DIY Network

James Stanley: Iris, part 1 He might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but he can sculpt wood! From "Woodsculpting" episode DWDS-111

Intricately sculpted iris, by Jigsaw James.
James Stanley working on the final stage of his sculpture.

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it's James Stanley! Or, as his friends call him, "Jigsaw James!" by day he’s a fairly typical single thirty-one year old working in a local Atlanta flower shop. He needs the money of course, but his other motives are also true.

This artist is a fan of the man of steel and finds inspiration from this fictional character. James finds the simple act of donning a Superman t-shirt gives him the drive to try harder, to push the limits - much like the hero. Only his heroism translates into creating his unique and beautiful art form.

His technique involves a 20-inch square sheet of plywood and a jigsaw, eventually yielding hundreds of little pieces of wood. A handful of which he’ll raise with 5" drywall screws and then glue the remaining pieces to the ones screwed down - building in peaks and valleys as he goes. A quick once over with a sanding attachment, primer and paint, and you have a Jigsaw James super work!

James graciously demonstrates his unique style of wood sculpting by creating an Iris flower in relief.

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Materials:

1/2-inch particle board
1/2-inch plywood
pencil
electric jigsaw
jigsaw blades
drill
phillips head drill bit
countersink drill bit
wire brush attachment for drill
5-inch drywall screws
hot glue gun
glue sticks
spray-on acrylic primer
oil paints
brushes

Steps:

1. Start by selecting a photograph or subject.

2. Sketch out by freehand onto plywood (Figure A). These pencil lines serve as a guideline for the tedious step of cutting the flower into multiple tiny pieces–much like a puzzle.

3. Cut a sheet of particle board to the size of the piece of plywood to serve as a backboard (Figure B).

Figure A

Figure B

4. Cut out the silhouette of the iris first (Figures C & D). This will become the "puzzle form" to keep the pieces of wood organized. It is helpful to use a weight to hold the plywood in place while working with the saw.

Figure C

Figure D

5. Remove the "inner" silhouette of the iris from the plywood (Figure E). Place the "outer" silhouette, or "puzzle form," of the iris onto the backboard (Figure F). This will serve as the form to reassemble the pieces as you cut.

Figure E

Figure F

6. Again, using a weight to hold down the iris, start cutting the flower into small pieces and placing them back into the "puzzle form" (Figures G & H). It is helpful to cut a couple of pieces at a time (Figure I) and then carefully place them back where they came from in the "outer" silhouette using it as a frame to keep them in place.

Figure G

Figure H

Figure I

7. As each piece gets sawed off, the original work becomes smaller and smaller and harder to hold. When this happens, attach a scrap of wood using a drywall screw to form an extension (Figure J). The holes created by the screws will later get patched with hot glue. Hold down the extension with the weight and finish cutting out the flower pieces. Continue to reassemble and arrange all pieces into "puzzle form" (Figure K).

Figure J

Figure K

8. Once the pieces have been cut and reassembled with the "puzzle form," secure the "outer" silhouette to the backboard. First pre-drill the holes into each of the four corners (Figures L & M).

Figure L

Figure M

Then, countersink each screw hold so the screws can be filled and made invisable later. Next, secure using 5--inch drywall screws. Using screws this long will create a platform for you to work on the sculpture (Figures N & O).

Figure N

Figure O

RESOURCES :
For tips on making a jigsaw puzzle, visit:
www.jigsawjungle.com

For beginner tips on using oil paints, check out
http://painting.about.com/od/oilpainting/

To contact "Jigsaw James" Stanley send an email to:
jstan1578@aol.com