The Boulle Method produces two marquetries minimum. It’s almost like a photograph and a photographic negative. I knew I’d get one Quilted Maple/Cherry, and one Cherry/Quilted Maple, so I included two backgrounds. That’s also why I inserted two HRM white stem thingies.
Here we can see things beginning to take shape in my velvet-lined tray. Fabric for tray linings ought to have three basic characteristics. (My view)
1- Substantial nap, like felt or velvet. This means parts won’t move. It’s the very same reason kindergarten teachers tell stories on felt boards with felt dolls. Put it there and it won’t move.
2- Solid color. No pattern. I want things instantly visible. I don’t want to have to hunt around.
3- Not wood colored. As it happens, this puts the most desirable fabrics right smack dab in the middle of Ugly Country. I don’t care. I want utility, and ugly delivers the goods.
See how the concept of photograph/negative is displayed in the two goblet flowers?
The method I used also happens to produce weird mutants...kind of like some “Island of Doctor Moreau” freaks. I put this together for a little more than kicks. It’s good to have things around that might not go right. It’s best if those things have little or no value.
While my method *could* be described as Painting in Wood because of the insertion of the hard rock maple partial layers, I think that might be pushing it. Because of those partial layers it isn’t Straight Boulle, but it’s very close.
*Careful about that phrase Painting in Wood. It means a specific thing. It doesn’t mean, “I like it”, or, “It’s nice.” I’ve seen the terminology used quite wrong, even by some respected Interwebs Woodworking Instructors.
Cool! Can definitely see the difference between negative (final) and positive (first) panels. Hopefully, not a difficult educational comparison to build.
Is the discard veneer reusable? I look at Patrick Edwards latest post and wonder how his long term supply can hold up for as many years as he claims.
hbmcc
I think that various pieces of veneer are/can be reusable much in the same way one might answer for an ordinary woodshop. If a piece is big enough to be featured in an upcoming project, I’ll keep it and reuse. Very little veneer is damaged in the process. Odd or irregularly shaped pieces might not be worthwhile to keep around. It’s pretty much a case by case decision.
I can’t comment directly on what Patrick said about his veneer quantities, but he’s got a lot.
Off Topic: Depending on a few variables, I might try to include some tutorial posts on the topic of “Drawing the Acanthus.” The drawing is the key, whether it’s marquetry, carving, or just setting out any good design. I took a big break from woodworking and taught myself* to draw the acanthus, along with a lot of other vegetative forms. It’s a lot of work, so I make no promises. The design seen above was sort of hybrid; tracing 65% and improvising 35%. It seems like an OK design, but there are some aspects I’m not doing again.
*Ha! Taught myself? Such as it is...
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