2007 by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc.
Intarsia Woodworking Projects is an original work, first published in 2007 by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc. The patterns contained herein are copyrighted by Kathy Wise. Readers may make copies of these patterns for personal use. The patterns themselves, however, are not to be duplicated for resale or distribution under any circumstances. Any such copying is a violation of copyright law.
For a printable PDF of the patterns used in this book, please contact Fox Chapel Publishing at quoting the ISBN and title of this book, as well as the pattern or patterns required.
Print ISBN 978-1-56523-339-3
eISBN: 978-1-60765-907-5
Publishers Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Wise, Kathy.
Intarsia woodworking projects: original designs with full-size plans and expert instruction for all skill levels / Kathy Wise. -- East Petersburg, PA: Fox Chapel Publishing, c2007.
p. ; cm.
Marquetry. 2.Wood-carving--Patterns. Wildlife woodcarving--Patterns. I. Title. II. Woodworking projects.
projects.
A Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts magazine publication.
To learn more about the other great books from Fox Chapel Publishing, or to find a retailer near you, call toll-free 800-457-9112 or visit us at
Note to Authors: We are always looking for talented authors to write new books in our area of woodworking, design, and related crafts. Please send a brief letter describing your idea to Acquisition Editor, 1970 Broad Street, East Petersburg, PA 17520.
Because scrolling wood inherently includes the risk of injury and damage, this book cannot guarantee that creating the projects in this book is safe for everyone. For this reason, this book is sold without warranties or guarantees of any kind, expressed or implied, and the publisher and the author disclaim any liability for any injuries, losses, or damages caused in any way by the content of this book or the readers use of the tools needed to complete the projects presented here. The publisher and the author urge all scrollers to thoroughly review each project and to understand the use of all tools before beginning any project.
Table of Contents
Getting Started
Beginner Projects
Rose Demonstration
Ornaments
Penguin & Chick
Fox
Intermediate Projects
Mallard Demonstration
Love Birds
Piano Girls
Pool Balls
Lighthouse
Sailboat
Advanced Projects
Lion Demonstration
Rattlesnake
Barn Scene
Calf Roper
Clydesdale and Colt
Eagle
GETTING
INTRODUCTION
Intarsia is an early Italian art, a form of wood inlay. Over time, it evolved into a more sculptural style of wood art. Each intarsia artist has his or her own technique and approach to the art.
I believe there is no wrong way to create intarsia, just different styles. Dont be hampered by the rules of intarsia. There are none. Feel free to change the patterns. Add exotic woods or other materials such as glass, stone, or plastic. Use stains, paints, oils, or dyes to enhance the colors and achieve the look you want. Add as much depth as possible to your project; make it jump out at you.
I have seen some wonderful versions of my designs embellished with feathers, glass, and color dyes. In other words, the pattern is just a starting point, a guide for your own special brand of artistic creativity. Make it into your own masterpiece.
Having sculpted animals and dogs for more than years, I like to add as much 3D-effect to my intarsia as possible. The color of the wood is important, as well as the light and dark values used in the design.
Whether you are an old pro or a beginning intarsia artist, this book has something for everyone. It will help you to learn the basics or improve your skills. Patterns range from beginner to intermediate to advanced, along with some step-by-step photos and instructions mixed in with helpful advice.
Some projects, such as Pool Balls, require the use of paints or dyes to achieve the correct colors.
With careful selection, you can create beautiful contrasts using only natural wood colors.
NATURAL
I prefer to use the natural wood colors in most of my projects, but sometimes a project requires an unavailable or impossible-to-find color. For example: the head of my turkey needed to be blue to really look like a turkey, so I applied a light wash of acrylic paint to the birds-eye maple, which gave me the light blue color.
There is some debate as to whether you should alter the wood with stains, dyes, or paint. Think of the finished artworkwill using stains, paints, or dyes enhance your piece? Using white gel stain on white wood is widely accepted by intarsia artists. I fail to see any difference in using washes or dyes on your pieces, as long as you allow the wood grain to show through as much as possible. Using stains and washes allows you to use available woods without the expense of the exotic woods.
It often depends upon the effect you are looking to achieve. I used acrylic paint washes on the Pool Ball project featured in the intermediate section. You will notice that the wood grain still shows through. The pool balls would not have been realistic enough for me if they were the natural color of the wood. That particular project would also be an ideal situation to experiment with colored plastics.
Some woods can darken or lighten with age. To keep black walnut very dark, I use a dark walnut oil on it to preserve and enrich the deep brown color. I use white gel stain on my white pieces in order to keep the wood from turning brown with age. See the section on finishing for more details on applying white gel stain.
EQUIPMENT
Some artists cut their work entirely with a hand fret saw. An investment in a few basic tools will really increase the efficiency of your work and your enjoyment.
There are many brands of scroll saws available. If you plan to spend a lot of time scrolling, I recommend you invest in a higher-end saw.
THE
The thin blades of a scroll saw allow you to make straight and curved cuts and even turns with no difficulty. If you do not already own a scroll saw and plan on doing large projects, pick a saw that has a large throat depth and a large table. Variable speed is also useful. As with any tool, buy the best that you can afford. If possible, visit a store or woodworking show where you can actually try out the different brands before making a purchase. Ask other woodworkers for their input, but be aware that opinions on saws vary as greatly as opinions on the make and model of automobiles. Being able to test-drive the saw is always your best option.
