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Laughing Mantis Studio

Art inspired by biology, created by a biologist

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    • Woodworking
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    • Graphite Pencil
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    • 2D Digital Art
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You can see my frequently-updated works-in-progress by following @laughingmantisstudio

laughingmantisstudio

Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D. | Breast Cancer Research Scientist
Woodworker/Artist
Husband to @tamarynart.
AKA: @danieldbrownphd
Pittsburgh, PA.
“Salty the Jumping Spider” Jumping spiders are “Salty the Jumping Spider” Jumping spiders are my favorite spiders. They’re cute. They’re floofy. They’re incredibly observant. Their athletic abilities are astounding. And they dance to woo the ladies like I never could. The name comes from their family name “Salticidae.” All pieces cut on scrollsaw, in this case exclusively using my scrap wood collection. Species: maple (regular and curly), walnut, mesquite, ipe, katalox, ebony, holly, cherry, & rubber tree (reclaimed from a cheap old jewelry box). The main image upon which this is roughly based is “Come Closer, Jumping Spider” by Diaz Gio (@godzaid @giochimitsu), who has some amazing photography and an art account). ... #scrollsawart #spiderart #jumpingspider #woodenart #scrollsaw #woodintarsia #madeinpittsburgh #woodworking
Random tiny project. I had some scraps from someth Random tiny project. I had some scraps from something - I don’t even remember which project. One random day I slapped them on the scroll saw, tossed the shapes at my wife @tamarynart, and said “burn these”. She gave em back and I threw on some hardware. Finally got around to oiling them today. Now she has new earrings. ... #scrollsawart #woodearrings #featherearrings #pyrography
There’s something incredibly satisfying about go There’s something incredibly satisfying about going from a raw, locally sourced log to a functional object in 2 days. The slab at the top was a cherry tree (unknown species - not American or black), which our neighbors cut down on their property. I chainsawed it up and it’s been sitting in my shop for months. This will be the frame for my jumping spider piece. I always feel like my frames are an afterthought and could be so much better. But honestly, by the time I get to the frame, I’m so ready to move on. But I’m happy enough with this one. I don’t think I’ve actually made a half lap joint with dowels. So it’s nice to do something mildly different. I actually scrollsawed the profile. I started with bandsaw, but quickly decided scrollsaw would cut down on sanding, which it did. ... #scrollsawart #framing #woodart
Immediately after finishing Boba Fett, I had this Immediately after finishing Boba Fett, I had this random idea to make a jumping spider close-up. I oscillate between wildlife and geek art and I felt it’s time to return to my roots for a bit, including using all natural wood (no stain/paint). So I grabbed a bunch of reference photos with attribution Creative Commons licenses (Flickr) and got to work. As always, all pieces are cut on scrollsaw, in this case, exclusively using my scrap collection. Species: maple (regular and curly), walnut, mesquite, ipe, katalox, ebony, holly, cherry, & rubber tree (reclaimed from a cheap old jewelry box). The main image upon which this is roughly based is “Come Closer, Jumping Spider” by Diaz Gio (@godzaid @giochimitsu), who has some amazing photography and an art account). ... #scrollsawart #spiderart #jumpingspider #woodenart #scrollsaw #woodintarsia #madeinpittsburgh
Projects of 2020: I guess I made some things. 202 Projects of 2020: I guess I made some things. 2020 sucked. It’s certainly been a struggle for me as I imagine it’s been for most of you. But I’m incredibly thankful 1) to have been lucky enough to go through it with my rock @tamarynart @tam_a_ryn, 2) that our 14 yr old multi-system failing pup Bandit has managed to keep kicking, despite multiple times we were certain he was done - his constant cuddles have been a mental health boon for both of us, (swipe for pics) and 3) to have the space and the means to forget our stresses, just zone out, and make art. My shop is tiny, dirty, cold, and inefficient, but there was a time just a few years back when such a dedicated shop space was almost completely unimaginable in my future. So in reality, our little one car garage has become my dream come true. But yeah... good riddance to the Lost Year.
Boba Fett is complete! It only took ~6 weeks! When Boba Fett is complete! It only took ~6 weeks! When I started this thing, I had no idea Boba would suddenly become big news again (no spoilers, aside from the fact Fett is back, which I think is safe since they’ve announced “The Story of Boba Fett” series). I had just read a really cool panel by @john_cassaday in Marvel Star Wars (2015) and instantly decided it would make for a cool wooden intarsia piece. I wanted more “comicy” colors in this piece than I can get with natural wood grains, so I dyed the pieces with alcohol dyes. All 270 (!) pieces were cut on scrollsaw from a single storm-felled sycamore branch I picked up nearby. ... #bobafett #starwarsfanart #scrollsawart #woodart #marvelstarwars
A little closer. I’m digging the spirit stains/c A little closer. I’m digging the spirit stains/comic booky look (not that it’s even close to the more comic style of @scrollsawscribbler, with his wenge background “ink lines”). Original inspiration: Marvel Star Wars panel by @john_cassaday. ... #starearsfanart #bobafett #mandalorian #marvelstarwars #maytheforcebewithyou
This has been a slooooow piece in the making, but This has been a slooooow piece in the making, but I’m pretty stoked to have all the pieces cut, shaped, and sanded. Next up will be staining. I’m incredibly nervous about the next step, which may not turn out how I envision. Mixing spirit stains to get the correct hue is not easy. It’s nothing like mixing paint. Combine that with wanting the natural wood grain to still be somewhat detectable, and it becomes quite a challenge. Based on my previous experiments with spirit stains, I don’t expect the woodgrain to be very visible - at least with sycamore and its fairly consistent grain density. So wish me luck! As mentioned previously, this is based on a Marvel Star Wars (2015) panel by @john_cassaday. ... #starwarsfanart #maytheforcebewithyou #bobafett #marvelstarwars #scrollsawart #mandalorian
As per my now-standard practice, for those not fol As per my now-standard practice, for those not following my stories here is a roughly mid-progress post on a new wooden intarsia piece I’ve been working on. Boba Fett himself is based on the amazing artwork of @john_cassaday from Marvel Star Wars (2015-2019) #4. But it will have a slightly different background from the original art. If you’re a regular follower, you know I’m a ridiculous SW fan. But I only recently started going through the canon comics, having never been much of a comic book guy. Man there are so many panels that made me want to instantly start making wooden versions. This is one of them. My plan at the moment is to use spirit stains or watercolors after shaping each of the 150-200(?) pieces. I usually use natural wood color. But that just doesn’t work for greens... so this is a perfect excuse to use up some of my free storm-felled sycamore I milled this spring. As always, everything is cut on scrollsaw. ... #starwarsfanart #maytheforcebewithyou #bobafett #marvelstarwars #scrollsawart
Indian Elephant Baby Rattle. Walnut & cherry. Fin Indian Elephant Baby Rattle. Walnut & cherry. Finally got this little guy finished! ... #woodenbabyrattle #babytoys #babyrattle #elephantart #scrollsawart
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