Book possibilities

[workin for wood]

There is alot of intarsia books out there, and certainly I have not viewed every one of them, but what I have seen is books directed at the very basics of intarsia with simple designs being the main focus. Another problem that I see is that the books focus on a single persons point of view and style. Imagine if there was a book with 6-10 different intarsia artists all doing a chapter with their own point of view and style. I'm just tossing this thought out there, see what the wind picks up. I imagine a contest personally. Amatuers and professionals, you build and intarsia...a great one, not a 20piece simple one. It'll be like some of the best of the best designs. You'd start with how you developed your pattern, then work through your processes of assembly, adding in your personal tricks of the trade, on down to mounting and final finish. Perhaps a total 15-30 pages.
The way I see it, sure we'd all love to have a book, but some of us don't have the time, or are fearful that we put in so much work and don't pick up a publisher. There's only so much room for books on such a topic as well, so not everyone can have a book. This book idea could be revolutionary, or maybe just a dumb idea, I don't know. I figure that a company like fox chapel, especially by having a forum like this, can easily reach the masses in this topic, to initiate such a thing. I wouldn't point a finger at any one person and say, "you're in". I'd say create, then build, then write your chapter with pictures, burn to cd, mail it in and let your work be judged. It would be an oportunity that anyone can have their shot at a part in a book deal, and if you lose, well at least you had an opportunity. By having the greatest designs by many different artists, you not only have a great all in one teaching guide, but you'd have an art book as well.
So chew on that I guess...just a little something I dreamt up while truckin the nation. Greatest thing about truck driving is that you have alot of time to think about what you want to do with your life when you grow up.

[stevebuk]

i think this would be a good idea to see different peoples thought and ways of doing intarsia, but i feel it would be better seen if all the participants did the same piece of intarsia so we can see their angle of why they did it their way.

[MacS]

Jeff,

I think you might be spending a little to much time thinking. (lol) <grinning>

[ChuckD]

Jeff, that is a neat idea. Each would start on how the pattern was designed and go from there all the way thru finishing. (with each pattern included) That is a book I would buy for sure.

[Tor]

I think this would be a great way to help people, especially those getting started, so they could see one work being taken from wood selection through to final display piece in many different ways. This might make it less intimidating for new people, in that they would be shown that there is no one right way to do things, and great for those with more experience, in showing how other artists would approach and then execute a work.

I'd enjoy getting my hands on something like that.

Tor

[workin for wood]

You nailed it Chuck. I bet everyone has a somewhat different way they come up with a pattern and right on down the line. To have several people just build one picture will be like the toni/sue challenge. It's great because you get so many interpretations, but in the end you have only one pattern and no idea how to generate that pattern. Not only that, but people have their own themes that go with their styles...some people do cats, some do birds, some do people, and on and on. By having different themes you get to see also how people tackle different situations. I personally think it's a brilliant idea, but I'm not a publishing company.

[Rolf]

Jeff,
I certainly think that is a great Idea and I would assume you and would write a chapter. Actually there are several really great intarsia artists on this site that I could see contributing, Jannete.

[workin for wood]

yea, I'd write a chapter, but that doesn't mean I'd get into the book. That's my proposed idea anyhow.

[JimSawyer]

I'd buy it in a heartbeat. I haven't done intarsia myself, but I've always been interested in it. I'd like to hear an opinion from someone at Fox Chapel. I think it's a great idea.

[Sue Chrestensen]

Did we offend you Jeff? you've brought up our "challenges" a couple times now..