A short note on the importance of craftsmanship
Although digital product design is a fairly young profession, it has already leapfrogged itself into a culture of ‘just-add-water’ creation.
Young designers are being brought up in a quick and easy world, where Dribbble and YouTube (besides others) have the plug-and-play solution to almost every problem. While these resources can make for great starting points, they don’t cater to finesse and they in particular do not create great designers.
That is where craftsmanship enters the stage.
What is craftsmanship?
Craftsmanship is defined as the quality of the design, shown in something by the skill, time, and attention to detail put in by the artist/designer. It’s fretting over the small details, to make sure that the larger problem is being solved perfectly, in a way that isn’t just skin-deep.
Finesse is rigorous
Finesse in craft comes from a change in approach, and attitude. From double-checking every detail to twice-magnified problem-solving. And honing your craft takes discipline and rigorous practice. This artistry of design has built cars on the ground, planes in the sky, and rockets in space.
However, in the contemporary context of design, whether it’s for faster turnaround times or a collective newfound lack of patience, the small details aren’t being valued nearly as much as they should be. We’re so focused on efficiency, we lose out on resilience and finish.
Today, designers feel closer to technologists than they do to artisans. This isn’t necessarily bad, but design started from the arts and crafts. And it might not hurt to look back a little.
Most product design today mimics tangible products from the past. This is because familiar interactions can be leveraged, making it easier for users to understand and use the product. Apple honoured iconic watches by adapting them into watch faces for the Apple watch, providing a familiar experience for their users. These simple callbacks in design benefited them through the relatability that the design of yesteryear brought to the table; Another keen example of how artistry does not need to be complicated.
Resilience has always been a cornerstone of the arts. Within ‘medium-designated’ practices, rigour has always been taught and practised and tends to be grandfathered into every artist’s individual process.
Embrace artistry
Designers should not be afraid to embrace the role of craftsmen and artisans in their own right. When faced with a problem, it can be helpful to return to the craft of your own creative practice. Product design is inherently generative and can thus be compared to other creative practices that are specific to a particular medium across domains.
As noted by Nimkulrat, N. (2010), in ‘Material inspiration: From practice-led research to craft art education’:
“Craft is understood not only as a way of making things by hand, but also as a way of thinking through the hand manipulating a material.”
The Canvs Editorial team comprises of Editorial Writer and Researcher — Harleen Chatha, the Editor’s Desk- Aalhad Joshi and Debprotim Roy, and Content Operations- Abin Rajan
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