Time to Re-model!

During an economic slump(or full-on melt down) people generally tend to start using their money differently. This puts the functional artist and anyone with 'real' value goods in a position to benefit.

When the economy has been riding high, people tend to spend more lavishly on vacations, large purchases and items that they can get with easy to get credit. When economic times are uncertain, people pull back on their spending, start saving and investing in projects at home and buy things that they can get the most value from. Luckily, people still have their money, they just tend to spend it on more concrete items, items that a person can see the benefits of, like a re-model project.

For example, instead of a large vacation to Hawaii a lot of people will choose to stay closer home for their vacations and re-model the bathroom or take on another house project that has been on the back burner for a while. Still spending money, but on "real" items with a real value that lasts.

Good quality lasts forever! Good luck to the "Functional Artists!" and anyone making things of quality with real value. A trend that may help us all.

Cheers,
Smyth Boone

Practice is the key to Excelling

In continuation with the last theme of mastering your art form(10,000 hour theory)...

According to many studies, practice is the common denominator to people that truly excel to be outstanding at their medium. It appears that all people who are truly above and beyond most participants(99%),in their medium, practice as much as or more than others in the field. This concept of practice seems to be true for concert pianists, vocalists, writers, painters, teachers, sports players, artists and crafts-people of all kinds etc...

So, if you are looking to excel at your art, craft, sport or anywhere in your life... the key is practice.

Cheers,
Smyth Boone

10,000 Hours Theory(Master Crafstman)

Are you a master of your art/craft?

According to author, musician, neuro-scientist, Daniel Levitin in his book; "This is Your Brain on Music" ( a New York Times best-seller, Plume Printing 2006) , an expert or master of any craft is measured by that person practicing their craft for 10,000 hours.

Here is how Daniel Levitin puts it...
The emerging scientific picture is that 10,000 hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert in anything. In study after study, of composers, basketball players, fiction writers, ice skaters, concert pianists, chess players, master criminals, and what have you, this number comes up again and again.

Now how long is ten thousand hours? It is equal to roughly 3 hours of practice a day, or twenty hours a week, of practice for ten years. Of course some people never reach mastery, which is not really explainable yet. But, no one has found a case in which true world-class expertise was accomplished in less time. It seems that it takes the brain this long to assimilate all that it needs to know to achieve true mastery. -Daniel Levitin

This theory totally resonates with me personally and why I feel comfortable calling myself a Master artist/craftsman. I have easily put in 10,000 hours and feel confident with my skills and knowledge to solve any problem in the field of artistic blacksmithing.

More info at www.yourbrainonmusic.com

Are you a master at your craft?

Cheers,
Smyth Boone

Design Topic 3: Center Element Off-set (optical illusion)

When creating a stair railing that has a center element on the upright balusters, it is critical to have the center element raised slightly above the center-line of the baluster.

Here is an example... the collars in the center of each elongated 'O'(oval-the upright balusters), are the center elements off-set higher than mathematical middle of the 'O'.


When one views a stair rail, on a rise(staircase) or on the flat(balcony), the center element will look low if the element is mathematically centered exactly. The reason is due to the viewer's position regardless if it is from above or below the railing.

I believe we are dealing an optical illusion that is created due to the relationships involved. The perspective of the viewer, the top and bottom rails, and the element in the center create specific relationships with each other.

My general rule of thumb is to raise the center element 1" above the center of the baluster. So... if my bottom horizontal rail and my upper horizontal rail are 30" apart, then I would put the center of the center element at 16" high from the bottom bar.

I hope this design tip helps. I believe that optical illusions are very powerful in art and I think that we need to accommodate and work with them them in our designs. More on optical illusions in the future.

Cheers,
Smyth

Removing Candlewax from candlesticks

Here is a helpful hint on removing candle wax from your metal candle cups.

Just freeze the leftover wax and it will "pop" off!


If you can fit the candlestick into the freezer, just freeze it and the wax will come out easily all in one piece. You can also clean off the drips that have landed on the candlestick also. They just "pop" right off after being frozen.

If the candlestick is too large for a freezer, just set it outside in the winter (if you live in a place that gets below freezing at night) for an overnight and in the morning just "pop" off the wax.

I use a metal "screwdriver" shaped tool to remove the unwanted melted wax.


Naturally, drip-less candles do not require this at all. I happen to prefer natural beeswax candles personally.

I hope this is helpful.

Cheers,
Smyth Boone