The Intelligent Hand - David Binnington Savage

The Intelligent Hand. Author, David Binnington Savage

The Intelligent Hand provides a rare look into the world of "high-end" furniture design and the skills required to build commissioned, one-of-a-kind, studio-quality pieces. The Intelligent Hand is a personal book, David sharing struggles in his life and his his journey of becoming a woodworker. But, it is also a practical and iconoclastic guide to getting started in woodwork. David has always had pointed opinions about the tools and methods his students should use to get good results. And he shares - in great detail - his recommendations for tools, sharpening, cutting dovetails and building a proper workbench.

The Intelligent Hand is a great primer on design. If you have ever wanted to train yourself to create pieces that break out of the typical or expected (to defy what David calls the "Mark I Eyeball"), this book is an excellent start. David's advice is both general (how to keep a mental record of your ideas) to specific (smudge the ink in your drawings with spit to create shadows) and it will make you want to take up pen, pencil and watercolors before you design your next piece.

But most of all, this book is a window into David's workshop in Devon. To show how the shop functions, David spins a thread that ties together all the book's disparate parts by designing a desk and chair for his wife, Carol. Like many furniture makers, David and Carol's house is filled with prototypes or factory-made items. All the good stuff went to clients. For this book, David shares the process for how these two personal projects were developed and built.

The Intelligent Hand is an interesting read on many levels. Beginners will see clearly how to get started in the craft and how far one can go. Intermediate woodworkers will devour the sections on design. And the professional will find advice on how to run a good business - and sometimes how not to (plus some practical workshop hints).

Like all Lost Art Press books, The Intelligent Hand is produced and printed entirely in the United States and printed on #80 matte coated paper. The pages are sewn together for long life. The hard covers are covered in a cotton cloth and then wrapped in a #100 beefy dustjacket. The book is printed in full color.

ISBN 978-1-7322100-4-2

Hardcover, 304 Pages

Norm Reid's Book Review of The Intelligent Hand - David Binnington Savage.

Publisher: Lost Art Press
Reviews:  Lost Art Press Reviews

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