GARRETT JOHN TOLLETTE DESIGNS

Through my passion for footwear and sketching, I developed my
sketching skills to easily express any new idea that comes to mind.

Shoe doodles are one of my simple pleasures. Drawing is such a therapeutic act for me, and what better way to explore my skills than to explore different footwear possibilities. 

I work in many different mediums, from ballpoint pen and colored pencils to full photoshop rendering. 

I CREATED THE BASIC LINEWORK AND STRUCTURE FOR THIS GRAPHIC. INSPIRED BY SPACE VEHICLE VENTING AND METAL STRUCTURING.

THE GOAL WAS TO CREATE AN INTRICATE MECHANICAL STRUCTURE THAT WAS SLIGHTLY ANTHROPOMORPHIC. MOST IMPORTANTLY EVOKING SPEED.

MORE MINIMALIST APPROACH TO BRANDING AND CLASSIC STYLING WITH MODERN MATERIALS. LOTS OF PERF TO PREVENT HIGH TEMPS AND A DEBOSSED PALM OVERLAY. D30 KNUCKLE FOR PROTECTION. AX SUEDE LEATHER CHASSI HAS GREAT DURABILITY AND GRIP FEEL.

STREET RIDING GLOVE

DESIGNED WITH D30 FACETS PADS FOR PROTECTION.

SYNTHETIC AX SUEDE CHASSIS

EMBOSSED LOGO

PALM OVERLAYS

FELXIBLE FIT

VELCRO CLOSURE

CE CERTIFIED

WATERPROOF INSULATED RIDING GLOVE THAT DOESN’T SACRIFICE FLEXIBILITY AND DETERITY. PU COATED CHASSIS WITH CATBON KNUCKLE AND HD SCREEN PRINT GRAPHIC ACCENTS.

A CAMPING TABLE FOR FIRESIDE COOKING

I designed this table for cooking food on a fire while camping or relaxing, food over fire is biologically pleasing to us, so I wanted to make a product to maximize that experinmce. 

Inspired by Argentinian Chef Francis Mallamann, who's specialty is prepparing meals using only wood fires. 

This low table allows the cook to have a clean and stable working surface while cooking, and the folding steel legs fold up for easy storage and transportation.

PROCESS

-mood boards

-market analysis

-ideation sketching

-moch-ups

-prototyping

-final production

-validation and use

Design:

The hinges and legs are inspired by hairpin leg design, with some innovations and adaptations. I wanted to use the built in potential energy within the bent steel. The hinge system cantilevers and folds up for easy moving and storage. 

Material:

Cold forged vanadium tool steel, wet stone sharpenned, hand milled local apple wood handle laminations from a nearby farm, recycled cotter pin rivets, bees wax finish. 

Two piece maple and red oak steam bent sheath with inset magnet for security. 

Process: I started my knife study by going to the Pacific Northwests knife show, and I took about 1000 pictures of styles that I liked. 

studied the cultural influences that knives hold and looked at traditional Scandinavian knives and Japanese sushi knives. I recognized the styles and process I preferred and used them to influence my ideation sketches. 

Production started with wooden form studies to decide blade silhouette, handle size and shape. From there did 3 rough steel prototypes. Then produced 3 refined prototypes with sheaths. 
Taking all the lessons I learned there, I had the final concept decided, and went into final production. 

formal knife review with local knife makers, and then at the final grad review with friends and family. 

CNC MAGNESIUM BODY

WITH REPLACEABLE PE PEDAL SLIDERS

HAND AND DIGITAL SKETCHING IS REALLY FUN WAYS TO STRETCH MY CREATIVE LEGS. ALLOWING ME TO EXPLORE NEW IDEAS AND HELPS ME EXPRESS MY IDEAS TO OTHERS. 

An in-home culinary product designed to enable the user to create their ideal bite of bread, olive oil balsamic vinegar and spices. 
It is a spin off of a manufacturing line, where your bread moves on a plate down a track interacting with 3 stations, each station enhancing the properties of the ingredient. 
1. Brush on Olive Oil
2. Eyedropper for balsamic vinegar allows you to be precise with the quantity application
3. Steam bent wood pinchers allow you to apply 2 different spices with ease. 
The entire product with the exception of the glassware, I hand made out of eastern Ash wood.

Development:
 
After a lot of Ideation I decided on a general idea. Then moved to do 4 quick mock up experiments, then refined to 2 wood working prototypes. People could interface with them so I could deduce what elements are successful.

Inspiration:

Stonehouse Olive Oils from California, needed a product to work in conjunction with the oil to help elevate it and liven it.
The top right image shows a machine, which is a product from ECAL design that pops one kernel of popcorn at a time, I thought this was so interesting; a machine that helps us understand the processes of our food. 
Micheael Pollans “Cooked” series gave me a more romatic view of food rituals, So with the OI VI I wanted to create a food ritual of my own.

I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED SHIMANO MTB PRODUCTS DESIGN IDEOLOGY.

I DID THIS CONCEPT WITH THEIR DESIGN LANGUAGE IN MIND.

-MAXIMIZED FINS ON DISC AS WELL AS BRAKE PADS.

-LEVER CLAMP DESIGN TO MINIMIZE FLEX

-HIGHLY MACHINED CALIPER FOR ANY POSSIBLE SPRUNG WEIGHT REDUCTION

THIS WAS ALSO JUST AS MUCH AN EXERCISE IN INTRICATE PARTS DIGITAL RENDERING

I made these by soaking ash laminations in hot water, then heating a steel tube. Once heated you can slowly wrap the ash strip around the tube. If you repeat this process about 5 times you can achievbe the curved laminations that I have used to make these hanging doorstops. I used cork on a few models to help create a grip footprint.

Creating from Oregons #1 Export

Finding the limits of the material
through experimentation.

I have created a number of different sewn products, from insulated jogging pants to book tote bags.

Handmade steak knife  set made from recycled band saw blade and Ash.  Wet stone Sharpened and held in leather and Ash carrying case.

Old band saw blades are an excellent material for small knives considering it is hardened tool steel that has been heat tempered over and over through the cutting process. This gives the blade bendability but is hard enough to keep a sharp edge over long periods of time. 

I started creating simple aesthetic apparel with fumnctional construction in mind.

A CONCEPT THAT IN REALITY IS NOT FEASABLE AND TOTALLY REDICULOUS, BUT A FUN EXPLORATION ANYWAY.

Greenwood Spoon Carving

Hand tools only, no cheating...

Coastal Cedar spoons carved in Northern Maine with my great grandfathers tools. Working with fresh greenwood is like sculpting with clay.

I started carving spoons 8 months ago using only greenwood raw timber, and using only hand tools. Pictured above are Alder, Cedar, Black walnut, poplar kitchen spoons. All treating with food safe wax finish. 

beech wood 

steel 

cork

super simple, easy to make, and practical to use.