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This portrait pattern of Mount Rushmore is 16" wide and 10" tall.
I don't know how successful this portrait pattern is. I had a goal of making a large portrait pattern and minimizing the interior cuts to make it a beginner level pattern. To do that I kept the detail to a minimum. It's okay but this portrait screams for tons of detail. I'll let you decide. I just wanted to give a new scroller a chance to do a large portrait and not be too intimidated.
Portrait style patterns for the novice:
This style of pattern is normally called a portrait style pattern. That does not mean the pattern has to be a portrait of a person. It can be anything from a landscape to a car or person.
Traditionally portrait style patterns are cut using a spiral blade. Spirals are especially useful for large portraits because you don't have to turn the wood blank.
For a portrait pattern this large you will want to top feed the blade. That just means that you remove the blade from the bottom clamp, raise the top arm and push the blade down through the next interior hole. It is very difficult to bottom feed a project this large.
Most portrait style patterns are cut from Baltic birch plywood. That is not a hard rule but the BB ply is very strong and much more difficult to break away a piece.
To display a portrait pattern a backer board is often used. It is painted a color or a colored material like felt is used. Black is the most common but any color can be used.
The project can be framed under glass or left unframed. This portrait is not standard frame size. If you want to use an off the shelf frame just center the pattern on the size of board you plan to use or build a custom frame.
If you are interested in cutting this style of pattern and want a book to get you started I can suggest this book by Charles Dearing. The patterns are mostly novice level and he has a getting started sections to give you the information needed for success.
Charles is a master portrait pattern designer. He has been cutting and designing this style of pattern for many years. You can see some of his completed pieces at this link. Many of them are simply masterworks.
Bear Woods also sells some of Charles's patterns.
Creative Crafter, Elysia English with a cool scroll saw project:
I spend way too much time on YouTube but I find so many talented crafters I just can't help myself. I came across this very cool project video by Elysia English. I love the look of this art piece. I like the rustic looking wood. Her technique for painting the plaid background works well. The scale of the piece is wonderful and the way she uses her template to cut this oversize project is somewhat unique.
This technique could be effectively used for all kind of beautiful art. I would absolutely give these a try at a craft show. I may be wrong but I think with some creative thinking you could feature these and make decent money from this art.
To speed the process up you could use wallpaper on the backer board. Depending on the theme of the art you could cut out magazine pictures and add a collage to the backer board. All kinds of ideas could come to mind. Her plaid paint effect is great though.
For transferring the pattern to the wood I would just print out the silhouette on multiple sheets of paper using the poster print feature of Adobe Acrobat DC. Tape the pattern together and use graphite paper to get the lines on the boards. This technique does not allow you to glue the pattern to the wood so transferring is necessary.
When you finish watching her video please click the like button and leave her a nice comment.
Thank you Elysia.
$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:
Every Scrollsaw Workshop Pattern from 2007-2018 in DVD
This DVD has over 2,600 patterns published from 2007 thru 2018.
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.
All the same file but on an easy to use a thumb drive. The USB thumb drive option is $23 plus shipping.
Now Available on USB Thumb Drive
Don't have a DVD drive on your new computer. No problem. Buy the catalog on a USB thumb drive.All the same file but on an easy to use a thumb drive. The USB thumb drive option is $23 plus shipping.
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
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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