Easy Book Ends

Here's a fun project for that little reader in your life. This bookend project is provided by Sabrina of Seeds of the Heart blog. This is a great afternoon project that turns out really neat. The instructions are pretty straight forward. For the letters, choose your favorite font in a graphics program or word processor. Enlarge the letters until the fit and you're set! Definitely give this project a try. It goes to show you that even the simplest of projects can turn out extra special.

Wooden USB Thumb Drive

Here's a great project for that tech junkie in your life. This wood enclosed USB thumb drive (a mini hard drive that plugs into a USB port on a computer) can easily be made with nothing more than a scroll saw and a sander. Matt Burns of CrunchGear.com put together this great tutorial, showing you each step of the process with detailed instructions and accompanying photos. He uses contrasting woods for each of the layers to create this unique and beautiful thumb drive you won't find anywhere else. It may look intimidating, but all you need is basic skills and patience. It can easily be accomplished in a weekend. So, give it a try!

Hooked

A while back, I wrote about Frank's Wood Shop and his video demonstration of a windmill project. Well, Frank came through once again with a very detailed set of videos, documenting the cutting and finishing of a bass portrait. So, grab some popcorn and enjoy the videos. After you're done, be sure to stop by his website and check out some of his work located in his gallery. Very cool stuff!

Note: I believe portrait being demonstrated was designed by Charles Dearing and is available in the Spring 2007 issue of Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts. Give it a try!

How To Listen To SSG Podcast

First, I want to thank all of you for the kind words and encouragement. There are a lot of you just as excited about this podcast as I am, which is quite a relief. I was afraid no one would listen! Hopefully we'll be able to discuss a lot of great scrolling topics in the months ahead.

I received a few emails from people wanting more information on how to use the podcast. I've put together a little tutorial to show you different ways of listening to the Scroll Saw Goodies podcast. Steve Good has also put together a great video showing you how to subscribe to the podcast with iTunes. You can see his video here. If these videos don't quite answer your questions, feel free to email me with specific questions. I'll do my best to answer them for you.

I'm already in the planning stages for episode 2, which should be out in a couple of weeks. Until then, we'll get back on track tomorrow with our daily dose of Scroll Saw Goodies from the web.

Classic Lath Art Progression Pictures

I recently wrote about Rod Skramstad from Classic Lathart. He has updated his website to include a series of progress pictures that turned out quite nice. Although not necessarily a tutorial, it does give us some insight on how he goes about putting together one of his lath art paintings.

Rod has a series of 14 photographs showing different stages of a painting. Unfortunately, he doesn't include any descriptive text explaining what we're looking at. But if you read this tutorial from LathArt How To and Patterns, it should give you a good idea of what's going on. Definitely worth checking out if lath art is in your future.

Ebonizing Wood

Allison of Wood Alley is an intarsia artist who is always in the need of ebony. Unfortunately the price tag attached to ebony is a bit steep. . .OK, a lot steep. When she came across an article on how to ebonize wood with vinegar and steel wool, she thought she'd try her hand at it. She wrote a wonderful article about her results. She has also included several pictures and a link to the original article. I'm sure someday you're going to need some ebony for a project. And when your lumber supplier tells you how much it is, you'll be glad you read this article!

Windmill Project Video

Frank from FranksWoodshop.com has put together a great video, demonstrating how he put together a windmill plaque. This 3 part video shows you each step of the way as he cuts and assembles his windmill plaque. The steps are covered in detail along with plenty of commentary. A very cool project. After you're done watching these great videos, be sure to check out his website. He has some really great stuff in his gallery. He also has another video in the video section, showing you around the scroll saw.

Armstrong Puzzles

Conrad Armstrong is a puzzle crafter from Boston who creates rather unique puzzles. He breaks away from the traditional key and lock method we are so familiar with. Instead, he uses a very organic, amoeba like swirl to interlock his pieces. He also uses custom figure pieces that fit with the theme of the puzzle. He shares his techniques of creating these one-of-a-kind puzzles, covering tools, materials, and mounting procedures. If you're a puzzle maker, or an aspiring puzzle maker, be sure to check this great resource. And while you are there, be sure to check out some of his great puzzles.

Whitewolf Patterns and Photoshop Tutorial

Last post, I talked about Darryn's (Whitewolf) patterns. He has designed a nice collection of patterns. He was kind enough to zip his entire collection for one easy download! His collection includes all of the patterns shown on his myphotoalbum.com website, as well a few new patterns. In fact, he has over 200 in all! The download is a hefty one, weighing in at about 15 megs. So those with dial-up may want try downloading the file while you sleep.

Not only has he made these patterns freely available, he has also included a on how to create your very own patterns. I checked it out and it looks pretty good. So if you want to try your hand at designing your own patterns, this is definitely a great place to start.

Darryn has 2 files available for you to download:

• WhiteWolfPatterns.zip is Darryn's pattern collection with over 200 patterns!
• WhiteWolfPhotoshopTutorial.zip is the Photoshop tutorial. I checked it out and it looks pretty good. A great place to start if you're looking at trying your hand at pattern making.
  

