Kumiko: Learn Japanese Woodworking Design
A course by Matt Kenney , Professional Furniture Maker
Combine geometry, patterns, and clean lines to craft delicate artwork with this ancient technique
Combine geometry, patterns, and clean lines to craft delicate artwork with this ancient technique
Kumiko is a quiet and thoughtful technique that requires patience and precision. The ancient Japanese woodworking technique consists of making patterns from small pieces of interlocking wood, and it’s something professional furniture maker, Matt Kenney is an expert in. He uses Kumiko to create furniture with a meaning beyond function and has published a book, The Art of Kumiko, on the subject.
In this course, Matt walks you through the steps needed to create delicate pieces of art with wood. Learn to combine geometry, patterns, and clean lines to find serenity in the ancient art form of Kumiko.
What will you learn in this online course?
18 lessons & 11 downloads
- 100% positive reviews (141)
- 5,100 students
- 18 lessons (2h 53m)
- 11 additional resources (5 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Create an intricate wooden panel that incorporates different Kumiko patterns.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is ideal for anyone with woodworking skills who would like to expand their knowledge of the art form by learning Kumiko.
Requirements and materials
Previous experience with woodworking is required.
You’ll need access to various woodworking tools which your teacher will explain in the second unit. You’ll also need sandpaper, plywood, and other materials that can easily be found at your local woodshop.
Reviews
A course by Matt Kenney
Matt Kenney is a professional furniture maker who has been creating things from wood his entire life. He left academia to work as an editor at Fine Woodworking Magazine where he wrote articles, shared instructional videos, and co-hosted the magazine’s podcast. In 2015, he took on the “52 boxes in 52 weeks” challenge and discovered the Japanese woodworking technique Kumiko in the process. Since then, he’s been dedicated to learning new patterns and techniques whilst teaching others to do the same.
As well as furniture, Matt uses Kumiko to create decorative pieces of art. He has also published two books, 52 Boxes in 52 Weeks, and The Art of Kumiko in which he shares the techniques and knowledge he has developed during his career as a furniture maker.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Tools and Materials
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Tools
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What Type of Wood and Where to Find It
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How to Mill Wood
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U3
Making the Frame
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The Anatomy of Kumiko
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Using the Sled and Finger Joint Jigs
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Making Thin Strips for the Frame
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Assemble the Frame 1
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Assemble the Frame 2
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U4
The Asa-No-Ha Pattern
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Parts of the Pattern: Diagonal, Hinge Piece, Locking Piece
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Making the Diagonal Piece
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Cutting Offset Bevels and Fitting the Hinge Pieces
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Make the Locking Piece
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U5
The Hashtag Pattern
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Cutting Notches
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Ripping Out Thin Strips for the Pattern
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Assembling the Pattern and Cutting The Hashtag to Fit
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Finishing Your Piece
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FP
Final project
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The Art of Kumiko: Creating Patterns with Wood
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
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Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
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Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
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Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Domestika's courses are online classes that provide you with the tools and skills you need to complete a specific project. Every step of the project combines video lessons with complementary instructional material, so you can learn by doing. Domestika's courses also allow you to share your own projects with the teacher and with other students, creating a dynamic course community.
All courses are 100% online, so once they're published, courses start and finish whenever you want. You set the pace of the class. You can go back to review what interests you most and skip what you already know, ask questions, answer questions, share your projects, and more.
The courses are divided into different units. Each one includes lessons, informational text, tasks, and practice exercises to help you carry out your project step by step, with additional complementary resources and downloads. You'll also have access to an exclusive forum where you can interact with the teacher and with other students, as well as share your work and your course project, creating a community around the course.
You can redeem the course you received by accessing the redeeming page and entering your gift code.
asinreis
PlusInteresting informative and educational; the continuance of this course will motive many to enroll and pursue the development of the exercises concepts and techniques in their everyday activities
marcinsolinski
A thorough and detailed explanation of issues relating to Kumiko.
jtzu5
I enjoyed the course. I am beginning to learn how to make kumiko. I will need to view the vourse again because it was like taking a drink from a fire hose. Matt Kenny is a great teacher, and I enjoyed the videos.
Thank you!
camilosal
Gran introducción y acercamiento a esta fabulosa práctica y opción para crear arte y agregar valor a nuestro mobiliario, aprendimos de paciencia, arte, precision y uso correcto de las herramientas manuales, gran curso y gran instructor
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tamas222
Detailed lessons of basic Kumiko! It was a pleasure to watch, without even trying anything out.