Popular Woodworking 2007-02 № 160, страница 17
Arts & Mysteries Establishing Depth Depth is harder to determine. Carcase depths seem to hover between 18" and 24". This may have been a practical requirement, either for drawer function or because of the availability or stability of wide stock. Still, I generally see depths relating to the height, using some kind of recurring ratio. In fact, you may find it's a good idea to determine the height and width of your piece based on your available stock width. Divisions of Space Once the major mass is established, the next trick is dividing the space pleasingly. I've found 18th-century case furniture is divided vertically in various ways. These divisions are the next most important step after the maj or mass is established. Though I'm showing you period furniture (this is the ""Arts & Mysteries" column after all), you can apply these principles to any style. Drawer Spacing Period pieces typically have drawers that are graduated in height, tallest at the bottom to smallest at the top. Known in art circles as "forced perspective," the effect corrects our perception of ""near is big; far is small." Without the graduated drawers, case furniture with equally spaced drawers will look top-heavy. After years of struggling with this issue, I've finally arrived at a way to produce nicely The Classical column orders can be very helpful for establishing vertical divisions, especially those found on legs. In this instance, this table's stretcher is located in proportion to the base or plinth of an Ionic column. Its apron is sized to the capital of the column. This little Chippendale-style chamber table is divided by my own "discovery" - the 9/i 6 rule. The 9/i 6 is close to the golden section, but the difference is not subtle. Compare this to the lower case on the William & Mary piece to the right and you'll see what I mean. graduated drawers. I can say that no basic arithmetic series works (e.g. make each drawer smaller than the one below by V2" or so). These arithmetic series exaggerate the graduation and give pieces a Sears toolbox look. To see how I space a four-drawer chest, see the drawing at right. My method for determining five-drawer spacing is a bit more complicated. We should therefore be suspicious of it. Like everything else in this article, I'm going to share it with you for your consideration. Don't think this the only way. I can say I laid this template over several pieces from at least two different regions and it fit well. Details Mouldings, carvings and hardware affect the composition in different ways. Mouldings explain and punctuate structural transitions. The 18th-century carvings typically draw relations to the natural world, softening a rectilinear design by guiding the eye along acanthus vines to shells or soaring volutes. .382 .618 The lower case of the William and Mary high chest shown earlier is very clearly divided by the golden section. Its matching chamber table has similar proportions. Hardware can have a unifying effect, inviting the eye to journey around the piece. In the 18th century, craftsmen clearly used ornamentation to affect composition. I don't feel qualified to comment on baroque carvings, but it appears to me that mouldings were used for specific applications, had specific shapes and were proportioned similarly. Generally, coves hold things up. Ovolos and ogees ease the abruptness of corners, encouraging you to continue upward. Base mouldings are typically convex, stabilizing the mass above them. Joinery Conspicuously missing from these designs is any sense of how to put the furniture together. I've neither defined nor sized the joints. I'm not saving this portion of the design for a future article. This is it. This is all there is. And this is exactly what I see in period work. There are standard sorts of joints, typically applied to specific situations. Individual workmen would produce those joints according to their stock and their shop practices. Herein, I know it's not easy to see here, but graduated drawers trick us into thinking the sides of the case angle in toward the top. The basic pyramid shape is the generally preferred composition. It's settling. 32 Popular Woodworking February 2007 |
