Only a couple of hours this morning at the workshop before we get ready to head off to Canberra. Finished off the asa-no-ha background except for the half-pieces at the top and bottom. Will make up the frame when I get back, then start on the next piece. The next piece will be slightly more complex, and will include a new pattern (for me) that is generally used for the sky in larger landscape works. This will then open the door to a whole range of new possibilities.

The patterns around the central feature are the kawari-yae-zakura on the top, and the yae-zakura on the bottom.

The timber types are silver ash, Queensland maple, and red cedar.

Started another small art piece. This one is the same size as the most recent addition to the Gallery. This will be my first attempt at two of the patterns in the piece. The first is the yae-kikyou asa-no-ha. Kikyou is the Japanese name for the bellflower. It is essentially a series of hexagrams held in place with locking pieces to form a floral pattern.

The centre diamond is the yae-kikyou, and other patterns will take shape around this central feature.



This photo shows how the hexagram comes together. This is not how I actually join them, but it gives an idea of the cuts required. Needless to say, accuracy is critical.

Unfortunately I miscalculated slightly with the kumiko and ended up a few short, so I couldn’t finish the centre piece today. I’ll finish it off first thing tomorrow morning then make up the frame.

This is my first attempt at a purely art piece. It’s a relatively simple design based on a piece I saw in Tokyo. Because of the large number of small intersecting cross-pieces, accuracy in the cutting is absolutely critical. Any minor inaccuracies, and the pieces won’t fit, resulting in the horrible sound of snapping kumiko.


The first pieces on the base. The base kumiko when done in the diamond (hishi-gata) or three-way joint (mittsu-kude) style to house the floral or leaf patterns is called the jigumi (地組み). The accuracy of the jigumi will determine the quality of the final product.


So far so good.


The jigumi is completed without any problems, and all the joints have been cut in the correct position.


The small cross-pieces go in.


It’s always a relief to get the internal frame (tsukeko) attached safely.


The asa-no-ha go in. The centre piece will be kawari-asa-no-ha, and I’ll start that tomorrow (an example of the kawari-asa-no-ha can be seen here on this furniture piece). The size of the kumiko piece is around 791 x 264 mm. The width (mitsuke) of the kumiko is 2.4 mm. The pitch of the joints for the diamonds is 50 mm. Timber is Huon pine.