Scroll Saw Portraits
How to turn Photographs into Wooden
Keepsakes
by Gary Browning
Softcover
215 x 280mm
137pp
Published by Fox Chapel Publishing Co. Inc., East Petersburg PA USA
R.R.P.$39.90
ISBN 1-56523-251-8
As reviewed in The Australian Woodworker Issue 120
Despite the fact that the latter two thirds of this book are devoted to scrollsaw patterns, this is definitely not just a pattern book.
In the first third, author Gary Browning begins by describing how to convert a portrait photograph into a scrollsaw pattern that captures the true likeness of the subject.
The technique involves scanning the photograph and using a graphic arts program (such as Adobe Illustrator) to make the necessary changes to the image. The result is a black and white pattern that can be applied by any of the usual methods to the surface of the wood.
Browning also gives helpful hints on how the pattern should be handled on the saw and gives details of the manner in which he generally mounts his own scrollsawn portraits.
The pattern section of the book contains portraits of many famous people such as Groucho Marx, John Wayne, Albert Einstein and Humphrey Bogart, as well as patterns for animals ranging from a deer to a camel - a total of 71 patterns of varying degrees of difficulty.
About the Author: Gary Browning has used his scroll saw portrait techniques to preserve many treasured family photographs. He also enjoys scrolling portraits of pets, wild animals and celebrities. His techniques and projects have been featured in Scroll Saw Workshop magazine.
Photos: Colour
Contents
Introduction
Gallery
Part
One: Making Portrait Patterns
Choosing the Best Pictures
Converting
the Photo
- Drawing Freehand
- Tracing
- Computer-aided Design
-
What to look for: Computer Software
Special Considerations
- Heavy Shadows
-
Identifying Marks
How-to Demonstration: Making a Pattern from a Photograph
Technique
1: Poster Edges
Technique 2: Layering
Part
Two: Portrait Techniques
An Overview of Tools
- Wood Selection
-
Blade Selection
Additional Considerations
- Mounting the Pattern
-
Stack Cutting
Fixing Mistakes
Step-by-step Cutting Techniques
Part
Three: Creative Uses
Decorative Paints
Stencils
Coloring Books
Sun
Catchers
Greeting Cards
Veneer
Part
Four: Portrait Patterns
Pets
- Cats
- Horse
- Stallion
- Dog
-
Cute Puppy
- Greyhound
- Dog
- Husky
- German Shepherd
Wild Animals
-
Roaring Lions
- Leopards
- Bucks
- Ram
- Bear Eating Salmon
- Polar
Bear
- Howling Wolf
- Wolf
- Camel
- Rhino
- Chimpanzee
-
Koala
- Owl
- Bald Eagles
- Angel Fish
- Spider
- Shark
- Snake
-
Frog
- Seahorse
Christian Figures
- Jesus
- Mary
- Mary with Jesus
-
Pope John Paul
- Angel
- Guardian Angel
Historic Figures
- Curley
-
Chief
- Medicine Man
- Native American
- Native American Mother and Child
-
Cowboy
- Robert E Lee
- Ulyssess S Grant
- Abraham Lincoln
- Ronald
Reagan
- War Hero
- Marines
- Raising the Flag
- Marine
- Albert
Einstein
Sports
- Basketball
- Soccer
- Skateboarding
- Skiing
Halloween
-
Frankenstein
- Wolfman
Famous Faces
- Frank Sinatra
- John Wayne
-
Humphrey Bogart
- WC Fields
- Gene Autrey
- Groucho Marx