Intarsia Woodworking for Beginners

Intarsia - the making of pictures (rom pieces of solid timber - is one of the less commonly pursued woodworking disciplines. This is unfortunate, since the modern scrollsaw makes it easier than ever to do this work. It’s impossible to say when Intarsia was first developed. Some believe it was invented by the Ancient Egyptians, some, by the Romans. The only certainty is that it was very popular in Italy during the lSth century and examples of lntarsia have been found in Italy and southern Germany dating from as long as 200 years before that. But, by the 17th century, Intarsia had virtually disappeared, having been replaced by marquetry and inlay. Since the 1970’s, the craft has enjoyed a revival which now appears to be gathering pace. This book is essentially a collection of 2S projects of varying difficulty. The author is a highly successful artist resl)onsible for the design of more than a 110Usand animal figure and giftware items that have been sold worldwide. The first project in the book, a Goldfish, explains the basic intarsia techniques for simple intarsia patterns, how to cut and shape the pieces and how to glue them together. The second project, a Butterfly, introduces multiple colour work. The third project brings in discussion of overlays, shims (to add a 3-D effect), lamination and calVing. By the beginning of the fourth project, most of the important methods have been described and the space devoted to each project becomes smaller, consisting of list of materials and some quick tips to help ensure the work is completed satisfactorily. The projects cover a wide range from a horse’s head, a train shaped photo frame and a lighthouse, to a small girl wearing boots, a lily cross and a racoon. The book is well illustrated with excellent photos and useful drawings. Aimed at the beginner rather than the very experi enced maker of Intarsia, it is obviously intended to help in the building of skills so as to go on to even more interesting and formidable work.

Kathy Wise has been sculpting dogs and animals professionally for more than 25 years. Much of her time is now spent in the woodshop and art studio working on new and exciting designs for intarsia artists to cut and enjoy. Kathy is a frequent contributor to Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts.

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