Scroll Saw Village

We’re beginning a brand new class on using the free program Inkscape to create scroll saw patterns. The class is being taught over at Scroll Saw Village in the Village University forum. The class will last 4 weeks with 2 lessons released each week. You’ll find video demonstrations, written instructions, downloadable source material, and classroom discussion where you’ll have all your questions answered.

This is the first installment in Making Scroll Saw Patterns With Inkscape. In this video, we discuss what you can expect from the class. We also talk about what is Inkscape and where to get it. Then we take a quick tour of the user interface.

Be sure to join us in this exciting class. Before long, you’ll be a pattern making expert!

If you enjoyed this pattern making series, please consider a small donation.
Proceeds go to supporting SSG podcast and other tutorials. Thank you for your support.
Make A Donation

Want to learn to make your own scroll saw patterns?  With the success of the GIMP class on making scroll saw portrait patterns, we’re turning our attention to Inkscape.  Beginning next Teusday (Sept. 1st) we’ll be holding a 4 week course on how to use Inkscape to create your own scroll saw patterns.  Lessons will be released on Tuesdays and Thursdays .  Each lesson will include video tutorials, written instruction, downloadable source materials, and classroom discussions where you can get your questions answered.  The class will be held in the Village University forum at Scroll Saw Village.  The first 6 lessons, we’ll cover the fundamentals of using this amazing (and free) program.  The last two lessons, we’ll create two projects; a potpourri/trinket box and a desk clock.  The class and program is free.  So be sure to join us at Scroll Saw Village.  See you there!

I was digging through the archives of Scroll Saw Workshop and came across this blog post that I found really interesting. Steve uses polymer clay as an inlay for some of his projects. This is a great way to add color and adds a unique flare you wouldn’t find anywhere else. I think it would take a little experimentation on your part to hone the process, but I think there could be some really cool possibilities here. Check it out!

This episode is all about sharing my latest projects.  If you can’t see the video below, please go to Scroll Saw Goodies and check it out there.

Wood Deals Online – I wanted to share a project that I’ve been working on over the last few weeks.  What started out as a tool to make my life easier, I quickly realized other folks would really enjoy this too.  But first, a little backstory.  I normally like to buy my  lumber online.  I find that I have a better selection and the prices are very reasonable.  One of my favorite places to shop for wood is eBay.  However, if you have ever shopped through eBay, it can be a bit overwhelming.  There is a lot of information thrown at you, you have to sift through so much garbage, and it can be cumbersome to find what you’re looking for.  So I created brand new website called WoodDealsOnline.com.   I gather all of the information from eBay and package it up in a nice friendly interface and organized it for easy shopping. We have woods broken into craft type (pen turning, wood turning, carving, scroll sawing, marquetry, etc.).  We also have the woods broken down by species, which intarsia artists will absolutely love!  So if you’re looking for birdseye maple or the all elusive ebony, it’s just a click away.  We even have the woods broken down by characteristics such as burl, spalting, tiger, etc.  This website is mostly geared to the woodcrafter/small woodworker, but furniture builders will find it very useful as well.

Be sure to check out the above video for a tour of the new website, then head over to Wood Deals Online and kick the tires a bit.  I confident you’ll like what you see.  Make sure you bookmark the website so that when you’re ready to buy wood for your next project, you’ll have it available.  You won’t regret it.

The Village Square – I’m happy to announce The Village Square, a monthly newsletter brought to you by Scroll Saw Village.  Subscribing to the newsletter is absolutely free.  Inside you’ll find informative articles, tips, pattern/project spotlights and more.  It will be conveniently delivered to your email inbox on the first Monday of each month.  Be sure to sign up now so you don’t miss out on a single issue!

The Village Store – When Scroll Saw Goodies was hosted on blogspot.com (before moving to Scroll Saw Village), I had a small Amazon associates store where I hand picked a number of products I believe my readers would enjoy.  It took some time, but I finally brought it back.  The store is now hosted on Scroll Saw Village.  You can easily find it in the top navigation bar.  Inside you’ll find a lot of great books organized by subject, a nice selection of clipart, professional graphics suites, and even scroll saws.  There are a lot of great stuff inside, so be sure to check it out.  If you don’t find what you’re looking for, click the Amazon banner to shop directly from Amazon.  It doesn’t cost you any extra, and any purchases made as a result of the store or banner helps support this podcast and website.  So next time you think of Amazon shopping, think of us and click our banner first.  You’re support is greatly appreciated.  We also have associate links to Rockler and Woodcraft.  So check those out too.

