Designing a Self-portrait Chair

I used to draw a good amount of famous people’s portraits, and I noticed as I rendered their faces, that it was the subtle details like a wrinkle here, a dimple there that made all the difference. Likewise, with my self-portrait, I see these slight modifications of a chair as the minute details that make us who we are. I created a stool that would better serve my needs with these small modifications, like adding a removable tray, because I often eat on the stool back home. It also has a well-ventilated surface underneath the acrylic tray, as I frequently place my laptop on the stool as well. Moreover, utilising the shallow square I made in the middle of the stool, I created a removable cushion seat component that could fit in it, changing the surface of the stool to something more comfortable, comfortable for me to seat on. All of these reflect my habits with a stool, which are representative of me. They are not big, jarring changes to a chair, but they are small improvements to suit my needs better. I think through this chair, I see the solutions to my habits with a chair as a representation of myself. I don’t think this is art, but a self-portrait through the eyes of designer. At the very core, it is a stool that reflects my desire to make something that exhibits craft and beauty, which I feel like, is my goal with my art now. My identity as a student as of now is someone who is seeking to solidify his or her foundational skills.