Designing, a word that’s thrown around by some who have obviously been inspired by someones work. Although there’s maybe only a few who’s familiar with others work will notice. Often slightly altered, but is that actually designing?

I know one maker who told me “It’s rare for someone to be a good maker and designer”. Only to find out later that their whole production was identical to another makers production catalogue.

Then there was a graduate who told me that at college if they couldn’t think of anything, they were told to put 3 random things together, like a TV, melon and football, and see if a design can come from that. I call that forced designing, and maybe that method sometimes works out for a few.

Also, there’s the plain old I don’t have any ideas at all so I’ll just copy what I like of others work. Well, these people are easily recognised as their work doesn’t “follow on”. What I mean from that is the work has no grounding, no one source that everything stems from. Some don’t even change the name.

Similarly I know of one maker who takes bits they like from various artists and includes it all in his work. So there is none of his identity in his work, in fact it doesn’t often work, looking a bit hap hazard.

It’s like seeing, but not. Eyes are open but nothing around actually registers within. Potential designs are all around, you just have to “See” them. Once you have, and figured out how they can be made, you should be able to spin off more designs from that initial one. I’m not talking about changing the colour way, simply altering the design to create something fresh.

I went for an interview at a college to be a technician, and I’m really glad I didn’t get it.However, I saw why this plagiarism seems to be rife. Students tables were next to each other, and it was clear to see that there were tables with similar work on, usually side by side. Now, with all of those “inspired” designs, only one was the originator.

So I’ll show a series of images that will show how my designing works using a theme that’s inspired other designs, and I didn’t have to pay huge tuition fees for 3 years + to learn this, and if you are inspired as to how this works, nor do you!

Enjoy!

#real glass making. #hot glass #murrine #original work

 

Two old crucibles outside our workshop.

 

Became our dwarf water lily containers at home.

Hollow roll-up technique using murrine bricks with mouth blown pot inside a cold bee-hive glass melting furnace. Pot inspired.

Mouth blown white glass with re-cycled water green colour within, lamp worked murrine and leaves.

Pot with water lilies inspired.

Using the same brickwork murrine, turned into a “Well” with lamp worked flowers beneath the surface. Collaboration with Colin Richardson, a US maker. Bee-hive furnace inspired.

Combination of bee-hive furnace, well, and pot with water lilies.

Same cylinder shape, using more flower murrine on sides and top with large picture cane murrine as central focal point.

 

You can see how everything “follows on” from everything else with all of my designing, and ideas flow continuously from simply inspired objects!