know I wear a hat. Please consider it doffed in awe and respect!
Cheers,
Mattias