Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This is an excellent book on intarsia. The introduction is basic and clear, going over wood choices, various tools, pattern preparation and various techniques to shape and sculpt the wood. It also goes over gluing and finishing. One valuable technique they explain is the use of sanding shims which allows multiple pieces of wood to be sanded into one smooth cohesive shape.
There are fourteen animal portraits in the book. They are, bald eagle, mustang, moose, burro, polar bear, red fox, arctic wolf, bobcat, buffalo, white tailed deer, jack rabbit, big horn ram, raccoon, and wolf.
The bald eagle pattern is followed by a step by step photo demonstration on how to make it. The mustang and moose also have demonstrations following them. From there the level of instruction fades quickly to footnotes, but by then everything is explained.
The patterns are extraordinary. I am familiar with the look of various animals and choosy about animal art, but aside from several very minor lines I would tweak (because I am nit-picky) I am satisfied. Each is true to the actual animal and nicely designed.
The book has two minor drawbacks, both related to the patterns. There are no patterns for the sanding shims for each design. Though there are small photos of the shapes of the sanding shims, so a little calculation should be enough to replicate them.
The second drawback is that most of the patterns seem to be on the simpler side of intermediate, or just intermediate. There are no simple beginner patterns, and there are none that would challenge experts. But with the clear instructions, a reasonably determined novice with some experience on a scroll saw (like me, my first pattern from this book nearly finished) should be successful. And experts will probably appreciate the skillfully designed patterns. So I couldn't let this detract from the rating.
Another book is Kathy Wise's Intarsia Woodworking Projects: 21 Original Designs with Full-Size Plans and Expert Instruction for All Skill Levels (A Scroll Saw, Woodworking & Crafts Book) which also has good writing and has good patterns for all skill levels. This is preferable for raw beginners or an advanced scroller looking for a fearsome challenge.
But if you like wild animal portraits and want to make them in Intarsia, this is your book.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Wildlife Intarsia: A Step-by-Step Guide to Making 3-Dimensional Wooden Portraits
Intarsia—a mosaic of wood fitted and glued into a wooden support and popular in 15th-century Italy for decoration—is the focus of this guide. Scroll sawyers of all skill levels learn the secrets of creating these fascinating wooden inlay projects by using a scroll saw and other common woodworking tools. Fourteen portraits of North American wildlife, including an eagle, a mustang, an owl, and a fox, are provided. Chapters address the necessary steps to get started, including wood choice, pattern use, backing, and sanding, while also covering more complex issues such as adding texture to finished pieces to simulate fur.
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