Craftsmanship - the skill of making things by hand, of practical use rather than for pure decoration - is a deeply personal and intuitive activity which often defies the rational approach of engineer or industrial designer.

In a craftsman's work the end result depends on decisions made as the work develops; whereas in a machine-made article shape, colour and texture are all determined before production begins. Traditional craftsmen are united by an intense concern for the job in hand because they see it through from the raw material to the finished object.