Artisan
Welcome to Solaris, traveller! This is a slower-than-light science fantasy set in our own solar system.
About Solaris | Guide to Solaris | Prologue
About Solaris | Guide to Solaris | Prologue
Some say you can tell a true artisan by their workshop, by the way the mess of current projects sprawls across tables but never stay for long enough for dust to set. Some say the results speak for themselves. Each item is its own piece of art, whether made by a master of the craft with a touch so refined as to be invisible, or with the scuffs and flaws that reveals the craftsperson behind it. In each crack and seam sits the reality of how the item came to be.
Artisans are the talented craftspeople behind much of the beauty of the world. The vast majority of objects in the Sol System are handcrafted. Clothing, furniture, toiletries and more are all specially commissioned or made to order. People grow up as part of a wider community, with a network of family artisans. The inventory of their home becomes a nexus of the family contacts.
Most artisans are highly specialized and have indepth knowledge of their fields. Some can be considered hyper-specialized and produce very specific things, such as a carpenter who only makes chairs, or a lapidarist who exclusively cuts aurorite data crystals. Generalists are more common, though of course most artisans have their preferences and specialities.
An Artisan Economy
The artisan economy is the backbone of society. The hard work of artisans is felt and recognized in all corners of life, from clothing to furniture to the smallest basket, vase or cup. Some households prefer to stick to particular artisans for their goods, while others are eclectic assemblages of dozens of artisans. Despite the attempts of manufacturers to disrupt the market, almost every new item a person in the Sol system brings home is commissioned from an artisan. Even when an item is purchased secondhand, they are usually sent to a craftsperson for repairs and renovations. Many durable goods are passed down or traded away, and furniture with a long history is as prized as those with the finest craftsmanship.Materials and Manufacturing
Only large companies, industries, and militaries commission manufacturing of items at scale. These gargantuan orders sustain an entirely seperate industry of their own, farmed out to workshops which produce items en masse and to specifications. Even so, there is a preference for artisinal labour whenever possible. For example, dress uniforms across the Sol system tend to be tailored for each soldier, and even the meanest spacecraft usually bear the hallmark of at least one master shipwright. At the intersection between mass manufacturing and the artisan is the production and refinement of materials. Economies of scale are brought to bear as arc-furnaces and metal presses liquify rock and stamp out millions of gears and rivets, plates and wire. These materials are distributed to bulk suppliers, then to artisans and clients alike through supply shops. Many clients prefer to buy their own materials, consulting with their preferred suppliers and inspecting their quality before bringing them to the workshop. This can sometimes be a cost saving measure, but more frequently it is to make sure the details are exactly right. There is an understanding that artisans are masters of craft, but that a supplier has particular knowledge of the inputs. It also makes it easier to take the materials to a different craftsperson if they are deemed unable to make the precise object that is desired.A thriving secondhand market can be found on Saturn, which imports a lot of waste and rubbish from other planets. On Saturn these materials are recycled and remade.
The art of preserving as much material as possible from discarded wares is highly regarded. In particular, metal or fabric reclaimed on Saturn is not an uncommon input for new artisinal products even off-planet.
Guilds
Artisans are often members of guilds. While specifics vary, guilds are generally protected by local laws and customs. The association both provides the artisan with access to the guilds knowledge and training, but also gives the artisan access to a wider client base. They can lean on the good reputation of their guild. While the international and interplanetary nature of modern society eroded most monopolies, certain guilds managed to cling to theirs with arguments of cultural heritage and safety concerns. Some of these claims were more valid than others. Letting just anyone carve oortite would lead to disaster, and a poorly-constructed spacecraft is a deathtrap waiting to claim innocent lives.Notice: This article is a stub. It may be expanded later!
An economy whose backbone consists of a group of dedicated, creative and cooperative individuals?? Hell yeah :D
Right? AND we get some really cool stuff out of it? I'm envious of my own setting
Solaris | Camp Chill | Summer Camp