These are two of the handouts from Roger describing good design principles.

Videos of Roger’s presentation:

Wendell Castle’s 10 Rules

Wendell Castle, among the most highly regarded studio furniture builders in the country and essentially, an iconic figure in the arts, has operated by the following rules:

1.       If you are in love with an idea, you are no judge of its beauty or value.
2.       It is difficult to see the whole picture when you are inside the frame.
3.       After learning the tricks of the trade, don’t think you know the trade.
4.       We hear and apprehend what we already know.
5.       The dog that stays on the porch will find no bones.
6.       Never state the problem to yourself in the same terms it was brought to you.
7.       If it’s offbeat or surprising, it’s probably useful.
8.       If you don’t expect the unexpected, you will not find it.
9.       Don’t get too serious.
10.  If you hit the bullseye every time, the target is too near.

12 rules of thumb by Mark Laub

1.       Find your passion and tell a story about it.
2.       Feed your curiosity.
3.       Start seeing what you look at.
4.       Your feelings are more important than technical proficiency.
5.       Fabrication should be an afterthought.
6.       When in doubt, plagiarize nature.
7.       Details are where the magic lives.
8.       Function always follows form.
9.       Turn off your computer and follow your eyes
10.  Stop reading only woodworking magazines.
11.  Eliminate “good enough” from your vocabulary.
12.  Just because your spouse/partner says your work is good doesn’t make it so.