On sale through Dec. 31st, 2022
For a limited time get a free bonus book, signed by Lora Irish with your
Thumb Drive order at ArtDesignsStudio.com
This week’s book is the Great Book of Wood Burning – Edition 2, a $22 value.
Wood Carving, Pyrography Pattern Collection Read More »
Collage is the art of using small scraps or pieces of paper, fiber, and printed material to create an image. Its a favorite for scrap booking, altered art, and fine arts. It can also be used for your wood and gourd crafts.
Supplies: mulberry paper, rice paper, hand-crafted art paper, an acrylic based glue, a home computer printer, and a digital pattern.
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Mulberry and rice papers have little to no grain. Instead they have a random fibrous base that allows the papers to bend, and adjust to the surface upon which they are applied. They are often semi-transparent which allows the media to show through the paper fibers – you don’t lose your wonderful wood grain of your basswood slab when you lay printed mulberry paper over top the surface.
Plus! They can be used with your home printer. It is so much easier to print a complicated mandala pattern on art paper and then glue that paper to your board, then to try and trace each and every line of the design.
Acrylic-based glues and pastes keep the printed paper from becoming water saturated, which will cause the paper to buckle. Try Yes! Glue, or PVA bookbinding acid-free glue instead of Elmore’s.
I have two new pattern packages on my pattern website, at ArtDesignsStudio.com, that are perfect for collage work.
I have also posted a new E-Project for creating a Mulberry Paper covered collage wood box, with step-by-step instructions. Currently, July 13th, 2022, there is a Try It Before You Buy It free mandala pattern for the clock shown below posted on ArtDesignsStudio.com’s homepage.
This is a 1/2″ thick, end slab of basswood. Sand the slab with 220-grit sandpaper and remove any dust. Measure for the center point to create the 3/8″ hole needed for the clockworks. Print your free pattern on Mulberry paper. Use YES! glue with a palette knife on the back of the paper. Center the mulberry printed pattern over the clock hole and with your fingers gently rub from the center out on the paper to remove any air bubbles. Let the basswood collage slab dry overnight, then color your mandala with your favorite coloring agent – colored pencils, gel pens, watercolor crayons, soft pastels, and even watercolors. Seal the finished clock with acrylic spray sealer … That’s it, quick, simple, and fun.
My new E-Project focuses on creating a collage covered wood craft box with a mandala design that flows over the top and sides of the box.
You will learn:
how-to print the pattern to your art on mulberry paper, rice paper, or hand-crafted art paper
how-to remove the pre-made box hardware
how-to measure the paper to fit the inside and outside of the box
how-to apply the acrylic-based YES! glue
how-to roll the paper over the sides of the box
how-to cut the lid free from the bottom
how-to create a secret inside lid trap door.
Of course, the E-Project covers basic instructions on using colored pencils to highlight your design.
Plus, there is a large, bonus, peony design, shown printed on medium-beige mulberry paper, ready for framing.
The new E-Project, Art Paper Mandala Collage E-Project, includes both mandala pattern packs – Mandala 1 Collage Patterns, and Mandala 2 Collage Patterns. $14.95 for all.
Mulberry Paper Collage for Wood Working Read More »
Walking Sticks and canes are a favorite wood carving project for both beginning carvers to the most advanced woodworker. This free, online project by Lora Irish will take you through the basic techniques used in choosing your wood staffs and sticks, wood carving cane toppers, cane construction, and finishing used for walking sticks. Learn how to use wood burning in your cane carving to clean the joint lines of your carving and add fine details. Explore the different steps you can use to add bright, bold painted coloring.
Wood Carving, Relief Carving, Carving Techniques, Wood Carving Projects
Canes, Walking Sticks, Chip, Spoon, Scroll Saw, Carving Techniques
Wood Carving Canes, Walking Sticks, Wizard Wands Available at Amazon.com |
 Cane Handles & Walking Stick Pattern Package at ArtDesignsStudio.com |
 Wood Carving PDF E-Project atArtDesignsStudio.com |
Wood Carving Canes, Walking Sticks, & Wizard Wands Read More »
The addition of one small board, a bird house, and a copper wire fence changes a classic wood spirit into a fence post sculpture. Move your wood spirit off that walking stick and onto the mantel as a small, fun decoration.
The links to my free, online, step-by-step project on how to carve the wood spirit face are posted below.
Posted on my wood carving, pyrography pattern website, ArtDesignsStudio.com, is an in-depth, step-by-step, free project on how to carve the wood spirit face.
The wood spirit face is a favorite wood carving theme. His wild, flowing hair, his long twisted beard, and his exaggerated nose make him an excellent beginner’s carving project. It may be hard to conceive that the human face is a beginner’s level project, but as we work through the simple steps to create the planes of the face, you will discover how simple and adaptable this style of wood carving is.
I am working my wood spirit face as a cane or walking stick topper, as shown in the sample stick to your right. The wood spirit face is carved using a basswood practice stick – 1 3/4″ x 1 3/4″ x 6″ – then attached to the staff of the stick using a hardwood dowel or all-thread pipe.
Discover the carving tools, bench knives, sanding supplies, and other items you will want in your Beginner’s Wood Carving Tool Kit
This step-by-step free wood carving project is a practice piece. Do not work this project as a ‘finished project’ tutorial, it is meant as a learning, experimenting, and exploring endeavor so that you come away being able to carve any type of Wood Spirit face. Approach this project with the idea of learning the planes of the face, learning how to establish the facial features, and learning how you can adjust this wood carving technique to create your own unique Wood Spirits.
Wood Spirit Carving,
Free Project by Lora Irish
1 Introduction and Supply List
4 Planes of the Human Face
5 Carve The Human Face
6 Shaping the Facial Features
7 Sloping the Sides of the Face
8 Rough Cutting the Features
9 Carving the Eyes
10 Detailing the Eyes
11 Shaping the Features
12 Defining the Cheek and Nose
13 Working the Facial Hair
14 Refining the Face Shape
15 Carving the Wrinkles
16 Trimming the Beard
17 Review of the Techniques
Wood Spirit Fence Post Carving Read More »
Let’s think outside the box today!
Your wood carving steps can be just the first steps in a larger project. In this sample, Mandala Fish, the basic fish shape has been relief wood carved on a 3/4″ basswood slab. This is a simple rounded over carving that was sanded smooth after the cutting strokes were done. Next I traced my mandala pattern and used my wood burner to outline the pattern details. Colored pencils finish this project bring a bright rainbow of hues to my design.
Is it a carving? Is it a wood burning? Is it mandala work? Is it colored pencil art?
YES!
Many of our carving and pyrography ideas come directly from other fine art styles and media of works. This Lantern fish is a permanent marking pen drawing on Bristol board, brightly accented with colored pencils. It was the inspiration for the wood carving fish above.
Want a free pattern to try your own mixed media fish design. Here’s one! And I have two free pattern packs, ready to download, on my pattern website at ArtDesignsStudio.com.
And … one more idea that fits better in the fish tank then in the standard hobby box. You can use any pattern as the bases for your next practice board. Just because you want a chance to check your tip temperature, establish your strokes and textures, or set your tonal value before you work on your main project doesn’t mean that practice board needs to be a boring, useless grid design.
Have fun! ~Lora
Burning & Carving Fish Read More »
