Another vector drawing/laser cutting project
Mar 26, 2024
One of my favorite books growing up was A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula LeGuin. The original edition was illustrated with wood cuts by Ruth Robbins. I loved those illustrations. My favorite was the hawk in flight, circling above a tower keep. It's a great scene in the book, masterfully captured by Robbins.
I've been mulling a project for older students (7th - 8th grade) that would involve laser cutting and vector drawing. I used Robbins' wood cut illustration as a starting point.
First, I carefully isolated the bird, and removed the background.
Then, I laser cut the parts out of different types of 1/8" plywood (here it's walnut and maple). The details are embossed and the outlines are cut/
Finally, I assembled it and used wood glue to hold it all together.
I think this could be a good project for the older kids. It would hone their skills with bezier curve tools, points editor, and paths. And, they could make something attractive to take home and put on their wall.