I created this set of business card cases as my submission for an international art exchange.
The plans for the box came from a back issue of 'Weekend Woodworking Projects'.
The box is built from cherry, which was felled (not by me) from trees right in the area of Pennsylvania in which I live (I purchased it rough-hewn from an estate auction on the property where the trees originally stood). I then milled and surfaced these rough planks to create the thin stock used in the box construction.
The artwork on the surface of each box is based on the traditional “Sailor Jerry” style of tattoo art. Three versions were drawn up for this project, then burned into the main faces.
The final step was to hand-rub the exposed surfaces with a couple coats of Danish oil. This finish enhances and lightly protects the wood, while still preserving a very natural look and touch. This also permits a higher level of exposure to sunlight, which will cause the wood to darken considerably over time (a look that will go very well with the burnings).
More images are available on
my Flickr.
