Celebrating Spring's arrival!

[Frank Pellow]

2016-Aug-11 Note:  Keith recently added a 5th pattern to the set available on Sheila's web site.  I modified the tile of this thread to reflect Keith's contribution.

 

 

(part 1 of 4)

 

Note: Because I can’t seem to be able to place photos in-line on the Scroll Saw Village forum, I am splitting this material into four separate posts and clustering photos that would normally be inline at the end of each post.

 

I stumbled upon this series of four plaques at Sheila Landry’s web site about two months ago (http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com/product/SLDK386), ordered them, made them, and this is really what started me on my new scroll saw hobby. I’ve owned a scroll saw, an Excalibur EX30, for 12 years but, until a couple of months ago, had only used it for a total of about five hours. In the last two months, I have probably logged about 80 hours on the machine –to say nothing of the painting, framing, etc. associated with the items that I have produced.

 

Here is a photo of the four seasonal plaques that I cut, painted and framed:

Edited March 20, 2021 by Frank Pellow

[Frank Pellow]

(part 2 of 4)
 
I milled the frames out of Jatoba, sometimes called Brazilian Cherry. I copied the design of the frames from some frames that my Grandfather, Frank Rosseter, made out of Cherry about 60 years ago. They are in the 'Arts and Crafts' style and therefore, emphasize the joints.

 

The current season’s will be screwed to our front door using four cast iron screws.

 

No screws or nails have been used within the sign itself. Rather, the frame has been held together with glue and four medium sized birch Miller dowels.

 

The scroll work has been done using 6mm Baltic birch and that, in turn, is glued to a 12mm thick piece of red oak. I dropped the birch/oak assembly into the frame and held it in place with four Miller dowels inserted through the sides of the frame.

Edited December 12, 2015 by Frank Pellow

[Frank Pellow]

(part 3 of 4)
 
When working on the last of the four plaques, that is the one for Autumn, it occurred to me that it might be nice to have more than just one plaque per season. Maybe one for each month? Maybe even one for special days? That way, visitors would never know what to expect on our front door. So, I decided to take a crack at designing a second Autumn plaque myself. This one has various leaves in bright colours.

 

But, it does seem a little bit much to be building a new frame for each new plaque. So I did not anchor the Autumn plaque to the frame with permanent glued-in dowels. Rather, I used some 7cm long knock-down screws at Lee Valley (00W6501). A couple of them are shown is the first photo below. This one frame is going to be used to hold any additional plaques that I make.

After positioning the one completed plaque into the frame, I drilled through the four holes that had already been drilled into the frame, into the oak backing of the plaque. Because this is Arts and Crafts style, I can feature the knock-down screws. But, I want them to match the iron screws being used to attach the frame to the door; therefore I spray painted them flat-black.

 

In the third photo below, I am about to insert a plaque into the frame. In order to have the holes in the frame line up with those in the backing, one must get the orientation correct. Notice that I marked the bottom of the frame with DOWN in a place that will be covered up.

Edited December 12, 2015 by Frank Pellow

[Frank Pellow]

(part 4 of 4)
 
Now, I was faced with the task was to create a second Autumn plaque that could be fitted into the frame. This was my first attempt at designing something for the scroll saw.

 

I started by purchasing a font called Rebecca from Sheila Landry’s web site. I placed letters of the correct size over the WELCOME of one of the original season designs. Then I found drawing of several different types of leaf clusters from various sources, printed them at the appropriate sizes and taped then over the scene frame of one of the original season designs. I even took a stab at drawing one leaf. This “mock up†is shown in the first photo below.

 

The next step was to cut out the letters as well as the exterior of all the leaves. In a “traditional scroll saw pattern, one would next cut lines in the leaves with the saw. I don’t really want to do that and, even if I wanted to, I’m not at all sure I could figure out how to. The lines in the oak leaves were cut using my scroll saw, but I decided to carve the lines belonging to the other leaves. I thank Rob Brown whose is the editor of Canadian Woodworking magazines, for this idea. In order to mark the places to be carved, I scribed the lines into the wood before removing the paper pattern from the wood. In the second photo below, that is what the Flexcut knife is being used to do. Notice a portion of the small 30 degree parting tool at the top of the referenced photo. This is the tool, along with a very small chisel, that I used do the carving. Six millimetre thick Baltic birch plywood is being used here and I have never carved on a plywood surface before. I attempted to carve so that the groves did not penetrate into the second layer of the wood and, with a very few exceptions, was able to do so.

