Spatula,
Inspired by how muscles flow into one another, this spatula serves as a tooling extension of one's body.

Client

Products Studio II

Year

2025

Role

Designer

Inspired by the harmonious, integrated flux of muscles and tendons, this spatula acts as a seamless extension of the hand, translating human intent into precise control through a direct 1:1 relationship between the thumb and the working edge.

Like the geometry of our body, this tension-form emerged solely from fair curves. The seamless twist follows the planes of the palm-arm bridge, transforming the spatula into a natural extension of the arm, uniting them as one.

Full slide deck here.

Timeline
4 weeks
Role
Solo
Tools
Solidwords
Rapid Prototyping

● Intended use case: laterial swiping

● features

Thumb aligns to working edge

1:1 Relationship

Ample grip area allowance

The direct 1:1 relationship between the thumb and the working edge follows the user's intent precisely, ensuring that the spatula feels instinctive, as if it were an extension of the body itself.

There is a clear line of action starting at the arm, down to the wrist, thumb, and finally, blade edge.

The twist natrually fits the thenar eminence of the palm perfectly, offering grip support and control.

Focused light informed me what planes needed more or less sanding. It reveals plane elevation.

Process

● Inspiration

Muscles, caustics, and hands.

The harmonious symmetry created by how light caustics interact, the way muscles fold into one another, and geometry of our hands are all formed by fair curves. Muscles and hands have a sense of tension during flexion / extension, which subconsciously influenced the recurring tapers which seem under tension in my spatula.

Ergonomics Discoveries: Toothpaste revealing form

Using only Fair Curves

The harmonious arcs & fair curves in the naturally occurring geometry of our hands inspired me to try drawing various long arcs in relation to one another, whether that be a golden ratio relation, rule of thirds, or by primitive circles. I found more success in this approach than by trying to directly emulate the flow forms of my inspirations.

Ergonomics Discoveries

Studying the planes of my toothpaste one morning, I realized how the bottom of the thenar eminence is a horizontal plane (in the sketched grip), while the underside of your forearm (where veins are) is vertical in this grip. By running my fingers across these planes eyes closed, I visualized that a 90º twist was occurring between the hand to wrist to forearm connection. In pursuit to make my spatula integrated with the transition of these body parts, I aimed to create top & side views that might afford a twist as such.

In studying the planes, I found the 'palm triangle' plane is a key area requiring volume and support for the intent of my spatula's motion.

The Thenar Eminence (thumb meat area) becomes a push-plane against my middle and index for grasping thinner forms.

● Setting Constraints

When the thumb moves, the food follows.

The direct 1:1 relationship between the thumb and the working edge follows the user's intent precisely, ensuring that the spatula feels instinctive, as if it were an extension of the body itself.

The spatula becomes an extended "wedge" emerging from the arm.

● Prototyping & CAD

Solidworks helped speed visualizing minor tweaks to my base top and side profiles.

(L) First prototype was too visually heavy, opted for a slimmer, tighter profile
(R) Considering creating a slice so form follows the motions function.

Observing how it looks at every angle, where the palm needs more support. I often find photographing and physically iterating in the latter half of a project is most effective for refinement.

Focused light informed me what planes needed more or less sanding. It reveals plane elevation.

Process

Muscles, caustics, and hands.

Ergonomics Discoveries: Toothpaste revealing form

When the thumb moves, the food follows.

see the archive—

staicu