Native American Intarsia Portrait

I love progression pictures/tutorials. I love learning new things and new techniques. Allison from Willowshimmers Woodworks created a nice progression/tutorial on an intarsia Native American portrait. The end results really turned out stunning. She has included several pictures of the portrait coming together, along with some really great insights about intarsia. She even shares a few tips. My favorite being her heat gun tape removal method, which I hope to try out soon.

She has the Native American portrait spread over 3 posts. I've listed them below in chronological order for easier reading. While you're there, be sure to check out some of her other work!

• Indian Intarsia- A Tutorial
• The Mountain in the Indian Intarsia Pattern
• Indian Intarsia

Father's Day Project

Father's day is right around the corner. Do you have a gift for your dad yet? If not, Sue Mey from Scrollsawartist has another great pattern she's offering for free. This plaque will show dad how you really feel. It's a quick project that really turns out nice, and your dad will be thrilled! Check it out.

While you're there, check out Sue's tutorials on how she makes her wonderful patterns. She has 3 different tutorials covering various software (Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, and Corel Photo Paint). If you're looking to start designing your own patterns, this might be a good place to start!

Teddy Bear Bookends

Here's a fun project for the little reader in your life. This child's bookend pattern is provided by Reader's Digest. It certainly is a quick project and perfect for beginners. They take you step by step through the process of building this cute teddy bear bookend. I'd suggest taking the pattern grid and enlarging it to the appropriate size with a graphics program or a photocopier. That way you don't have to redraw anything. And since the teddy bears have a retro/folk art feel, try distressing the wood with sandpaper after you are done painting. It will certainly enhance the end product.

Rustic Black Bear Wall Hanging

Here's a fun project for a cabin, hunting lodge, or a rustic bedroom. The project is provided by AOK Corral Craft & Gift Bazaar. It's pretty simple and can easily be completed in an afternoon. The project calls for leather to be used for the bear and trees, but you can easily substitute wood. I think it would be a clever way to frame cuttings with rustic feel such as wildlife, Native Americans, cowboys, or scenic designs. Check it out. While you're there, take a look at their other craft patterns. There's a few in there for woodworkers too!

Photographing Your Work

Photographing your artwork is important. Most of the time you're not keeping your work for yourself. So its nice to look back on projects of the past. You can remember projects that were a lot of fun to make, gage your skill progression, or share your work with online communities. A good photograph of your work is especially important when you are showing potential clients your work, selling online, or submitting to juried shows. Jim from CameraJim's Guide to eBay Auction Photography has a lot of great tips and advice for photographing your artwork. Jim shows you how to get professional results from very basic equipment. Check it out. Your sales will be better for it!

How To Make A Lath Art Painting

Last post, I talked about lath art. Now that your curiosity is piqued, you wanna give lath art a try? Tom and Esther from LathArt How to and Patterns has a nice tutorial to get you started. The tutorial is nicely illustrated and takes you step by step through the process. They even provide a free pattern for your first project! While you are there, check out the rest of their posts. They give tips on finding suitable material, painting techniques, and design tips. Very cool.

Mat Cutting Tutorial

From time to time, we may need to frame one of our cuttings. Many times, a mat will make our artwork really stand out. But having a professional cut our mats can be rather expensive. Thats when we take matters into our own hands. Sarah Neuburger, from The Small Object, has a great tutorial on how to cut a simple mat. Mat cutting isn't all that difficult. Supplies can usually be found at your local art supply store. Doing it yourself will save you a lot of money and make your artwork look that much more professional. Check it out!

Boldly Go Where No One Has Gone Before

I'm a Star Trek: The Next Generation fan. So when I saw this scroll saw pattern of the crew of the USS Enterprise, my jaw dropped. Wow. What an impressive pattern. If you are looking to show off your skill, this is the pattern for you! If you are not ready to jump into that big of a project, check out Kerry's version of the USS Enterprise. Very cool.

While you are there, check out the rest of the site. He does really nice portrait work. He also shares his method of creating great portraits by offering 2 eBooks on creating portrait patterns with Photoshop and Paintshop Pro.

