Marquetry - what is it? Marquetry on wood for beginners: description of technology, recommendations

Wood in the interior as a decor can be used everywhere. Oak, juniper, walnut, ash, cherry, mahogany - the color spectrum is so diverse that even an unpretentious drawing looks amazing. And let not always have the opportunity to purchase furniture from expensive wood, marquetry woodwork allows you to decorate the interior, significantly reducing costs. Even if relatively inexpensive materials are used, the furniture looks elegant and original.

What does "marquetry" mean

When a beginner hears this word for the first time, he asks the question: "Marquetry - what is it?" The term marqueterie is taken from the French language, in translation means "mosaic". The principle of this technique is as follows: thin plates of valuable species of wood are collected in a separate pattern and are glued to the substrate. This is a kind of inlay. The basis can be the simplest wood. The work uses plates, the so-called veneer (in translation from German means "chip"), a thickness of not more than 3 mm, varied in color and texture. Of these, and create mosaic paintings of extraordinary beauty, decorate furniture, walls, floors, ceilings.

Historical reference

According to the scholars of art, the technique of marquetry was known many thousands of years ago. During the excavations of the ancient tombs of the pharaohs unique products were found using a mosaic made of cedar and ebony. Masters of Ancient Greece and Rome also successfully used it in the decor of the premises and in the decoration of furniture. In the Renaissance there is a powerful breakthrough in the technical part: the invention of a special machine made it possible to establish the production of sawn veneer, and the facing of furniture with valuable timber acquired a mass character. The population begins to be interested in marquetry, what it is, almost everyone knows. Wooden mosaic is becoming not only popular, but also more affordable. The work uses up to hundreds of valuable tree species, their rich color palette and diverse texture allow you to create real masterpieces.

In the 18th century, the art of wooden mosaic came to Russia. The mosaic was used to decorate floors, walls, doors, furniture. The most popular subjects in those days were scenes from the Bible, natural motifs, landscapes, geometric patterns. In passing, the craftsmen are developing new techniques: engraving, etching, tinting, ignition. This allows you to achieve greater naturalness, similarity to the original and show the originality and originality of the master.

Today the technique of marquetry is no less popular. Wooden mosaic is used not only for interior decoration and furniture, but also for creating beautiful panels, paintings, wall panels, stained glass.

The choice of veneer: tips for beginners

As in any other case, experience is needed here. The person who first starts to work, there are many questions, many seem complicated, including the very meaning of marquetry, what it is, and also the main components of the work in this technique. The advice of experienced masters greatly simplifies the task and makes the process an exciting activity. For example, when choosing veneers, remember that its color changes after grinding and varnishing. A special palette will help the beginner, in which the veneer plates are arranged in a circle, from lighter to darker. So you can correctly choose the shade, using the basic law of technology - the law of contrasts. It turns out that the same pattern will look different if you use a veneer of different textures and colors. And one more cunning: each plate on one side can be varnished to have a complete picture of the future color.

Lighting

Incorrect lighting is detrimental to future work. With dim or, on the contrary, it is too bright to easily make mistakes in the choice of color. Better natural scattered light or as close to it as artificial lighting.

Knife-cutter: how to make yourself

The main adaptation of the master is a special steel knife with a flat beveled blade. If you did not find it ready for sale, it's easy to make it yourself from a medical scalpel. Its part should be blunted on the grindstone along the entire length and attach the handle. Or you can simply wrap its lower part with electrical tape. Alternatively, you can improve a dangerous razor by dulling its lower part to avoid cuts on your fingers, and wrapping an insulating tape or tape. Such tools should be several: for small and large parts. Whatever the knife-cutter was made from, the main parameters can be identified as follows: blade thickness - from 1 to 1.5 mm, width - from 10 to 15 mm, length - from 15 to 20 mm, bevel angle - 30-45 Degrees.

Essential tools for marquetry

All work is carried out on a special table with an inclined top, covered with rigid polystyrene. If this is not the case, you need to prepare a separate lid with a slope and use it on a regular table as a working surface. In addition to the knife, you will need:

• A bar for honing. It is recommended to sharpen the knife immediately before starting work. Use for this purpose a special abrasive bar, moistened with water. Sharpening is a delicate process. It is not recommended to use an electric sharpener, so you can burn the cutting edge of the knife.
• Sanding leather. It is used to straighten the blade in the process. Usually a small piece is glued on a wooden bar. So the knife neatly cuts the veneer, does not tear the edges, the cut turns out to be perfectly even, the veneer practically does not crumble, and the resulting parts are easier to join together.
• Copy paper.
• Whatman.
• A simple pencil.
• The gel pen is black.
• Ruler.
• Eraser.
• PVA glue.
• Nitrolac.
• Drill with special nozzles for grinding.
• Sandpaper of different granularity.
• Buttons.
• The gummed tape.
• Press.
• Sponges.
• Buttons.

Advantages of gummed tape

Often experienced masters share secrets with beginners, talking about marquetry, what it is, what basic tools and materials are used, necessarily indicate individual details and possible mistakes in work. For example, you can not use scotch, it leaves traces of glue, which is difficult to get rid of. Therefore, the best option is the use of gummed tape, a special paper strip, one side of which is treated with glue. When wetted with water, the second side also becomes sticky. When buying, do not choose too wide a tape, it is inconvenient to work with small details. In this case, it can be cut along into small strips.

Creating a marquetry step by step

1. First, the idea of a picture is born, a sketch is prepared, and a contour drawing is applied to the paper. In the technique of marquetry, sketches are the basis of all work. They are guided when individual parts are ready and add to the overall picture. They are prepared on a scale of 1: 1, more precisely, they are a template for the future picture, all the details are laid out and attached to them. Marquetry drawings can be created manually or copied from already finished works. In this case, they increase to the desired size and are transferred to a sheet of paper. It is recommended to beginners to use millimeter paper. If you are just starting to work in this technique, it is useful to visit several master classes on marquetry for beginners in order to understand the basic requirements and secrets of technology.

2. Further, some details of the picture are obscured, the artist determines the lighter and darker, in order to then select the appropriate veneer. In this case, the main thing is the shade, not the grade of the tree and its cost.

3. A ready-made model is applied to the wooden substrate using a carbon copy paper.

4. Separate details of the composition are cut from the veneer by hand and folded into the mosaic pattern.

5. If necessary, the marquetry technique allows through firing of individual parts in quartz sand, staining and engraving.

6. All the details are put in their places. On the reverse side of the sheet, they must be carefully fixed with adhesive tape. It is recommended to add large compositions in parts.

7. Above, the future mosaic is smeared with glue and pressed onto the substrate. If necessary, iron can be ironed, then you can walk through the separate parts of the composition with a press.

8. When the glue dries, the adhesive tape is removed.

9. The picture is polished and varnished. If necessary, insert into the frame.

That's all. In principle, nothing difficult, if you follow these recommendations. To begin with, it's good to take simpler compositions, gradually moving to more complex ones. Experience is a best friend and an indicator of skill.