Intarsia Woodworking - Creating Pictures From Wood Pieces

The history of wood intarsia creations is far from clear. The best guess appears to take us back to the mid 1200's in Italy. Travelers returning home from trying to find a route to India would no doubt have brought back wood from trees they had never seen before. These "samples" were probably assembled into an intarsia wood mosaic of some form for display. This would no doubt be presented to the king, queen, or whoever had financed the trip.

We know that this wood intarsia art form all but disappeared for quite a length of time and was revived by a lady by the name of Judy Gale Roberts. Many of the ideas about intarsia wood that we have today were first suggested by this lady. She has been responsible for a wealth of patterns and ideas.

True intarsia woodworking requires assorted woods of different colors, the use of these colors, grain structure and direction make beautiful decorative pictures from wood. No paint or stain is used to change any intarsia wood color, just wood from assorted wood species give the different colors.

Do you like working with your hands? Do you like wood, especially different kinds of wood? Are you interested in creating unusual intarsia wood art? If the answers are yes then this wood intarsia art form just may be for you. You can begin very easily if you have access to a scroll saw or a band saw with an 1/8" blade. There are free intarsia woodworking plans online to get you started and the local lumber dealer or cabinet workshop could be an excellent source of dry intarsia wood.

Are you looking for a rewarding hobby? One that you can use to fill up those leisure time hours after you retire? One that you could develop into a home based business? Intarsia wood working is worth considering. It can be as simple or detailed as you desire, wood intarsia subjects can have 10-200+ pieces that are sanded and fitted together to form the final product.

Intarsia woodworking can become addicting, at least for some. The satisfaction of creating a one of a kind masterpiece from small pieces of wood is very satisfying. That satisfaction is multiplied when family and friends comment on your creation or someone wishes to purchase one of your art pieces.

Intarsia wood art pieces are always one of a kind, finding two pieces the same shape may be possible but the wood color, grain and direction will be different. The choices available for people to create special gifts for special people are what makes Intarsia wood art such an interesting hobby and the possibility of having a home business. When experience is gained the creation of your own designs are constructed then the true creation process can be realized.

Retired and interested in a variety of activities that fill up the day. Free information on fun and profitable hobbies is waiting for you at wood intarsia [http://www.boredbabyboomer.com/intarsia.html]. There are other retirement hobbies that can be fun to spend your free time. Visit us and participate in our retirement community.

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The Wood Scrolling Art of Intarsia

Intarsia is an intricate form of woodworking where multiple types of wood are inlayed together to produce a finished product. Intarsia artwork is generally flat with the appearance of a three dimensional image. However, intarsia inlay is often used as decoration on other woodworking projects, such as chairs, pots, and headboards.

Intarsia differs from marquetry. Marquetry looks similar, but it is actually the art of creating decorative patterns by gluing individual pieces of wood to a base product. Intarsia is more like a jigsaw puzzle, where the pieces lock together and create a mosaic. Depth and texture are given to intarsia mosaics by hand sanding and staining individual pieces of wood that will be fit together to create a finished product. Some pieces that the artist decides should stand out may be thicker or thinner than the other pieces around it so that a three dimensional effect is more apparent.

Artists interested in intarsia use different types and shades of wood. They inlay contrasting colors to make the image "pop" from the surface. Skilled artists will angle the wood grain of each piece so that the illusion is even more polished. Stains are often used because working with multiple types of wood can cause problems.

For instance, different woods expand and contract at different points of humidity and temperatures. To avoid an intricate piece of art cracking or popping apart, an artist may use one type of wood throughout and stain individual pieces to create the effect that they are looking for. Another time that you may want to use stain over different types of wood is if only certain types of wood are good for use in your finished product. For example, you wouldn't want to use a soft wood like pine on a project that would be used outside.

A scroll saw is a useful tool for creating pieces that are to be used in intarsia projects. It can be a fun way to use scraps of wood that you have left over from other projects. You can create light switch covers, a hat rack, a picture frame, or a jewelry box just to practice the art. You can use a wood dowel to create hundreds of circles that can be used as abstract pieces or flower centers. Something like a hardwood dowel can be used to create garnishments for your flower bed or garden.

Practice fitting pieces together until you get your technique down. You can hand sand and cut your wood to create unique and personalized pieces. You can also use templates and patterns for simpler projects to get started. Intarsia is an art that can become a lifetime hobby. There are simple designs that you can complete in a few hours or intricate patterns that could take you years to master. Give it a try and see how far you want to take it.

Dave Murphy is the founder and president of Good Wood, Inc., which makes a high quality wood dowel and the best hardwood dowel on the market. Visit http://www.goodwoodinc.com for all of your wood product needs.

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