Scroll Saw Art and Art in Wood

by Pete Jansen

Creating scroll saw art in wood, and scroll saw portraits takes a lot of time and patience on the artist's part. Each portrait starts out as an idea, and goes through many stages before he, or she can show off the finished product. These stages include, but are not limited to, selection of a workable image, filtering and pattern making, wood selection, transferring the pattern to the work piece, drilling, cutting, and finally framing and finishing the artwork. Finding a workable image to create a scroll saw pattern from is not very difficult. Images with solid dark (shadows), and light (highlighted) areas work the best. Light shining on the subjects in the image from an angle, produce the best results. These images can include photos captured by a digital camera, or artwork scanned into a computer. The computer is an important part in creating great scroll saw patterns and portraits in wood. It is possible to convert an image to a pattern by hand, but it is extremely difficult and time consuming. The best and fastest way to create a scroll saw pattern from an image is to use photo editing software like Adobe Photoshop. This editing software allows you to isolate the dark and light areas of the image to create a completely black and white pattern. The black areas will be the areas cut out of the wood to create the dark areas of the portrait or scroll saw art. Find the best filters to separate the dark and light areas of the image. "Poster edges" is a good way to start the process. The light areas can be touched up by hand with white-out to add finishing touches to the pattern before you transfer it to you work piece. When the pattern is ready to be applied to your work piece, it's time to select a flat, clear piece of 1/8" furniture plywood to work with. Baltic birch is the favorite for me. It is very light, free of dark spots and flaws. Cut the birch to fit your pattern and frame. After a light sanding, the work piece is completely covered on the top side with masking tape. The scroll saw pattern is printed out on the computer scaled to fit the area to be cut as well as the frame. Spray the masking tape with a light coat of high quality contact adhesive like 3M. Before it has a chance to dry, place the pattern on the work piece and smooth out any bubbles. You have to work fast, and apply it in the correct position the first time, or you will have to start over. Let the work piece dry for about an hour before continuing. Now that the work piece has the scroll saw pattern on it, and it's dry, it's time to drill lots and lots of tiny holes in it. Using the smallest drill bit that will allow the scroll saw blade to pass through it is a good idea. Every black area in the pattern must have at least one hole drilled in it for the scroll saw blade to pass through. Yes, every dark are is and individual cut and must have a hole drilled through it. On the opposite side of the coin, every light are must me connected to "all" other light areas, or sections of light areas will fall out of the artwork as the dark areas are cut out. Remember this when creating your pattern also. It's more work to fix it later, after you've started cutting. Now the cutting begins. Work from the center of your scroll saw portrait out, as this helps keep the work rigid and strong as you are cutting. I like to use a 2/0 size spiral type scroll saw blade on my "portraits in wood". This style scroll saw blade will cut in any direction, keeping you from having to constantly turn your artwork while cutting. Cut your first black area out of your piece remembering to start near the center of the work and leaving enough white area thickness so it won't break off while you handle and cut it. It looks bad when you have to glue a broken of area back into the portrait. Now the tension on the blade is loosened, the top of the blade is taken out of the upper holder on the saw, and threaded through your next drilled hole. Keep cutting until all the dark areas are removed. The time has come to remove what remains of your pattern from the scroll saw portrait. Carefully peel the masking tape from the wood, being careful not to break any of the thin areas of the portrait or scroll saw art. Now you can see a little of how your work will look when it's completed. Hold it up to a black background to admire all your hard work. Clean up the "fuzz" on the back side of the scroll saw art with fine sandpaper. Be careful not to break the portrait. Use a matt or semi-gloss style clear spray finish on the face of the scroll saw art, making sure to get finish on the inside of the cut areas to create a finished look. Let the scroll saw art dry overnight. Now it's time to set it in the frame. A frame with glass or plexi-glass is recommended, as it makes the scroll saw art much easier to clean and dust later. Cut a backer board from wood, particle board or cardboard to fit your frame in back of the scroll saw art. Spray a light coat of spray adhesive on the backer board, and apply your dark or "black" backing material to it. I like to use black felt purchased at the fabric store, as it creates very dark negative space in your scroll saw portrait. Let it dry and add it to the frame in back of your portrait or scroll saw art. Insert the frames back and you're done! Now that you've spent 10, 15 or even 20 hours creating this heirloom quality art in wood, it's time to hand it over to your customer, loved one, or hang it on your own wall. Enjoy it, be proud of it, it's truly one of a kind, especially if you used your own photo or image. And it took a long time to create. You now know how to create great scroll saw patterns as well as portraits in wood. Take a look at some of the highest quality scroll saw portraits at www.LoneTreeCreations.com

About the Author
Pete Jansen is one of the Southwests number one scroll saw artists. Creating scroll saw portraits, portraits in wood, art in wood and other beautiful creations. Pete shares some of his secrets and techniques with other woodworkers in his articles that have been published world wide.

Stained Glass/Intarsia Pattern Tutorial

The last post, I wrote about Chantal's Stained Glass patterns, which make really great intarsia projects. She has put together a great tutorial on how she creates her fantastic stained glass patterns. A lot of these techniques can be easily adapted for creating intarsia patterns too! Check out her tutorial. Perhaps it will inspire you to create some intarsia patterns of your own.

Photoshop Tutorial

You already read through Andy Deane's tutorial about making patterns with Paint Shop Pro. But what about us Photoshop users? Well he hasn't left you out. He has provided a great tutorial on how to create scroll saw patterns with Photoshop too! Each step is clearly written with accompanying illustrations. Armed with this info, it won't be long before you're a pattern-making machine! Check out his great tutorial. And while you are at it, take a look at his main page where you'll find galleries and some really great patterns he has available for sale!