Here in my part of the world, it is well below freezing. We are currently at 23 degrees F. Yesterday we were in the 60's. I decided this was a perfect time to design a nice spring/summer pattern.
These hummingbirds and ladybugs are nine inches tall and seven inches wide. I cut them from 1/4" thick Baltic birch plywood. The backer board was spray painted black.
To add a splash of color I painted two small patches of red behind the cut out for the ladybugs.
Let me answer a question that I receive from new scrollers everytime I publish a pattern with veining. The veining in this pattern are the thin lines in the wings and neck of the hummingbirds and the legs of the ladybugs. These are cut with the blade. Just cut to the end of the line and then back the blade out.
I marked and painted the red before I glued on the fretwork. You can add the black dots to the red if you like but they won't be seen too well so I'm not sure it is necessary.
I buy hangers from www.bearwood.com. They carry several sizes with small screws that will even work on this thin plywood.
Let me say something about cutting plywood on the scroll saw. I get many emails about having trouble cutting plywood with the scroll saw. Almost all the issues are caused by trying to cut cheap plywood. To get the best results you need high-quality plywood like Baltic birch plywood. These better plywoods have more plies for better stability and the outer plies are thicker which gives less tear out on the back side of the project.
Is it Better to be Right or Correct?
I often tell people that there is no right and wrong when it comes to art but there is correct and incorrect when it comes to technique.
What I mean by this is that the end result is just as if not more important than the technique you used to get there. If I show a technique I am showing you what most seasoned scrollers would consider the easiest or most accurate way to accomplish an end result. That makes it correct but not right. Right, is what happens when the end result looks beautiful or at least was what you wanted to accomplish.
My recommendation is to learn the correct technique first. Then you can experiment with other ways to accomplish the end result you want.
So how do you go about learning the correct techniques? You are going to find a lot of people on the internet that have been scrolling for years who want to show you how to scroll. Unfortunately, doing something for a long time makes them experienced but not necessarily correct.
There is one book that I consider the best ever written on the art of the scroll saw. It was produced by Patrick Spielman. Patrick passed away several years ago but he did as much for the scroll saw hobby as anyone I know.
This book is no longer being published so you have to find it used or maybe in your library. The link below will show you the sellers on Amazon who have used copies available.
There are also several copies available on Ebay.com if you prefer going that route. The link below will expire soon so it may be different depending on when you click it.
Ebay Link
The book is getting old so some of the information is outdated but the techniques taught never get old. If you want to get a university-level education on the scroll saw and its techniques then I recommend this book without hesitation. I own two copies just in case I lose one. I like it that much.
$12 per sheet of 12 coins plus $3.50 shipping
Inlay with a 1" Forstner Bit.
The perfect way to sign your work.
Email Newsletter Readers: Remember that the Newsletter is just a copy of the daily blog post. To see the post in it's proper formatting click this link. If you ever misplace a pattern or any item you see here you can always find it on the blog. Everything stays on the blog forever.
Products for your consideration:
Scroll Saw Pattern Design Tutorial: DVD
Let me teach you to create a beautiful wooden portrait pattern. I will show you everything you need from start to finish. The video will show you the free software program you can download for Windows or Mac OS. I will show you how to install the program and configure it for best results.
Let me teach you to create a beautiful wooden portrait pattern. I will show you everything you need from start to finish. The video will show you the free software program you can download for Windows or Mac OS. I will show you how to install the program and configure it for best results.
Then I will show you the technique to take your photograph and make a pattern from it. When the pattern is complete we will go in the shop and cut it.
The DVD is $10 plus shipping. This is a data DVD that you will use on your computer to watch the video tutorial
Every Scrollsaw Workshop Pattern from 2007-2017 in DVD
Purchase the entire Scrollsaw Workshop pattern catalog for offline access.
This DVD has 2,300 patterns published from 2007 thru 2017.
The DVD is $20 plus shipping. Ships to 60 countries around the world.
The DVD is $20 plus shipping. Ships to 60 countries around the world.
If you use the DVD on a Windows PC there is a simple viewer program to browse through the patterns.
The DVD also works fine on a MAC. The viewer program is not MAC compatible but there is an included PDF with all the patterns shown as thumbnails for easy viewing.
Want to create beautiful wooden vases on the scroll saw?
My two "Wooden Vases on the Scroll Saw" books make it easy.
The books are $12 each and available for instant download after purchase. Click for Video Demonstration.
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