Design styles and – methods

I read an interview with a movie maker, about effects of Corona restrictions on their work: On the set it will make huge differences but not so much for the preparation of a movie which already involves a lot of writing, planning, visualization and working alone.

I am thinking what more visualization and planning, would mean for fine arts.

There is an example: Henry Moore’s way of working. He started with sketching (pencil or with plasticine), many models were made, as sketches. Some were worked out in medium sized objects, and from there he made tall sculptures. The step up to tall objects was never made, there always was an inbetween stage.

I miss this middle step. And I hardly visualize. I rely on my skills that once when I build it will all get all right. This sounds nicely, but it also means I work slow and my scope is limited. And many ideas do not reach maturity. So that might be something to train and it will come in handy.

Either for when the Corona preventions will remain strict and not much interaction is allowed, or, even after that, as a more efficient (or different) way of working.

Now, is it possible to generalise this a bit? Distinguishing several styles of designing, working may help. And from there it may help to make a better choice what style is appropriate or, maybe, to understand why another does not work very well in this situation.

Styles or methods:

  • Bricolage
  • Design Thinking
  • Analytic
  • Trial and error
  • Evolutionary product design (after A.Eger)
  • IDEA
  • Tinkering

How do you prepare to work, what do you begin with? Even though you do not know the end result?

And methods, steps:

  • Mood boards
  • Free writing / idea discovery
  • Sketching
  • Observation
  • Sub part designing, splitting the problem into bite sizes,
  • Making smaller parts, but as a finished piece on themself: getting the questions right
  • Technique training: how to..
  • Warming up: free your thoughts, focus, open your mind