Wizard Designs Unlimited

Create a Post
W

Wayne Stewart

Grumbler
Joined
Dec 21, 2002
Posts
20
Loc
Sydney, Australia.
Hi Fellow framers and Wizard family members, Yes I was over in the USA last week and I did cut and design the Celtic mat that Wiz Steve so kindly posted. Oh there is 428 corners in that design in case people were wondering.

I have many different designs that I have created for the Wizard and have found that what can be created and cut out with a Wizard is only limited by your imagination.

Following Thumbnails are the Celtic Cross Design that Wiz Steve was refering to. (Not sure how large an image can be placed into the posting window.)

I did it back in 2002 and it was cut on a 5000. The Zoomorphics (animals) I stylized from other ancient Celtic artworks but all the Knotwork I designed and created to suite the Cross.
It did take me about 4 years to learn how to created Celtic knotwork. The piece was about 150 hours work that I completed over a 12 month period. There is over 4,500 corners in this design.

Brian Wolf also has many beautiful designs created for the wizard.

Happy Cutting People.
 

Attachments

  • Celtic Cross.JPG
    Celtic Cross.JPG
    29 KB · Views: 126
  • Celtic Detail.jpg
    Celtic Detail.jpg
    25.7 KB · Views: 109
  • Celtic Details 2.jpg
    Celtic Details 2.jpg
    42 KB · Views: 104
Your a sick puppy. :)

Very cool work, Very cool
 
A few days ago someone asked me if having the Wizard, would I be afraid that might lose my mat-cutting skills.....I think I'll print that picture of your Celtic mat art, Wayne, and show them that there is much skill in mat cutting still....mine will never be up to that par, but that proves that there is still artistic skill involved, only the tool has changed....like using a different paintbrush or paint or a different type camera.

Beautiful, beautiful work, Wayne!

Wow!!!
 
So way cool. I love it. Mat Art is something else. I love to dabel some but know I have nothing like that. It takes the cake. Beautiful work, patience and creativity.
 
Wow that's some really amazing stuff your doing there and inspiring...I hope you reveal some hints and tricks down the track as i get a bit more comfortable on the Wizard!!Luv ur work!!!
 
Very impressive use of the device to create art.

You should save those designs and share and/or sell them :)

Wow!

Mike
 
Val said:
A few days ago someone asked me if having the Wizard, would I be afraid that might lose my mat-cutting skills.....I think I'll print that picture of your Celtic mat art, Wayne, and show them that there is much skill in mat cutting still....mine will never be up to that par, but that proves that there is still artistic skill involved, only the tool has changed....like using a different paintbrush or paint or a different type camera.

Beautiful, beautiful work, Wayne!

Wow!!!
Click to expand...
Val, You've had your Wizard for a few weeks now. Do your find yourself selling intricate corners and designs yet or are you mostly using it for routine mats? Are you comfortable taking orders for any shape now? Ours is on order from the show, so we have a few weeks to wait. These days each time a customer comes in with something which could use a notched corner or unusual shape, I think, "I wish I had my Wizard." But then I wonder how long it will take us to move past the routine mat cutting --4 and 8 ply rectangles--and be comfortable selling unique designs. I still have some employees who don't sell hand wrapped fabric mats, and I think of interesting Wizard designs and realize this will take a lot of training.

Also, how long are your blades lasting on 8 ply mats? We cut a lot of these.

Kirstie
The Framer's Workshop, Berkeley
 
Priceless!!!

Kirtstie, I've had my Wizard 3 weeks (is that all??), one week of which I was away in Vegas. And I'm cutting all kinds of mats now:

Multiple opening rectangles, multiple opening different-shapes, merging shapes to make one odd-shaped opening, double-mat multiple openings, weirdo shapes (templates only, so far, haven't had the courage to even look at Path Trace!)), ovals, circles, v-grooves, rounded-corners, suede mats, 2-sided mats. I haven't done any 8-ply yet. Made a bunch of little hearts for our Valentine's Day display (so far, only had time to cut out the hearts, so I just scattered little 2"x3" hearts all over the shop.)

I was doing most of those within only a couple of days of getting it. Honest. It's actually quite user-friendly, not scary at all. I still have to keep that kleenex box handy though (mouth-hanging-open-in-awe syndrome!)

Many of my customers like to leave the design up to me, so I've had the freedom to use the new corners/shapes, and they love them. And I love them!! I have no problem selling them. They sell themselves.

I'm sooo loving "stepping out of the box" with the different shapes, even just very subtle ones. For instance, a rectangle with rounded corners to soften a look, or a notched-corner same-color black core double mat for a certificate, or an oval for an antique portrait photo....stuff like that. I just have to make sure the shape doesn't overshadow the art (as Paul Frederick says "don't make the artwork jealous") It has really been good for my creative side, better than before, because now I can cut (and sell!) what I dream about, what the art asks for. Couldn't do that with the straight cutter. Not time-efficiently, anyway. I'm having a blast, and our customers are loving it.

Been doing a lot of "demos"(everyone wants to see how it works, as it's right in the middle of the shop, and I'm happy to show them!), using a stack of 8x10 and 11x14 blanks, each time I do a different shape, that's how I'm learning, and then put the demo in the ready-to-sell mat bin, or just give it to them (depending on who it is!). Talk about the WOW factor! So glad I've been such a pack-rat, I knew I was saving all those matbd scraps all this time for a reason!!

My suggestion is to get the unlimited-corners program, because you can burn through corners in a blink. I probably reached 1,000 corners in the first few days! No kidding! I have the plunge count (reminder to change the blade) set at 80 "plunges" and amazed at how fast that comes up.

If I can do this, me, the Framing Dinosaur, YOU can do this! When I discovered the Grumble 15 months ago, I didn't even know what CMC meant, (and today I can even spell it). Now look at me! 3 weeks into it, and I'm a changed Framer!!

Kirstie, it will change framing as you've known it all these years, for the better. More productive, time-saving, creativity, add-on $$ to orders.....we old -I mean- mature dogs can too learn new tricks!!

P.S. Sorry we didn't get to hook up at WCAF....we were probably sitting right next to each other at some point and didn't know it! So many people there!

You go girl!! Don't wait any longer. You'll never look back. And your framing team members will love it too!! Oh yeah, and your customers, too!!
Edit: Oops, just reread your last post and saw that you ordered it! YAY!! You're gonna love it!
 
hoooooly cow!! we're not worthy!
 
hoooooly cow!! we're not worthy!
 
Certainly we're worthy!!
.
.
.
worthy of what??
 
its interesting that there are a new generation of framers, people just starting in the business, who may never cut a mount (mat) on a hand machine now!
mount cutting on a hand machine is a perishable skill. our wizard cmc broke down a while back, thankfully all was sorted in less than 48 hours, and you would not believe the absolute mess we all made of the first few we cut in the "traditional" way ;)
we even resorted to reading the instruction book!!!
In due course we may look back fondly on pre-cmc days, but I doubt it. It would be like living without an underpinner (V-Nailer) or working by candle light.
the cmc must be the greatest step forward in our industry since the underpinner in the 1970s. Interesting to see what the next big leap will be. Visualisation software?
 
Create a Post
Back
Top