Calligraphy and Woodworking

Several weeks ago my sixteen year old son asked if I would letter his initials for him.  He wanted a specific size and style.  He was designing a chess board and case in his Manufacturing Processes class at school.   His class was learning veneer and inlay techniques, and he wanted to include his initials on the bottom of the case.  I thought he might abandon the idea once he got started.  It is hard enough for me just to cut curved letter forms out of heavy paper let alone wood, but he did it. Here is his result:

I think he did a great job.  He stayed after school many days to work on his design.  He is fortunate to attend a public school that has a varied curriculum.  The art and design departments are extensive, and it is difficult to choose from all the great courses offered.

I think Matt has been bitten by the handcrafted bug!  He took two years of ceramics and loved it.  Now in this class, he is learning woodworking and metalcraft. He was so excited to show us his work and talk about the different woods and tools he used.  His case is now being displayed in the Principal's office.

I am on the hunt to find some chess pieces to match his board for his birthday next month.  His class has moved on to learning about assembly line construction by designing and creating Adirondack chairs!