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Laughing Mantis Studio

Art inspired by biology, created by a biologist

  • The Art of Daniel D. Brown, Ph.D.
    • Woodworking
    • Stained Glass
    • Pastel Pencil
    • Graphite Pencil
    • 3D Digital Art
    • 2D Digital Art
    • Paintings
    • Sculptures
    • Pet Portraits
    • Jewelry & Hangers
    • 3D Animation
    • Ocean Invasion Series
    • Science Art
  • Shop
  • Exhibitions
  • About

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You can see my frequently-updated works-in-progress by following @laughingmantisstudio

laughingmantisstudio
My favorite method of adding sound to an art proje My favorite method of adding sound to an art project: the @adafruit soundboard! This is not sponsored. I’ve just used this thing enough times that it deserves a shoutout. If any of you have considered adding sound to a project, this is one very easy method. You basically control what it does by simply uploading specifically named sound files. It has a limited number of options and memory. But that’s totally fine and in many ways preferable to having something more complex like in an Arduino. Just stick a couple batteries, speakers, and a switch or two, and it’s ready to go into your project. I think it’s often used by cosplayers. Oh and it’s cheap! (Adafruit Audio FX Sound Board + 2x2W Amp - WAV/OGG Trigger -16MB) PS it can handle 11 switches - not 10. … #customsounds #starwars #adafruit #cosplay #woodworking #starwarsfanart #maytheforcebewithyou #yoda #soundboard #woodcarving #woodintarsia #scrollsaw
New project, who dis? … #starwars #yoda #scrolls New project, who dis? … #starwars #yoda #scrollsaw #woodworking
Not every project needs to be amazing. I could hav Not every project needs to be amazing. I could have easily spent another week or two carving this piece and done more to make it a higher quality “artwork”. Often for projects like this, I have to stop myself and say “eh, that’s good enough” so I can get to other things on which I’d rather spend my time. The way this project came about: I have some succulents from a colleague I’m propagating at work that have outgrown their tiny petri dishes. So I thought “I should carve something to hold these little guys on my window sill for their next stage.” So I grabbed a piece of black locust firewood a neighbor cut, drew a few circles, and just started carving. I figured some winding viney/tentacle looking shapes might be cool. I used @tam_a_ryn’s pyrography set to burn between the tentacles and give some contrast. Black locust (in addition to being potentially toxic) is allelopathic, which means it produces chemicals that can inhibit growth of other plants. Black walnut is also well known for this phenomenon - to a greater degree thanks to “juglone”. It’s a good way for trees to say “get off my lawn!”. Thus, I coated the inside with epoxy to seal it up. I doubt there would be enough soluble chemicals in the heartwood to cause problems. But this ensures it. P.S. If someone ever tells you something all-natural, chemical-free, and thus safe because it’s from a plant, tell them they’re full of crap. Just pick any random plant in your yard and look up how safe it is for your dog to eat. 😜 Apparently it’s almost everything the previous owners planted on our property. #diyplanter #succulent #woodcarving #tentacles #woodplanter #powercarving
My wife @tam_a_ryn wanted a little tea tray for he My wife @tam_a_ryn wanted a little tea tray for her mental health therapy private practice, customized for her kettle. So I grabbed some scrap cherry and walnut cutoffs and got to work. Design was basically all hers. I came up with the basic concept, showed it to her, and she went “No. Not like that. Like this.” The customer is always right! I did surprise her by burning her logo into it (badly, by hand. But I’m happy with it for my skill level). … #woodworking #teatray #mentalhealth #mindfulness #homedecor #woodburning #madeinpittsburgh
Nuthatch & Chickadee. Handmade wall art to adorn Nuthatch & Chickadee. Handmade wall art to adorn our bedroom wall along with my previously made song sparrow. All cut by hand with a scrollsaw and chisel from a variety of wood species. No paint or stain. See my previous posts for more details and the story highlight on my profile, which documented the whole process. … #woodworking #scrollsaw #scrollsawart #woodintarsia #intarsia #birdsofinstagram #chickadee #nuthatch #homedecor #madeinpittsburgh #pittsburghartist
When it’s cold and snowy outside, my happy place When it’s cold and snowy outside, my happy place is huddling in front of my tiny space heater in the garage, slowly shaping wooden bird pieces one by one, and listening to @nickofferman wax poetic on the pleasures of nature, the outdoors, and using one’s own hands to make things. … #woodworking #scrollsawart #woodcarving #birdsofinstagram #nuthatch #chickadee #woodintarsia #nickofferman #nickoffermanwoodshop @offermanwoodshop
New project in the works: Nuthatch and Chickadee! New project in the works: Nuthatch and Chickadee! I made a song sparrow (named “Freddie Chirpury”) perched on a musical clef last year (swipe). He sits on one side of our window. I decided to make a piece to sit on the other side. I’ve always loved nuthatches (my favorite song bird) and chickadees. The little nasal “honks” nuthatches make when they’re bopping around walking up and down trees like geckos is one of my favorite sounds. Swipe for all 13 wood species I’m using for the birds. … #woodworking #intarsia #birdart #nuthatch #chickadee #scrollsaw #scrollsawart #homedecor #woodworkersofinstagram #madeinpittsburgh #pittsburghartist
I needed a tiny shelf to get our router and Ethern I needed a tiny shelf to get our router and Ethernet switch off the Lair floor. And to move some of the random crap that’s accumulated on my Rebel Table (swipe). I decided to use up these little yew slabs I’ve had sitting for years (yew is probably the most toxic wood most woodworkers will come across. It’s beautiful but I don’t like working with it). Cherry legs. No plans and little thought - this is mostly a function over form project. I just sorta slapped it quickly together. 3 legs because our basement floor is wonky (3 legs are more stable than 4!) Note the shiny gold Yoda bust from my buddy @knucklenobility. … #tiredofhashtags
Well, 2022 was probably the least productive year Well, 2022 was probably the least productive year I’ve had in terms of output since I started woodworking. But it’s been the most productive year I’ve had in my real life career. Such is the way it goes and I consider that side of my life a win right now! It definitely took some mental effort to get myself into the shop much of the time. But I think most people can commiserate to varying degrees on the challenges of the last year (or 3). Overall, I’m pretty happy with the things I did make. Several of the projects I chose were incredibly looooong, which reduced the number of projects I took on. I mean Chewbacca alone took like 14 weeks! My R2-D2 lamp was almost 2 months. Silly? Absolutely. But this is how I choose to cope with thinking about cancer and death day after day after year after year (because I’m a breast cancer researcher who deals with tumors weekly). Also, I went from zero glass-working experience to making two Tiffany-style lamps for our house, which both make me happy every day. Learning new skills is always fun. 15 of the 17 main projects I completed were gifts for others (including signs for 4 friends who earned their Ph.D.s this year!), so I feel pretty good about that. Finally and most importantly, I’m thankful every day to have such an amazing and supportive wife. Most of what I do is really just to try to impress her. Now let’s get through this winter and go see some beach! @tam_a_ryn … #scrollsaw #woodworking #intarsia #yearinreview2022
Congratulations Dr. Laura Savariau (@laurettesav95 Congratulations Dr. Laura Savariau (@laurettesav95)! Another friend gets her PhD and a hand-made plaque! If you look closely, you may find a tiny swimmer. I wish you nothing but the happiest of futures and successful upcoming nuptials! Sign made of jatoba (also known as courbaril, West Indian locust, Brazilian copal, amami-gum, or Brazilian cherry), ambrosia maple (maple spalted by a fungus introduced by the ambrosia beetle), and black walnut. … #phinished #phdlife #graduationgift #handmadesigns #woodworking
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