To Round or Not to Round

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That is the question. 

I have noticed some "round" or"soften" the edges of each piece while others do not.

Do you round or choose not to and why? If you don't do Intarsia but enjoy seeing it, which look do you prefer?

[multifasited]

That is the question. 

I have noticed some "round" or"soften" the edges of each piece while others do not.

Do you round or choose not to and why? If you don't do Intarsia but enjoy seeing it, which look do you prefer?

    It All depends on the pc and the effect you are after ,some artistic freedom to modify your own view ,of the work you are trying to present .Nothing is cast in stone ,Even patterns are usually modified ,by accident or on purpose ,only the artist really knows which.Thats what art and craftsman ship ,are all about ,indivual taste ,knowledge ,and some times just dumb luck.Wood and grain choices ,the sanding ,carving ,softening or hardening specific areas ,all part of the process,choices make or break a presentation ,from good ,fair ,classic ,extraordinary   or  designer fire wood !!Controlling the focus ,acccenting the certain important details ,comes with experience ,skill and real talent ,talent is a free gift ,We all have it in something ,If it was all the same ,there would not be the need for all of us!

[Jim Finn]

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I have noticed some "round" or"soften" the edges of each piece while others do not.

Do you round or choose not to and why? If you don't do Intarsia but enjoy seeing it, which look do you prefer?
  I much prefer the rounded look on each piece but I guess either is OK.  What I do NOT like to see is paint!  If paint is used, why bother with the cutting? Just paint the image on plywood.  In my case I do not even use stain of any kind.

[EIEIO]

I've only made one small piece, but from what I've seen from others I like the sculpting of parts in all 3 dimensions, the orientation of the grain to match the image, the use of different woods to achieve colors, and raising/lowering parts to enhance the 3rd dimension. I don't much like paint but I do like color tints that let the grain show through, especially for us newcomers working with less exotic woods to get up to speed.

I like the look of intarsia as an addition to another item, like adding an intarsia piece to a box top, or using it to dress up a flat kitchen cabinet door.

I prefer when the piece has approximately the same depth of field as the real thing, like a butterfly, or a flower. TripleB's hummingbirds http://stevedgood.com/community/index.php?topic=10960.0 look about perfect to me. I don't like the look of pieces like dogs where the snout is flat compared to the real thing.   

[troy_curtis]

I find the rounded edges give a nice look. However, I find it easier said than done. I have only done 2 intarsia pieces. One was quite big and looked decent. The smaller piece was ok, but needed to be worked on more. Just try and see what you get.

[dgman]

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I have noticed some "round" or"soften" the edges of each piece while others do not.

Do you round or choose not to and why? If you don't do Intarsia but enjoy seeing it, which look do you prefer?
  I much prefer the rounded look on each piece but I guess either is OK.  What I do NOT like to see is paint!  If paint is used, why bother with the cutting? Just paint the image on plywood.  In my case I do not even use stain of any kind.

I agree completely  with Jim!

[ChuckD]

When I am working (or playing, what ever you want to call it) doing intarsia, I try to make it look real.  That means some of the pieces will be rounded and other that are against other parts will not be.  But when the unrounded pieces are put together the overall part will be shaped as real as possible.  Hope this makes sense. 

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Definitely not a fan of stains and paint. May as well use plastic if your gonna paint it.

I've noticed the all rounded edges give it a more 3D look and show off all the pieces while the shaped together with smooth transition looks more realistic, almost like a carving.

Playing with different styles and methods, some work well on certain pieces.

Should have internet back at.home.soon, or figure out how to use the phone as a spot to connect so I can post pics here. Look forward to feedback from the other members.