I’ve spent a considerable amount of time lately learning how to become a digital craftsman. Mostly because I like to build things…

I grew up making things. Physical things that you can hold and use once finished. Everything from model airplanes to birdhouses. So, creating something that is purely visual is new to me.

I thoroughly enjoy interacting with a good design. I love examining the interface on a website or app and thinking of how the designer thought up the layout, and the developer actually built it.

Sometimes I look at everyday things and see them not as finished products, but their individual components, and how they are assembled.

Instead of a car, I see pistons pushing a crankshaft. Wheels mounted on axles, and the braking mechanisms that will help to stop its motion. Planes are all the shape of a wing. Control surfaces and lift. Walls nothing more than drywall covered studs containing plumbing and wiring.

Breaking down large projects into smaller pieces has come easily to me.

One thing that I don’t like about creating something digital is that you can’t actually touch it…

The feeling of course wood sanded smooth, or molding clay into shape are some of the things that make the experience truly wonderful. You have taken something basic and transformed it into a beautiful and useful product.

Getting your hands dirty is the best part.

The same can be said for creating something completely new using a text editor. In the end, I guess you can hold the finished product in your hand using the device of your choice. I guess that makes these sort of things real enough.