Lathe Art - How To Start Doing Lathe Art By Creating A Picture With Wood Strips

Years ago, my family enjoyed going to a small chain restaurant in town called the Ponderosa. It was affordable, and they served solid food. I liked it myself. But the thing that really stayed with me after the meal was over was the artwork they decorated with. The pictures were made out of thin strips of wood, fixed together to create landscapes, seascapes and scenery. It was so very comfortable to look at. Well, the Ponderosa here eventually went out of business, and now there is yet one more hamburger joint in town. That makes at least six, and this is a small town. Does this not seem a bit much?

In the years that have since gone by, there were a lot of bills to pay, sports and dances to take the kids to, and just plain things to do. I was busy. What can I say? A while back, I met a lady. It was not really spare time that she used in which to paint, but she painted every night after work. She was, and still is relentless about it. Painting is important to her, so she keeps doing it. Eventually, I told her about the art work I remembered from the Ponderosa. She must have held on to the idea, because the next year for Christmas, I got a precut kit of a seascape in lathe art.

At that time, it seemed to me that it would take a very gifted and artistic type of a person to create one of these pictures. I had no idea that I was able to do it! Now that lady that I was telling you about, has a work shop. Complete with all the tools. I was a little surprised too. She even knew how to use the tools! On our day off in the winter, she would have a fire going in the wood stove, and work on her projects all day out there. She did furniture refinishing and repairs. That was where my lathe art project was assembled.

After I put it together, it was easy to see that it would not be hard to continue, and create my own unique piece. All that was needed was a flat background to glue the wood strips to, and of coarse the wooden strips of wood. Where the edges needed to be formed for the strips, was an easy cut out on her band saw. All it took to get me going was a piece of 3/8" plywood, about 2' wide by 16" tall, and a two foot long 2"x4" that I ripped into 1/4" stats on the table saw.

I then drew a very simple picture to begin with on the plywood. It was an old red barn, with hills in the background. Almost like some of the folk art paintings. Just totally simple. The wood strips were placed on the plywood to be marked for each of the cuts. After all of the cuts were made to the wood strips, I assembled them, and glued them in place on the plywood. And voila! So easy to paint when all of the edges are already there for you! To keep the theme of the painting simple, I bordered it with straight cut and thinner strips, then framed it by cutting right angles on the end of 2" wide strips of wood, a little thicker than the slats that made up the picture.

The lady thinks that the piece is beautiful. It now hangs in our living room. Now I ask myself why I ever waited so long to try it. It's even a little easier to look forward to cold winter days!
To see more of the work I have done in lathe art, please visit my lady's website at http://www.reversepaintinglady.com and look for the Lathe Art page. Since beginning to work in this medium, I have also done some pictures in natural wood tones, using only different types of wood with varying grains to create the scenery.