Let's start a bit of self-introduction before getting on with the topic. First, I'm just a normal student who's taking BA (Hons) in furniture and product design (FPD), even though many people did not know about this course as it is not as famous as other design courses such as interior design, graphic design or fashion design. In this course, well just as the course name given, we learn about furniture and products, not only about the designs, but also how to construct the furniture or product, what material is suitable for the design, is it suitable for certain consumer...etc.
Before I chose design, I've lost my direction in terms of what should I focus on. I wanted to choose design but people keep saying that design cannot earn for a living, design cannot this, cannot that....So what should I choose? I'm not interested in mathematics and science, I like to draw a little but my drawing is not even as good as my other friends whom really loves to draw. I've consult with my counsellor and even the assistant headmaster in my secondary school plenty of times just to know if design is a suitable option as my chosen pathway. They were supportive, saying that designers can be successful too, even their relatives were taking design courses, and some even graduated from a design course and is doing quite well in the society. After the consultation with them, I became clear on what I want to continue with. I began to analyse myself, I'm not that interested in drawing organic shape, but I like to draw things that are in geometric, I don't really understand the world of paintings, but I like to know more about furniture and stuffs. Instead of painting or drawing, I prefer to build or assemble stuff, which is why I started to look for courses that are related with furniture.
I don't really know why I design, maybe it's because its part of my interest? Well...maybe... People in my course have a clear thought of what they like, how they want to combine their likes into their design. People did asked me, what kind of design will I be focusing on, well, obviously it will be furniture that i want to focus on, but if they asked me what kind of specific furniture or design did I like, I did not know how to answer that...I just like to build stuff, the feeling of making the products on your own....is fun and sometimes it can help me to release some stress too. Even though design is just part of my liking, as I like to build more than I like to design but if I'm able to build something that was my very own design, it will make me feel more accomplish than just building something that wasn't mine.
My parents told me that I like to build stuff maybe because it's part of the family gene, especially from both of my grandfather. My father's father was a bus driver, but he likes to repair stuff, or even build a new furniture on his own with some broken parts of other furniture. He can't really sit still if he cannot find anything to fix, he can even fix electronic products even though he did not even studied well when he was young, this admire me the most.
Well, for my mother's father, I don't really know about him as he already passed away before I was even born, but I heard from my mother about him. He was a carpenter, he also have a small company on his own that's selling furniture which is made out of wood. He's skillful enough to build all those furniture on his own without anyone's help. Too bad he's not around anymore, if not I will be able to learn more things from him, maybe ask him to give me some of his skills too (just kidding > <).
And I like stuff from IKEA too. Why IKEA? Well, I've always like to go there and have a look, whether is the interior ideas for homes, or the individual furniture, it was interesting with all of those display. Their designs are always simple yet elegant, which are popular nowadays. Some are also unique and creative, it will always made me think: "How can they think of that?", "What made them come out with this weird but attractive design?", "How can a simple furniture yet able to catch attentions of the consumers?". Its not only their deigns that attracts me, it was also their packaging. One big furniture that can fit into a flat pack, and it is fun to assemble it. My father will always help me with assembling the furniture, but time after time, I asked my father to stop helping as I wanted to assemble it on my own, I wanted to challenge myself, whether if I can assemble it without anyone's help, which I have manage it and I feel proud of it.
So...I don't have any specific liking towards my design, I still have lots of time ahead of me, I just want to try and explore everything. Some might be a scary experience but I want to challenge myself, it's not fun if I always limit myself to the end. Maybe later on I'm able to create a furniture that has different style, with this I can let people know that how designs able to change from this to that. Unlike the artists from the past that always stick to their own style, I just want to explore and not limit myself to just focus on one kind of style in design.