 

Next came what, for me, was the most difficult part of this project and that is painting the leaves. Until about a month ago I had never done any traditional artistic painting. I did paint the Haida-style totem poles, bentwood boxes, and panels that I have carved but that art is quite abstract and requires very few colours. No attempt is made to mix and to shade colours as must be done in attempt to make objects in the piece look realistic. Sheila Landry includes painting/staining instructions along with the patterns that I have purchased from her and I felt that she had taught me enough to attempt to paint these leaves. In the third photo below, I have painted the two acorns on the cut out plaque on the left and I am attempting various paints/stain/wash colours and combinations on the scrap piece of plywood on the right.

 

You can see one mistake that I made in the design and that is the centre of the O letter has been cut out. The Rebecca font design that I purchased from Sheila has special forms of some letters that one should use to avoid this, but (by mistake) I neglected to use that form of the O. I did keep the centre piece and glued it onto the oak backing panel.

 

The last photo below shows the completed and framed alternative Autumn plaque.

 

I’m happy with this and I think that I have achieved my two objectives of (1) painting all leaves in real colours that one would see for their species in nature and (2) having a good balance of colours. No two leaves have the same colour. I'm quite amazed that, after a lifetime of thinking that I had no artistic painting skills, that it appears I do have some such skills.

 

That's all that I plan to do on this project during 2015.  But, during 2016, I would like to come up with another 7 panels to insert into the frame.  I've thought of one; that is four different songbirds sharing one spring panel.  It's not easy to come up with a tall skinny seasonal scene.  I solicit your suggestions and, even rough sketches.

Edited December 12, 2015 by Frank Pellow

[jamminjack]

Hey Frank,

 

Very nice work....Especially like the frames.  Very nice indeed. All the panels show off your talent.

 

I see you are a tickler for detail, all signs of a true craftsman.

 

Thank you for sharing

[wedo scroll]

Frank, love your work and the details you put into these plaques. They are very attractive and I hope you are pleased with them as much as I am.

Bill

[Scrappile]

They turned out great.  Thanks for the tutorial to go along with them. 

[amazingkevin]

 

(part 1 of 4)

 

Note: Because I can’t seem to be able to place photos in-line on the Scroll Saw Village forum, I am splitting this material into four separate posts and clustering photos that would normally be inline at the end of each post.

 

I stumbled upon this series of four plaques at Sheila Landry’s web site about two months ago (http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com/product/SLDK386), ordered them, made them, and this is really what started me on my new scroll saw hobby. I’ve owned a scroll saw, an Excalibur EX30, for 12 years but, until a couple of months ago, had only used it for a total of about five hours. In the last two months, I have probably logged about 80 hours on the machine –to say nothing of the painting, framing, etc. associated with the items that I have produced.

 

Here is a photo of the four seasonal plaques that I cut, painted and framed:

Well your time is well spent scrolling i assure you.

nice job

so nice to see

perfect outcome

clean work

 

Very precision work you do

 

looks like you know all the tricks of the trade already

 

nice clean job

 

I appreciate your doing this post for us

meticulously done

Beautiful job!

I'm looking forward to seeing lots more of your welcome work coming soon.Don't miss a day here as you'll never know what tips and tricks come in.

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2015 by amazingkevin

[Phantom Scroller]

I have to say you've done an excellent job there and loved the pictures on the manufacture.        Roly

[don in brooklin on]

I have seen in person and they are better than the pictures.

 

Great job Frank

[Rob]

What a great idea those plaques are.  Beautifully made and I love the patterns too.  As for other tall skinny design ideas, how about daffodils, trailing ivy, tulips, a bushel of wheat?

 

 

Rob

[Frank Pellow]

Thanks amazingkevin, it's good to see that someone here can insert the photos where I want them to be inserted.  It's too bad that someone is not me.

[Frank Pellow]

Thanks for the compliments Rob.

 

Also, thanks for the suggestions about possible subjects for new plaques.  I was a farm labourer for a summer job as a teenager and stooked and harvested lots of grain.  So I should be abler to come up with something for the wheat.  I lived near the Tulip farms in the Skagit Valley in Washington State for many years and, each spring we would visit the fields of daffodils and tulips on display during the annual Tulip Festival.  So, they too, would be appropriate.

Edited December 14, 2015 by Frank Pellow

[Frank Pellow]

It seems that I lied when I said I would do no more on this in 2015.  I'm building a very complicated computer games table for my grandson and it requires many glue-ups.  Also, I need to take a break from that project every now and then.  What better to occupy my time when not working on the table than another seasonal plaque?

