tomaz tijerina konja
i am an industrial designer who works across disciplines, combining hands-on making with a deep interest in discursive and experimental design.
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tomazkonja@gmail.com
@tomazkonja
Dance
Hatchet as an exploration of beauty.
Role
Beauty Statement
Dance is a hand-designed axe that transforms a utilitarian object into an elegant, sculptural form. Every curve has been shaped through careful study, from early sketches to hand-made templates and finely crafted models.
The silhouette evokes motion—almost like a dancer caught mid-turn. The sweeping handle lines guide the eye upward, while the blade’s geometry balances strength with refined aesthetics. Though modern in its presentation, the axe carries a sense of timeless craftsmanship: no CAD shortcuts, no automated shaping, just human intention refined through many iterations.
This axe is made for those who appreciate objects that marry function with artistry. Whether displayed or used, it stands as a testament to handmade design, thoughtful form, and beauty that emerges from patient, deliberate creation.
Process
The design of this axe began with a single intention: to create a tool that is beautiful first, and functional through that beauty. Instead of starting with engineering constraints or traditional forms, the process was rooted in visual exploration and iterative craftsmanship.
I began with hand sketches, searching for a silhouette that expressed motion—something that hinted at dance, balance, and rhythm. Dozens of variations emerged, each one refining the flow of the handle, the tension in the lines, and the relationship between the head and the haft.
From these sketches, I created full-scale hand-cut templates, transforming drawn curves into physical contours I could hold, critique, and revise. Several rounds of adjustments followed, each guided by the question: Does this form feel alive? Does it move?
Next came a series of scale models, each carved or shaped by hand to test proportion, weight distribution, and the visual “gesture” of the tool. These models revealed subtle nuances—how a curve catches light, how a bevel suggests motion, how a line can pull the eye into a sense of rotation or dance.
The design matured through this hands-on, iterative process. Nothing was generated algorithmically; no part of the form was left to chance. Each surface was shaped and sanded by hand, then finished with spray paint to unify and clarify the final geometry. Every detail reflects deliberate human decision, grounded in traditional craft thinking and sensitivity to aesthetics, balance, and emotional resonance.
This axe is not just a tool—it is the result of designing with intention, revising with honesty, and letting beauty lead function.