Русский 
English Французский игровой столик – закончен.
The project I needed to finish two years ago. A French Game Table, the first one went to the auction at IGMA school. I was going to make two of them actually, but I didn’t have enough time to finish it. Besides, I realized that I needed to improve the overall design of the brass mounts, my porcelain painting skills needed an upgrade as well. The inside mount is designed and stitched by me on a 72 count silk gauze. The insert of such a complex form made me cry several times while mounting it, I’m still not very happy about it, but here it is. Sometimes I felt overwhelmed with the whole thing to be honest. I’m happy it’s done. Time to turn the page and move on.
Petit point and a drawing
I’m busy making a new drawing for a French game table top, the inside part of it. Petit point insert is mounted on a cardboard already, the inside part was finished too, but I looked at it couple days ago and didn’t like it. I wanted to add some details, maybe change a color palette as well.
I really like this new version, I think I’ll use pear wood for the background, something bright like maple or birch for decoration and makore wood for the outside border.
Meanwhile, the porcelain plaques are finished, at least I think they are for now 🙂 But I don’t have the photos yet, stay tuned.
Books on marquetry, my new workshop
There are two new videos on my Youtube channel. One is about my new workshop, the video was published a week ago, but I forgot to share the link here 🙂
The second video is about the books on marquetry that I have in my collection. Lots of books in English, Roubo books, for example. And several really good books in Russian, mostly exhibition catalogues.
It’s been a long time…
It’s been two years since my last post here. This year was full of events. Events that were so unbelievable, that I couldn’t get back to my workshop again. All my thoughts, concerns shifted to a real life, my family. Through all these years I was making posts in other social media platforms, it seemed at the time that it would be always like that. I’d go to the shows in April-May, then IGMA school, maybe another show in autumn, or even exam to pass. Anyway, most of my plans don’t matter anymore.
But I still make miniatures and intend to do so in the future.
I’d love to show some of my miniature projects that were finished quite some time ago, but weren’t shown here in my blog.
Let’s start with these two Italian footstools, you can find a process of making them in one of my videos on my Youtube channel.
The first painted lacquer cabinet, that was made for PIMA awards at Kensington Dollshouse Festival, the second one was made later.
Another Italian project, and armchair, quite complex carving, lots of gold and oil painting.
One of my favorite and one of the smallest projects:
Another favorite, lots of details, that I thought I’d never be able to achieve.
Another Italian piece, this time in scagliola technique. I’m really proud that I was able to make it in miniature.
A French side table, made for IGMA school auction.
There’s so much more to show. Till the next time!
IGMA Artisan.
Получила! Для тех кто не совсем в курсе – есть такая международная организация, которая объединяет миниатюристов по всему миру, называется IGMA – International Guild of Miniature Artisans, в гильдию можно вступить любому (однако нужно платить ежегодный взнос), а можно еще получить статус Artisan (еще выше Fellow), который подтверждает высокое качество ваших работ. Статус дается тем, кто отправил свои работы на рассмотрение и получил положительное решение гильдии. Каковы преимущества у тех, кто получил статус артизана? Можно преподавать в гильдийской школе, участвовать в гильдийском шоу, которое проводится каждый год в сентябре, ну и приятный бонус для ваших клиентов. Правда, преподавать я пока не планирую, да и гильдийское шоу мне неудобно по времени, но это уже совсем другая история.
Выше пять предметов, которые я отправляла на экзамен. Отправка, нужно сказать, дело весьма хлопотное. Из сопроводительных документов нужно было предоставить анкету, которую можно скачать на сайте гильдии. Я также приложила небольшую книжечку о пяти предметах, которые я сделала с фото и описанием процесса работы.
Начну с самого любимого предмета, пуф, для которого я вышила по своему дизайну обивку (это шелковая канва 56 каунта и Глориана Тюдор шелк). Деревянная часть – айвори, новая для меня порода. Прекрасна для миниатюры, ужасно дорогая. Довольно сложно резать правда из-за того, что очень-очень светлая, нужно определенное освещение.
A drafting table.
As I wrote many times I hate working with metal, but this is the only thing that interests me now. Funny enough, I love brass casting, maybe because the only thing I have to do is model making.
Anyway, one day I notice those wonderful vintage drafting tables and architect’s tables and fall in love with them. It’s a very unconventional item, not many people want them in their dollhouses, but it was a chance for me to try metal construction. It became so easy for me planning a piece for woodworking purposes that I thought metal would be something similar for me. Oh boy, I was wrong, big time.
The table I made is simple, but there are couple of things that maybe not so easy to make – gears for height adjustment, table top angle adjustment. The parts are quite big, so you cannot just solder them together (and of course I thought I could when I was making a 3d model).
Here are casted pieces
Chippendale Firescreen
After pretty successful experience with higher count petit point, I decided that I can make another screen, but this time on 90 count silk gauze. I found this screen in a book dedicated to Thomas Chippendale 300th anniversary of birth. It’s pretty tall 169.5cm high, the screen itself is pretty large too.
I should also say that the original screen is fully made of wood, in my version a pole and a finial are made of brass. The finial was traditional too, but I made a parrot 🙂
The screen is stitched on a 90 count silk gauze, with Chinese silk floss.
French Firescreen, the second version.
I don’t really understand how I missed that one on my blog, I took it to IGMA school last year and haven’t posted about it! This screen is a bit different, it has a higher count silk gauze (86) and different design, besides the frame has a different finish.
A bit of a process:
A Bookcase in eclectic style.
This bookcase was commissioned in the end of 2018. I found the reference drawing of it in one of Russian books on furniture history. I always wanted to make something in this style, these moldings were one of the reasons. I used to hate making them, but it was years ago. Now it seemed like a very easy operation. It’s always interesting to see how my feelings on different techniques changed over the time.
French commodes. Part 2
I wrote about these commodes many months ago, I was hoping to be able to update my blog very often, but some commissions happened plus I was very busy for my Chicago show, so it’s my first time when I can finally get back to my blog.
These two commodes are, of course, are done. They went to Tom Bishop Chicago International show, one of them came back to Moscow.