Design & Development with Michael C. Fortune

Canadian Master Craftsman Michael C. Fortune leads our flagship masterclass, Design & Development, in 2022. Design & Development encourages a clear response to a well-articulated brief through the sensitive use of material and the appropriate application of technique. This course is open to woodworking enthusiasts, aspiring professional and established professional makers.

“The value of a shared design and development experience in a well-equipped and supportive environment cannot be overstated. Whether it’s developing the concept for an upcoming project, or you wish to evolve a new direction for your furniture, the ability to see, think and respond creatively is easier when it’s guided by experienced tutors. You’ll work alongside the other students as they explore and develop their own sense of design and problem solving skills”. Michael C. Fortune, 2022. 

Michael will be assisted by Evan Dunstone and multi-award winning Dunstone Design craftsman William Bayliss. The course is limited to 12 students so you’ll enjoy a teaching ration of 1:4. Techniques that Michael and the teaching team will cover include:

• Inlay techniques
• Simple marquetry
• Working with veneer
• The importance of full size drawing techniques, and what important information should be included
• Jig design and construction.
• Simple shop made devices that make us more efficient
• Simple, cheap and quick details for furniture
• Setting up and using the bandsaw
• The history of furniture and how to understand and use it
• Cutting freehand on the bandsaw with extreme accuracy
• Perspective drawing and illustrating for presentations
• Clamping strategies for any shape
• Working with endo and exo-skeletons for creating joinery for unusual shapes
• Shaping wood with hand and power tools
• Six wood forming techniques, laminating, steambending, vacuum forming, kerf bending, cutting.
• Joinery for the un-join-able
• The safe and efficient use of the Spindle moulder
• Resawn veneers
• Ebonizing and bleaching wood
• Photographing furniture

The Brief

Bring images of 3 pieces of wooden furniture that you find special. We will work through the common thread of those pieces to help you identify what you are “seeing” that pleases you. This is the first step to understanding your own aesthetic.

Arrive with a written brief for the piece that you intend to design. The emphasis should be on who/where/when the furniture is intended. The brief might be self-imposed, or it might come from an external source such as a spouse or client. Feel free to consider any form of furniture you wish. Remember, design is not “how something looks” but “how something responds to the brief”.

Tools and Items to Bring

You will need to bring your own PPE of dust mask, hearing protection and eye protection.

We encourage you to bring drawing materials such as a large visual diary and your favourite pencils. You are welcome to bring a laptop or similar device with a drawing program if you wish.

Please bring whatever personal hand tools you like. You are encouraged to bring a cordless drill. Please do not bring any power tools such a routers, angle grinders etc.

Inclusions

The course fees (see below) include basic drawing materials, MDF for templates and jigs and some 50mm thick solid timber (rock maple) for experimentation. All abrasives and consumables such as glue and finish are included.

Morning tea, lunch, snacks and bottled water are included.

Timber

A limited range of fine cabinet timbers are available for purchase from Dunstone Design. Monaro Timbers (a local timber merchant) is only 15 mins away.

Expectations

This is not the type of course that results in a “finished piece”. You can expect to leave with a well-advanced design/concept and perhaps some jigs, templates, drawings, mock-ups or models.

Terms and Conditions

The total cost of Design & Development is $4,500 incl. GST. A fully refundable deposit of $1200 incl. GST is payable on booking. Class size is limited to 12 students.

You will receive an invoice from Dunstone Design via email for the balance of your fees prior to the commencement date (payment via EFT).

We are all at the mercy of COVID 19 restrictions. If you are unable to travel to NSW for the course due to COVID restrictions, you will receive a full refund of your deposit. If we need to postpone or cancel the course due to COVID restrictions, you will receive a full refund.

If you wish to discuss this opportunity further prior to booking, contact me, Evan, on email evan@dunstonedesign.com.au or call 0401 404 275.

Learn more about Design & Development.