The Music

The first step is to listen deeply to the music that we love. It's an immersive state that lets the music flow over me, I let the music take my imagination where it goes.

If I feel that the song deserves attention it goes into my 'ideas' list. If not it is possibly placed in to a 'maybe' list that may need a second listen at a later date.

Sketch and Baltic Birch

A rough sketch is drawn onto paper and edited a few times before being placed onto a sheet of Baltic Birch plywood.

Colours are chosen as a rough idea as to the theme and mood of the piece, this inevitably is altered as the art comes together.

Sometimes, the piece is put on hold as the image does not speak to me after making it to the plywood, this piece sits on a shelf looking at me awaiting it's turn.

I have found while working on another piece an idea pops up that makes it come together.

Scroll Saw

A Scroll Saw is used to cut along the lines that make up the 'jigsaw', each part is carefully placed in sequence to keep the puzzle organized. Sometimes, due to complexity, pictures are taken at various stages to avoid confusion - which does not make for a good day !

Grits 80, 120 and 180

Sanding is the most time and energy consuming part of the process. On average a 14 x 16 consumes about 4 to 6 hours of continuous sanding by hand to get the rough edges off. Starting is not my favorite but there is something satisfying in finishing this part of the process.

Painting

This is where it begins to come together! Triple coats of quality Acrylic paint, layered at times to produce a 3D effect are applied over the primed coat. Sometimes, as mentioned before, the colour scheme changes because the it didn't produce the desired effect I was after.

In this one titled 'Mother' the prism was added along with the fitting pink tint highlights in Mr. Pinks hair. From the beginning to the end there is a constant satisfying evolution to any piece.

Gluing and Framing

After a triple check for fitment, each piece back is applied with some Tite-Bond 2 wood glue and placed in it's spot, weights applied over night. Framed in a quality frame, Ikea or in-house made, Solid reclaimed Oak or Cherry wood.

The Reclaimed Oak or Cherry wood frames are made from spacing sticks used to Kiln dry indoor use lumber.