Boards & crafted goods • Commission

One brief. Two sides.

A commissioned board with a walnut chopping face, a contrasting serving face, and an open-ended visual brief.

Documented December 2020Build story

PART OF A LARGER COLLECTIONBoards, one by one →

Professional notes

Contribution

Interpretation of a supplied visual brief, material composition, and fabrication.

Result

A finished double-sided board documented with its original brief, material choices, and intended uses.

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A budget and a picture

The commission began with a budget and a supplied image, rather than a complete board specification. The original post describes the challenge of being asked to make an object in my own style.

Two faces, two intended uses

One face places walnut end grain in the center, bordered by long-grain maple, cherry, and zebrawood. The other uses teak, cherry, and black walnut for a serving face. A cherry frame and homemade walnut plugs carry the contrasting pattern around the edges.

A finished object, not just a wood sample

The photograph shows the design as an assembled board: a dark center, light dividing lines, and a framed perimeter. Material selection, composition, and fabrication are all visible in the same piece.

Working from an open brief

The customer gave me a budget and a reference image, but not a complete fabrication plan. I had to turn that into a board that worked from both sides: walnut for the chopping face, a contrasting serving face, a cherry frame, and homemade walnut plugs. I used several wood species and made the material arrangement part of the design. The open brief gave me freedom, but it also meant I had to make the choices hold together as one finished object.

Credits & project notes

Design interpretation and fabrication: Michael Pytlowany. The client supplied the brief and reference image.

The original caption supplies the wood species and intended uses. The separate reference image is not redistributed with this site.

Sources

Mike's Functional Artistry project archive
2020-12-03

One brief. Two sides.

Contribution

Result

A budget and a picture

Two faces, two intended uses

A finished object, not just a wood sample

Working from an open brief

Sources

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