 

If already cut all the Baltic Birch panels and oak backing boards that I will need for all 12 plaques, so it's just a "simple" matter of designing a scene, pasting it to the birch panel and cutting.  Isn't it?

 

Earlier today I put together the panel shown in the photo below.  The panel uses the Scroll Arabolical font that I got from 'Don in Brooklin' and selected songbirds from Sheila Landry's Songbird Ornament sets SLD364 and SLD365. 

Edited December 14, 2015 by Frank Pellow

[heppnerguy]

Wow, Frank, I wish I had your talents. You certainly have a grasp on the knowledge and skills to create some really beautiful items. I saw Sheila's plaques and thought they were OK , but nothing I would be really interested in making but you showed that if one has the ability to "go that extra mile", things will turn out even better than one can imagine by only coping the patterns as they few them on line. Like your friend said, they are even better than the photos show.

 

 

Dick

heppnerguy

[Scrolling Steve]

Awesome work Frank!.....Very nice!!

[Frank Pellow]

'Scrolling Stecve' and 'heppneguy', I thank you both for your compliments. 

 

 'heppnerguy', I think the fact that I am very new to scroll-sawing and artistic -painting but have been a woodworker all my life helps me to see many other aspects of any project and helps me to "go that extra mile" as you put it.  The "extra mile" stuff  on a project is the "normal" stuff to me, where as the scrool-sawing and artistic painting is "extra".

[Frank Pellow]

Here is an update on my progress.

 

The Baltic Birch plywood panel for the second spring plaque has now been entirely sawn.  A photo of the panel sitting on a paper towel is attached.

 

The next step will be, for me, the most difficult one and that will be to paint the panel.

 

By the way, I continue to seek suggestions (drawings even) that I can us for the remaining six plaques that I would, Eventually, like to make.

[Frank Pellow]

Second Spring Plaque Complete:

It's taken quite awhile, but I finally around to painting the plaque with all the spring birds:

From the top the birds are:

 

•Purple Finch

•North American Robin

•Chickadee

•Gold Finch


Now, I there are only six plaques left to design and make. 

Edited January 13, 2016 by Frank Pellow

[Frank Pellow]

It's spring today.  So it's time to put a different plaque on our front door.

[Jim McDonald]

Frank

Great work and a great series.

 

Makes me want to get out the brushes.

[don in brooklin on]

Really Cool Frank

 

I wish I could paint like that .  Every time I get something fine I call the boss.

 

Don

[EarltheScroller]

Wonderful series. I just ordered them to make and put on our front door. Hope mine look half as good as yours. I hope to incorporate some of your ideas.  

[Frank Pellow]

Issue 63 of ScrollSaw Woodworking magazine contains a article about of a 5th seasonal WELCOME sign.  This one is a summer plaque with grapes growing on the trellis.  Keith Fenton, who (as I understand it)  is Sheila Landry's partner, designed, made, and documented the plaque.

 

I'm attaching a photo of Keith's plaque.

 

About six months ago, I appealed to Sheila to come up with more plaques in the series and I am very happy to see this addition.  Will there be more?

 

Of course, I am going to build a plaque using Keith's pattern.  I will document my efforts in this thread so WATCH THIS SPACE.

Edited August 11, 2016 by Frank Pellow

[Frank Pellow]

Second Summer WELCOME Plaque:

As was the case for the last three plaques that I made, this one will be built to swap into and out of the shared frame. The first three swap-able plaques were made out of 6mm thick Baltic birch plywood glued onto 12mm thick red oak. When making these, I goofed a couple of times and, when making the holes used to hold the bolts that keep the plaque in place, I drilled partly above the oak’s top surface. To make this almost an impossibility, this time I will make the top surface of the plaque out of 3mm thick Baltic birch then attach it to 15mm thick oak.

After sawing the design and before painting the leaves, I decided to make the leaves look a little more realistic by carving some veins into them. See the first attached photo.

 

 

The stems on many of the leaves are fragile, therefore one has to be very careful when carving them or the stem will break. I know this from experience because I did break off one leaf.  ïŒ The carving was done with a Flexcut 30 degree parting tool.

After completing the painting on the cut-out layer, I spent considerable time picking out the background colour. Both Keith and Sheila used brown backgrounds. But, I opted to go with blues for the first few plaques that I made. Maybe brown would be OK? So, I placed the painted cut-out over several different browns, a couple of greens, and even a grey. Both my wife, Margaret, and I still prefer various blues. In fact, we both think that the blue on the shop towel as shown in in this photo:

 

 

looks good with the deep purple grapes. By that way, this is the colour of the Concord grapes that are native to the part of Ontario where we live.