Drawing with Wood

A Picture

I am continuing to find new ways to work with veneer, usually by accident, so find myself beginning new work before finishing other things. A slip of the scalpel yesterday produced some lovely strands which coiled and twisted with the run of the grain.

A wooden drawing of a see-saw.

Fragmentation

I have been trying to use a technique known as fragmentation, involving tiny pieces of veneer. Cutting across the grain of the wood you can break strips into fragments which can then be packed into a space to create a sort of speckled effect. The idea really relates to traditional formal painting in the way it seems to be used- creating varying concentrations of colour and tone to a picture. Again with drawing this is about getting a material to do what typically a pencil can.

From what I have seen of it the most popular or common use of fragmentation is to create an effect of leaves in trees. Solving the problem of cutting individual leaves and allowing dyed veneers to be used alongside natural ones; fragmentation seems to be one of the more acceptable means of bringing unnatural colour to images.

I think there is potential for many things with this approach and I know that the methods are various and results wide ranging. Of the basic, general techniques of Marquetry this is one I am more intrigued by as it seems a lot more random than straight forward cutting. There is a little less control over the finished result, it is less precise, quite messy and strangely therapeutic. Slithering strands and breaking them up can take a long time, particularly getting the amount of fragments needed to make up a section. I think you can allow the mind to wander a little more whilst doing it. Also ramming the gritty little bits into a hole with lots of glue is enjoyable as is the anticipation of seeing the result.

It reminds me of pebble dashing, not something I’ve ever had the privilege of doing but it seems to have similarities on a different scale. Also as I seem to have various works and ideas underway at the moment the project itself is feeling pretty fragment.

Rummaging

Rummaging through a couple of boxes of veneers held by the Staffs Marquetry group I came across lots of lovely looking things. Veneers are fairly inconsistent and I imagine it can take a long time to understand how to approach their selection. Some are very thick and tough to cut, others wafer thin and frighteningly delicate. Getting the right veneer for the job and it being reasonably easy to work with can be difficult. Often the most interesting veneers visually are the burrs which are typically knotty and coarse and a challenge for even the most practiced cutter.

I photographed some of the things I came across as it is hard to think about the visual diversity of the material when it isn’t all in front of you. Some of the most attractive ones were very plain- hornbeam and horse chestnut; which are beautifully pure and white. I also like the fleshy pinkness of the pear. I wonder about connecting the association with a particular tree with what its timber actually looks like. Does the trees outer appearance correspond to what lies within?

Knowing what type of veneer each is can be pretty difficult and various library references can be referred to. This is very much like looking through a wooden deluxe catalogue which I quite like the idea of.

http://www.staffsmarq.freeserve.co.uk/misc/veneers.htm

Piles

Working in the countryside has a lot to do with piles (not the complaint, but of materials) Piles of things are constantly being moved from one place to another, gathered, bundled together, harvested, moved, mown, stacked, un-stacked, restacked, spread about.

Wood features prominently, there is something very satisfying about a neatly stacked wood pile, chunks and slices of timber ready to be used when the cold comes. Equally a ramshackle and disordered pile of wood has its appeal, bits of timber left over from a past construction, rotting logs and old window frames all thrown together and looking for a use.

My shards of left over veneer reminded me of this. Sitting in little piles they were too good to throw away looking like a snapshot of a miniature timber yard.

I was also reminded of the frequent and horrific sight at art school of piles of boards and off cuts strewn in and around the college skip; leftovers of art making and exhibiting. The aftermath of the 8×4 and the continual cycle of waste.