January 13th, 2010 by John Reeve

The DesignInformer has posted an excellent article calling web designers to slow down a little and give more thought and time to exploring the roots of our craft and our origins as artisans. Principles of Great Design: Craftsmanship outlines five essential points every designer should address in the course of their careers:

1. Practice
2. Education
3. Accept Criticism
4. Attention to detail
5. Design for the future

Definitely read this one. It’s a well-thought and well-written blog post on why web designers need to get back to their artisan roots, and expands on a blog post I wrote last week about web designers getting back to using pencil and paper when designing web sites.

The idea of a web designer being first an artisan reminds me of something Walter Gropius, a famous architect and founder of the Bauhaus design movement in 1919, once said in regards to design, art and craftsmanship:

Architects, painters, sculptors, we must all return to crafts! For there is no such thing as “professional art”. There is no essential difference between the artist and the craftsman. The artist is an exalted craftsman. By the grace of Heaven and in rare moments of inspiration which transcend the will, art may unconsciously blossom from the labour of his hand, but a base in handicrafts is essential to every artist. It is there that the original source of creativity lies.

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