We're thrilled to announce that our company, "The Hands That Shape LLC" has contributed a design article to the July/August 2023 digital issue of "Laser Focused Magazine". As experts in layered wood and inlay wood art, as well as layered paper art and laser ready file designs, we're excited to share our knowledge with the magazine's passionate readership.

In our upcoming article, "Creating Wood Inlay Art With Basic Shapes and Tools," we unravel the complex artistry behind wood inlay creation and break it down into digestible and replicable steps. Our goal is to show readers how a dash of creativity, combined with a basic understanding of digital design tools, can yield stunning wood inlay art.

Our guide features a delightful design concept: a Fall Floral Pumpkin, in which a pumpkin serves as a vase for an array of enchanting flowers—Sunflowers, Zinnias, Delphinium, Coneflowers, Pansies, and a Willow Branch. The most intriguing part? The design was created using only three simple shapes - an ellipse, a rectangle, and a star.

If you're charmed by this design and eager to create your own Fall Floral Pumpkin, we've got exciting news for you! The design file for our Fall Floral Pumpkin is available for purchase on our website, along with a myriad of other laser ready files. Now, you can directly use our designs and kickstart your inlay art projects!

Whether you're a seasoned designer familiar with tools like Corel Draw, Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, or Silhouette Studio, or someone just dipping their toes into the world of digital design, our guide is created to help all levels of expertise. We make use of design tools like Weld and Simplify Tool for fine-tuning shapes, and Segment Delete Tool to modify shapes to add score line details.

Our step-by-step guide will walk you through the process of crafting each floral element using basic shapes. Each flower—whether it's a sunflower, zinnia, delphinium, coneflower, or pansy—carries its unique charm that adds to the whole design. We also highlight the creation of a willow branch and a striped background using simple rectangles.

The article further emphasizes efficient design strategies, like the utilization of the Segment Delete Tool to reduce the number of cut-out pieces without compromising on the overall design. This process allows scored line details to be incorporated onto a single shape, making the whole design process more efficient and straightforward.

Whether you're an artist exploring new mediums or a hobbyist looking to dive into a fun project, our guide is a valuable resource. We firmly believe that anyone can create beautiful, complex pieces of wood inlay art—even if they feel they lack the necessary drawing skills. With the right tools and a sprinkle of creativity, you can turn basic shapes into mesmerizing showpieces.

We invite you to roll up your sleeves, channel your inner artist, and join us in the thrilling journey of wood inlay art creation. Be sure to check out our article in the July/August 2023 issue of Laser Focused Magazine, and explore our collection of design files available on our website. We can't wait to see what you'll create!