In The case of the "H" I created my own letter just by drawing it in Enroute.
and placed it on a domed rerlief that had a texture Magic bitmap applied. This is the same bit map I used for the "B" but I resized it so I was only using a small portion of the bitmap.

Again I created my own letter and subtracted it from a refief giving it the recessed section. A vine bitmap was used here.

I just couldn't resist having a little fun here.

This guy consists of 6 reliefs and 3 bitmaps.

I started this blog after I had been about 1/2 way through the abc project.
So while trying to chronicle that process I have other pieces in the works.

I just had to do a new sign for Myself.
I took the logo from my business card and tried to replicate it as closely as possible in a dimensional piece.

Below are some shots taken during the process. sorry not exactly in order but I think you can determine the correct ordering. I did learn from this example ( it's very difficult to do very thin points when cutting with this type of material). It Tends to want to bend and flex, I should have left more of an onion skin on the bottom of the piece while cutting to help hold the delicate parts in place.

The F uses the rope trick available in Enroute.
You basically draw four overlapping circles,and erase all the lines that are inside the perimeter and end up with something that looks like a four leaf clover without the stem.
Then you tell that shape to follow a line and rotate as it goes around and whala you have a rope.
Just one of the features in Enroute.

The "G" I've put a woodgrained texture on a depressed domed relief, then applied the letter outline and the letter reliefs to that scooped shape.
The finishing of the back ground for the "F" &"G" have glazes applied.

I like the way the wood behind the "G" turned out.

The letters A to E are somewhat basic in design. As this progresses so do my abbilities. That's why I'm doing This.

These are flat reliefs with bitmap textures applied working with different hieghts etc. The letters are reliefs themselves and in most cases these are placed on a flat relief just a tad bit larger than the letter as an outline, This outline makes the painting much easier by giving you a crisp edge to paint to.
The C,D & E Add additional releifs around the outside.
 The C uses two bitmaps One for the background that the letter sits on and a weave pattern bitmap around the perimeter.
 The bit maps I'm using are from Dan Sawatzky's Texture magic collection.
  I should also mention that these letters are all done Using High Density Urethane Sign Foam, Then the Majority of the finishes are from the Modern Masters line of metalic paints.

Only 21 more to Go u-all come back now ya here.

Well now with the the "Z" cut and then the  finish complete on the last group of letters I can officially put a close to the alphbet project. 

The Process was a long one but every bit worth the effort.Each letter is utilzing some different Enroute tools to build the files. Then once built and sent to the Router The process of finishing each piece brought it's own set of techniques.
Over the next couple of blogs I'll be explaining some of the techniques and Enroute tools used to create each piece.
 As You Might notice I mixed in a few other little gems in with the ABC project.

These examples show that what ever you can dream up you can create.


More Too Come !

While recovering from rotator cuff sugery I've been trying to put the down time to good use.
One of the projects is to work on the fundamentals of Enroute software.
I've taken a chapter out of Dan Sawatzky's play book, (I recommend this practice to any one using Enroute).
In This project I'm making letters from A-Z , these are approximately 8"x8"
and all cut from "High Density Urethane Foam" (sign foam).
To Build each letter I'm using different techniques starting with the design process to the finishes.

I started this project prior to starting this blog so I'll try to recreate the process as best I can.


As I write this first installment to this catagory (A to Z),
I have actually just completed cutting the last letter  Z.


please follow along and add coments

Once all the sculpting is completed It's Paint, Paint & more Paint.

First coat is a thick Primer (the white) Then we start with the base coats not being too careful cutting in as the subsequent colors will be cut in to the first coat. You try to work your way out from the middle.

Some other colors added and details begining to come out.

Adding some glazes gives the textures and colors some depth and patina.

One final go round with the detail colors to touch up.
Then I hand paint the Text.
And last but not least a clear coat for protection.

Done !!!

Once the router has done the bulk of the work along with some of the detail carving and such.  The next steps involve human interaction.

I first build out some areas that I want do add some dimension too. This could be done with the software and incorporated into the router work (but thats why we practice, so we get to see how these things come out) maybe next time. 
In this shot I have also glued the two layers together using Gorilla Glue. The srews are used as clamps.
Behind the trees Are the carrige bolts that hold the steel bracket to the sign.

Once the glue has dried, I shape the tree bows using a right angle die grinder with a small sanding disc, This allows me to get the edge of the disc into the tight crevases.
at this point it looks pretty good ,Really getting some depth and detail.

Then comes the tedious sculpting work using Abracadabra two part sculpting epoxy.
You mix this stuff in equal parts shape it, let it dry overnight and presto its rock hard.
Here I've  layered the bows on one by one starting at the bottom and working my way to the top.  A good work out for the thumbs.
I've also sculpted some shape into the boulders in front of the house.

I've been working on a little project to test my techniques. It's a sample piece that encorporates alot of the tools in my arsenal, Design, building reliefs(using Enroute software),Routing, Carving, painting and Glazing.

This is what I started with.

Traced around the parts of the picture I wanted using Enroute, and created two different reliefs, one for the back ground or the main body of the sign and the second was the trees and the landscape between them. This picture shows both reliefs as they will be applied to each other.

Then off to the Multicam for some router magic.

I'll post more in the next few days. Keep Checking back.

I'll try to get you up to speed as to what has brought me to where I am today.
 Construction-laborer,Carpenter,General-contractor,woodworker, cabinemaker,furniture maker, Gallery Owner to now. That covers about 33years.
 3 yrs ago I purchased a used CNC router (a multicam) with that purchase I also purchased Enroute Software (one of the best business decisions of my life).
Through research for the software I stumbled across this guy Dan Sawatzky.
Through following Dan's blog I learned that I had to meet this man. So I opted to fly across the country and drive to another Country (Canada) to attend one of Dan's workshops.
This guy ruined me! The techniques that he taught us in the workshop changed the way I look at approaching certian projects.
     You'll see more of what I'm talking about in the blogs to come.