Craig Black creates joy-focused bold typographic chair designs

Billed as a "unique one-of-a-kind acrylic fusion inspired armchair", the designs combine Black's bold, technically innovative creative approaches with Watson's craftsmanship to create a piece that looks to evoke the idea of joy and elation.

Black began working on the furniture artwork during the lockdown to bring about positivity and excitement in his life (hence the "joy" theme) when most hands-on hobbies were off-limits.

The unique, one-of-a-kind armchair is decorated using a hand-painted acrylic fusion technique across the European Oak framework. The paint was metic[ulously poured over the arms and legs of the armchair to create an eye-catching dripping paint look which was then finished with a matte varnish.

The laser-cut plywood typography spelling out the word "JOY" is hand-painted in various sizes across the chair, "representing the many exciting moments in life that can bring us so much joy," says Black.

The three-dimensional typography is attached to the underside of the legs and arms of the chair to create "a 360-degree experience of the furniture artwork."

To create the armchair framework, David Watson was inspired by the structure of the Scotland-based Finnieston Crane—the largest remaining cantilever structure built to load locomotives onto ships for export around the world.

The chair's free rotating back is covered in faux fur fabric and designed to maximise lumbar support and comfort. It is completely handcrafted using a combination of traditional and modern techniques to create a simple yet engaging design.

"Creating the artwork for David's beautifully crafted armchair was a joy in itself," says Black. "It was a slow and meticulous process using the acrylic fusion technique, and that time spent was incredibly exciting bringing the artwork to life."