Our top picks of furniture design, making & drawing books!
Following on from our last blog (See previous post on ‘Top furniture collections you can view online’); Today… we bring you Jane Cleal’s recommendations on furniture design, furniture making and drawing books!
These books are great to have as part of your home library - and for increasing your knowledge while at home during the Coronavirus lockdown.
You can pick up some really good condition second hand books - mostly online. The team at Williams and Cleal often joke about Jane’s book buying obsession (as packages of books arrive most weeks for our ever expanding library!)
So without further delay - although it’s not a definitive list - here are Jane’s selections.
Drawing Books
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Workbook: Guided Practice in the Five Basic Skills of Drawing by Betty Edwards.
Although this is an old book and there are various editions - you can pick up this book for a little at £2.52 on sites like Ebay, World of Books and Wordery.
Design and Making Books
The Soul of a Tree by George Nakashima
Nakashima writes movingly about the grandeur of ancient trees and stunning figured woods and explains how he selects and prepares his materials. Above all, he impresses us with his devotion to discovering the inherent beauty of wood so that noble trees might have a second life as furniture. The Soul of a Tree looks at the world through the eyes of an artist and evokes the joy of living in harmony with nature. Second hand copies available online for around £30.
2. The Nature and Art of Workmanship by David Pye
In this thoroughly mechanized age, what is the point of craft? Does it make any sense to work with hand tools when machines can do the same job faster, and in many cases better? What visual richness do we lose by embracing a mass-produced world?" "The Nature and Art of Workmanship explores the meaning of skill and its relationship to design and manufacture. Second hand books available online from £17.
3. Chairs by Judith Miller.
In this book, Judith Miller scrutinises more than 100 of her favourite chairs reflecting on their iconic status, designers, historical facts, overall style, design details and ergonomic properties. Great for inspiration. Used copied from around £20 or less.
4. Contemporary Chinese Furniture Design: A New Wave of Creativity by Charlotte and Peter Fiell.
Contemporary Chinese Furniture Design is the first definitive book on contemporary Chinese furniture, introducing the work of leading designers and design studios. Second hand copies online for around £18 or less.
5. Modern British Furniture: Design Since 1945 Hardcover – by Lesley Jackson
Focusing on design ingenuity, Modern British Furniture pinpoints the most inventive British designers and companies from 1945 to the present - from early postwar pioneers such as Ernest Race, Robin Day and Robert Heritage, to iconoclastic figures such as Peter Murdoch, William Plunkett and Max Clendinning, to today's global superstars led by Tom Dixon, Ron Arad and Jasper Morrison. Second hand copies available on ebay or amaxon for around £20 to £30
Making
Making Great Furniture: 25 Inspiring Projects from Top Makers (Furniture & Cabinetmaking Mag)
Is it possible for newcomers to furniture making to create original, extraordinary projects—beautiful yet practical, from the plans of leading designers? Yes, it is—with this treasury of 25 pieces, inspired by classical, Arts & Crafts, traditional, and contemporary styles. Each project comes with detailed instructions, close-ups of each step, and elegant photographs. A special feature: exploded drawings of cross-sections that peer into places photos can't see. Available second hand online for around £8.
2. Cabinet making, the professional approach by Alan Peters.
This book is special to Jane as she apprenticed with Alan shortly after competing her initial training as a designer maker at Rycotewood. Devoted to design principles, influences, appreciation, and application, this fully illustrated manual presents a thoroughly unique approach to becoming a professional furniture maker and designer. Examples of work suitable for both batch production and one-off commission work are discussed, as well as the tools and machinery required for a variety of working situations. Business efficiency methods are also explored, including the available professional help such as accountants and solicitors who may ease the paperwork side of running a business, in addition to the promotional aspects--exhibitions, press coverage, gallery display, and photography--that are so essential to growth. This handbook is indispensable to any self-employed craftsman, student, or woodworker looking to start a business. Second hand copies available online for around £16.
3. Craft of Veneer by Craig Thibodeau.
A definitive guide to veneering written by a professional furniture maker who specialises in veneering and decorative inlay. This is the first book in over a generation that completely explains the veneering process in light of changes in technology over the last 30 years. Veneer can be incorporated in a variety of ways into furniture construction and other woodworking projects that encompass a whole range of technical complexity.
Accompanied by lavish illustrations, this book explains everything about using veneer why and how to use it, how it s made, and how to combine various techniques to create exciting new work. Available second hand online for around £15.
4. Wood Bending Handbook by W.C. Stevens.
Practical and fully illustrated, this updated reference is indispensable for woodworkers who want to master bending techniques, learn to increase the elasticity of wood, and recognize the woods best-suited for bending. Topics covered include hand bending, machine bending, moisture content, selecting and preparing wood, steaming and other softening treatments, and working with laminates and adhesives. Available second hand online for around £10.
5. Understanding Wood: A Craftsman's Guide to Wood Technology by R.Bruce Hoadley
The first edition of Understanding Wood was published in 1980 and has since sold more than 130,000 copies. It is widely held as a definitive reference work and the cornerstone of every woodworker's library. Now, Bruce Hoadley's comprehensive guide to wood technology has been revised and updated in this 20th-anniversary edition of a classic. New information on composite materials, adhesives, and finishes brings this book into the 21st century, while more than 300 photographs bring important visual information to life. This edition covers the nature of wood and its properties, the basics of wood technology, and the woodworker's raw materials. Available online second hand for around £20.
Happy Reading!