More reflections upon the ceramic works of Helen (Shanks).

([Link] to hylography)

The skeuomorph – a form that involves the transformation and redeployment of a design feature or quality from one material or medium into another.

This is a common, ubiquitous feature of design, though little discussed until quite recently. Apple received significant attention in and beyond the design community when the latest operating system abandoned skeuomorphic 3D icons for flat graphics – the books app on my iPad no longer pretends to look like a wooden bookshelf.

The skeuomorph is about much more than imitation. Involved is magical metamorphosis, alchemy even.

Here is something of an insight into the design process of a studio potter.