Hi there!
This is the thirteenth edition of D&T Special, and more importantly, the edition that marks three years of this newsletter! We’re extremely gratified in delivering these stories to our 8000+ readers, and we aim to keep going stronger! Today’s topic – Living the good life in the finer details of one’s craft. We hope you enjoy this read.
Note: If you are new here, we’d strongly recommend subscribing to the newsletter so you don’t miss out on future updates. You can subscribe here.
✍️ From the Canvs Research & Editorial Desk
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. This is where craftsmanship enters the stage.
This week the Canvs R&E team has spent some time pondering this concept, let’s dive into some details.
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.
What contributes to a craft?
1. Finesse – with all it’s rigour
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.
2. Artistry – with all it’s exploration
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.”
📚 What we were reading this week
Low-cost carrier Go First is on a troubled runaway! The question in the limelight is whether this airline will be able to use its wings to fly again.
By disrupting the age-old home services industry, the Indian unicorn offered many women a rare opportunity for social mobility. Now, they want more.
Atomberg produces >10K fans daily, achieved $100M ARR and received great customer reviews on Amazon and Flipkart. Can it transform India’s consumer appliance space?
He’s played chess with Peter Thiel, sparred with Elon Musk and once, supposedly, stopped a plane crash: Inside Sam Altman’s world, where truth is stranger than fiction.
When a subsidy scheme was rolled out in 2015, it aimed to subsidise production costs for EV makers and make EVs affordable for the masses. But in its second phase starting 2019, the scheme has become a magnet for controversies
Studying people who live well beyond the age of 100 could reveal the secret to living longer, healthier lives. But the statistics tell another story.
Hinton, who helped create some of the fundamental technology behind today’s generative AI systems, fears that the tech industry’s drive to develop AI products could result in dangerous consequences—from misinformation to job loss or even a threat to humanity.
Some highlights from the past month of D&T
And that’s the lot! Thanks for checking out what we had to share with you this week, we shall catch up with you next Wednesday. Incase you aren’t subscribed to the newsletter, you could subscribe here.
Also, please do let your friends know about D&T if they’d be interested!
Canvs Club
