There are a lot of "how to" books out there on furniture building and
general woodworking techniques, but I can't seem to find any resources
on building highly skilled stuff such as Art Nouveau furniture. I have
a well equipped shop and a few years experience producing your basic,
run of the mill pieces, such as raised panel cabinets and case work
along with simple lined pieces such as Craftsman, Mission, Shaker,
Federal, basic Queen Ann and the like. I'd really like to experiment
with the funky curvy Art Nouveau style, but I'm not sure how to get
started other then trying my best to copy a photographed piece I like.
I guess what I'm looking for is a few project plans or a book that can
teach me techniques of building this style. Yes, I want to be spoon
feed!!! Can anyone make a recommendation?

Some clarification please. By AN do you mean
basically flat components pierce with curvilinear
openings or full blown 3-D sculpted forms, and
we're not just talking about half rounds on the
outside edges of flat curved parts?

Here's an excellent example of one extreme

http://www.heitzmanstudios.com/artnouveaubuffet.html

and here's more on him and his equiptment.
The 3-D router machine is pretty amazing -
and confounding.

http://www.jeffgreefwoodworking.com/...man/index.html

There was also an article in Fine Woodworking
perhaps a year or so ago about a guy who makes
AN style pieces - that are a little less over the
top. His work is more 2-D rounded edges curved
parts - can find the specific issue if you really
want it.

The style isn't exactly the most efficient use of wood
since most of what you start with must be removed
because of the curvilinear shapes. Just finding the
larger stock to work with may be a problem - and
paying for it may put a BIG hole in your wallet. Or
you could do a lot of strip glue up to get the basic
forms - but making it look like a single piece of
wood is not trivial, involving bandsawing and
stacking - in order - your thin strips - and THEN
making the forms to glue them up on. Steam bending
is another skill that you'll probably need, though
not all furniture grade woods can be steam bent..

You also need to know how to do "blended" joinery
since one part flows into another. And since there
are few edges, carving and shaping experience and
tools are needed. Again, due to concave and convex
surfaces, you'd need to make your own custom
scrapers.

To get an idea of ways of doing the blended
joinery, find and watch the tape of Sam
Maloof's rocking chair construction and
Mark Adams'Joinery video
http://www.marcadams.com/

Depending on how Art Nouveau - y you want
to get, you may spend the next ten years of
your life learning to make this type of
furniture.

Best of luck and post pics as you go - please.

charlie b

Thu, Jan 26, 2006, 7:17am (EST-3)
(TimmyD) doth plead:
snip Yes, I want to be spoon feed!!! Can anyone make a recommendation?

Well, you ain't gonna get spoon fed by me, already went thru that
with my sons.

I'd say check google for books on making it, probably a book out
there somewhere, written by someone.

If you can't find a book on it, I'd say look until you find a picture of
something you think you want to make. Then I'd say find plans for a
conventional version of whatever, and modify them to look like what you
want to make. If you're not sure of any part of it, use scrap wood and
make a prototype of that particular part. If you're still not sure, I'd
say repeat. Then, if you're not sure about the whole thing, get some
cheap wood and make a complete thing. You won't be out so much if it
doesn't come out too good. Then sell it when you're finished, and get
better wood and make another.

I'm not much of a fan of that style myself.



JOAT
You only need two tools: WD-40, and duct tape. If it doesn't move and
it should, use WD-40. If it moves and shouldn't, use the tape.