When I think of a craftsman I often think of a wood-worker in a dusty shop working a single piece of wood to perfection. He's cutting, shaving, sanding. Moving from one tool to another with a goal of perfection and the focus to make sure each stroke of the blade and each swipe of the sand paper is just enough, but not to much.
The master craftsman knows exactly what needs to be done, and he has spent years learning how to use his tools in just the right way, and as a result he is able to face the various challenges that come his way. Every piece may be different, but his knowledge of the wood (the grain, the density, the strength) allows him to make the right decisions along the way. And the various joinery and tool techniques he has mastered will help him create a fine piece of work.
Nobody sits down and just builds an outstanding piece of furniture. There are some things that every fine craftsman must be aware of before he becomes a Sam Maloof. To say they have skill is not enough. Creating a beautiful piece of furniture means paying attention to convention, rules, guides, measurements. These things are very mechanical, but are still very much a part of creating a fine piece of work.
I am not a master wood-worker, but I do seek to be a master craftsman web developer. This means never forgetting the basics, paying attention to convention, and going beyond function to aesthetic beauty.
But, you can't have the aesthetic beauty without everything else! A finely crafted web site meets the functional needs of the visitors while being aesthetically pleasing in the same breath.
