Modern Marquetry: Decorating with Wood

The Art of Marquetry: Decorating with Wood

“Thank you for following these lessons and learning how to make a marquetry mirror frame. I hope that you enjoyed it and you are inspired to continue to create artworks using the technique of marquetry. Before I leave I want to make a quick recap of all the steps you have to go through to achieve your Final Project. I recommend you practise smaller samples to really get to know the materials before embarking on bigger projects. You will need; a selection of real wood marquetry veneers, a scalpel and spare blades for cutting, a wooden frame to create your final project. wood glue, sandpaper from rough to fine grit, and varnish or wax to finish your piece. You will also need two outer pressing boards, at least six G clamps, as well as materials for drawing down your designs. In addition to this, you will need some items to hang the piece. I used a staple gun and strong cotton tape. First, you will go through the process of cutting veneers, by trying out a few simple shapes. After that, you will take a look at methods of drawing and I will show you how I create drawings by hand and using Adobe Illustrator. You will then begin to plan your mirror frame design for the final project.

Once you’ve created your design drawing you will translate it onto the backing veneer and build the image using the window method. When you have completely cut your design, I showed you a could of ways of fixing mistakes and altering the image if you wish to change anything. As soon as the design is perfected I showed you how to glue and press it to the wooden frame using the outer boards and clamps. The piece will be dry after 24 hours and so you will remove the clamps and trim and sand the piece to reveal the final frame. Finally, I showed you how to varnish the frame, and how to add the mirror and even give you a few tips on hanging the piece. Remember that wood veneer is a natural material so it may not always behave how you expect the first time. However, with patience, I know you can achieve great results. If you have any questions or need any further tips, please ask me. You can also join the forum to share your ideas with other students and help them along their creative journey ”

Partial transcription of the video

“Final Project Now I'm going to talk to you about your final project and how you can make it your own. Thank you for following along and I hope that you've enjoyed learning the technique of marquetry. I've enjoyed showing you and I hope that you continue to create beautiful pieces of your own. We started off by setting up a workspace, and then we learned how to cut veneers and build designs. I showed you my approach to drawing, both digitally and by hand. We moved on to the final project, and I took you through the stages, from designing to cutting, gluing, pressing and trimming. I showed yo...”

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Course summary for: Modern Marquetry: Decorating with Wood

• Level: Beginner
• 100% positive reviews (32)
• 1130 students
• 4 units
• 13 lessons (1h 55m)
• 2 downloads

• Category

  Craft

• Areas

  Accessory Design, Arts & Crafts, DIY, Interior Design, Woodworking