Inkscape Class – One last announcement that I didn’t cover in the video, we will be holding an Inkscape class starting at the beginning of September.  We’ll learn to use Inkscape to create our own scroll saw patterns.  It will operate much the same way as our GIMP class.  It will be held in the Village University forum and include video demonstrations, written instructions and class discussions.  It will be a 4 week class, with 2 lessons each week.  So mark your calender.

The online class that was taught at Scroll Saw Village on Creating Scroll Saw Portrait Patterns with GIMP is now available on DVD.  This is the exact same series you can download (and participate in) for free in the Scroll Saw Village forums.  So why offer it on DVD?  Some folks have trouble with downloading video because of dial-up issues or older computers.  Or maybe they want the convenience of learning in the comfort of their own living room.  Either way, we made the class available on DVD.  You’ll get 2 DVD’s that include all of the video instruction.  1 bonus DVD demonstrating how I taking the base pattern to final product, 1 CD that includes all of the written instruction (in PDF format) and additional source material.  This 4 disk set includes over 4.5 hours of instruction, showing you each step of the way.  Perfect for beginners or advanced.  This set is priced at only $15 (which includes shipping).  Not only do you get great information, you’re also helping to support future episodes of SSG!  Doesn’t that make you feel good?  So if you want your own copy of this amazing class, click the Buy Now button below and I’ll send you a copy right away.

Note: This offer is good for US Residents.  Outside of the US, please contact me for more information.  This is presented in NTSC and on DVD-R format.  Some older DVD players may not play DVD-R formatted disks.

Here’s a great 3 part video series created by Chris (aka messman) of Scroll Saw Village. This series shows how Chris takes a bird photo and turns it into a scroll saw pattern using Adobe Photoshop. He shows you every step of the way and even includes the original photo if you’d like to follow along. You can download the original picture here and ask any questions if you get stuck. Chris is an amazing designer and very helpful. Enjoy the show!
Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Blip.tv video.
Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Blip.tv video.
Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Blip.tv video.

This is the last lesson for our free online class on using GIMP to create scroll saw portrait patterns. This lesson, we’re talking about quality control (sounds so industrial!). We’re checking for potential problems with our pattern and fixing them. Then we’ll mark our pattern and export it to share with the world! You can find the written instructions here, as well as source material and classroom discussion where you can have all of your questions answered. When you’re done with your Shatner portrait, upload it to the Lesson 8 thread. It would be interesting to see how different artists approach the same base photo.

I’d also like to ask a small favor. I have set up a quick 10 question survey to gauge how well we did with this class. The survey is completely anonymous and will help us continue to bring you quality content. You can find the survey here. Thanks!

OK. On with the show!
Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Blip.tv video.

If you enjoyed this pattern making series, please consider a small donation.
Proceeds go to supporting SSG podcast and other tutorials. Thank you for your support.
Make A Donation

We’ve been progressing with the free online class as we learn to use GIMP to create scroll saw portrait pattern. Once we get to the base pattern, much of the rest is personal interpretation. We’re basically just cleaning up the base pattern and making decisions about what remains and what needs to be removed. This can be intimidating, especially if you are new to the process. So, I put together a 3 part video series as I work the portrait from the base pattern to the finished pattern. Sometimes watching someone else work makes it easier and you can pick up a lot of additional tips. I’ve posted these bonus videos below. Enjoy the show!

If you enjoyed this pattern making series, please consider a small donation.
Proceeds go to supporting SSG podcast and other tutorials. Thank you for your support.
Make A Donation

Things are wrapping up a bit. Only one more lesson to go! Last week, I left you dangling a bit to give you a chance to develop the pattern on your own. I gave you some basic tools and concepts and let you go at it. This time, I’ll be giving you a few tips to help you with the facial features. We’ll be talking about the eyes, nose, lips, ears, and hair. These are the parts that give a person their character. I’ll even throw in a tip or two for workflow! Be sure to check out the Village University forum where you can find written instruction, downloadable source material, and classroom discussion where you can have all of your questions answered. Enjoy the show!

If you enjoyed this pattern making series, please consider a small donation.
Proceeds go to supporting SSG podcast and other tutorials. Thank you for your support.
Make A Donation

Now that we have our base pattern, it’s time to clean it up and get it ready for scrolling!  This will be lesson 6 of 8 as we learn to use  GIMP to create our own scroll saw patterns.  The pattern is really starting to take shape.  This episode we talk about using brushes, then we explore the different elements that make up scroll saw patterns.  You can find this video, written instruction, illustrations, and discussion held in our online classroom at Scroll Saw Village in the Village University forum.  It’s free to take and to participate in, so swing on by and say hi.  And now, on with the show!

If you enjoyed this pattern making series, please consider a small donation.
Proceeds go to supporting SSG podcast and other tutorials. Thank you for your support.
Make A Donation