Thread: From inspiration to a design

A question that is often asked of artist's, performers and creative people is; Where does your inspiration come from?
I wouldn't say I'm any sort of artist but I do look for moments of inspiration. This is one of those moments.....if I am doing some de-rusting one method is to soak in a solution of water and vinegar, if I leave it long enough a skin forms on the suface with quite interesting patterns. Then I ask myself, Can I recreate this in wood? I reckon so!
derusting bath.jpgcloseup derusting skin.jpg

Next is a bit of a scribble of something that is doable and then further refinement with a drawing. The blue is some plastic film.
scribble of a design layout.jpgrefined drawing.jpg

I cut some plastic film templates from the drawing, the templates are used as reference and helps to keep to a consistant size and shape of sections. Also made some ply templates to markout on the timber veneers as I wanted specific grain direction.
plastic templates.jpgply templates.jpg

I setup the zero clearance mdf on the sliding table with some stops/fences at the required angle, I also marked out the three angular shapes on the mdf, I cut some pieces, planed, glued, trimmed to size and then with more cutting, planing, gluing, trimming I ended up with a basic section.
glued up section.jpgstraight side trimmed.jpgtaper side trimmed.jpgcompleted section.jpgcompleted basic section.jpg

When I was satisfied with the setup/process..... I cut some more, planed, glued, trimmed to size and ........ cut, planed, glued and trimmed until I had a stack of basic sections which I then start laying out to see what pattern developes.
Then more planing, gluing........
In the last pic all but three basic sections have been glued to it's reverse to form a paralellogram, also, the last pic is closer to actual colour.
I want to maintain a consistent pattern but there also seems to be a certain randomness in the skin of the vinegar solution, with this in mind I included small random tapered pieces and then to repeat I'll add the same on a larger scale.


laying out sections .jpgmore cutting and gluing.jpgintroducing further segments.jpg

This wll form the front of a cabinet with a pair of doors down low and draws above. The sides will be something similliar with less pattern.
The dark purple timber is macadamia, the pink and brown are silky oak, the brown I'm pretty sure is the local G. Robusta but not sure about the pink one, I did mill it myself from a local treel, I have also milled another pink one another time.


Pete