Artist marking geometric pattern on MDF board – handmade string art preparation process by Psybell

Production process

🛠 Production process

– from raw board to finished piece

Every stringing starts with ordinary material.
And ends with precise geometry and energy of taut threads.

🪵 1. Preparing the base

If I work with MDF board, I first cut out the desired shape – a circle, square or rectangle. The material from the warehouse is not always exactly the size I need, so I adjust each piece by hand.

I sand the cut base thoroughly to make the surface smooth and ready for the next steps.

📐 2. Precise measurement and marking

I draw guide lines on the prepared base.
Then, using a ruler, I mark dots – the places where the nails will later be.

Each point must fit exactly.
Geometry is very unforgiving.

🔨 3. Nailing

One of the most demanding parts of the process follows.

On average, it takes me 15–20 seconds to hammer in one nail.
With a stringing system of 400–500 nails, you can imagine how much time it takes just to nail.

That’s several hours of focused, monotonous, and precise work.

Every nail must be straight, at the same height, and firmly seated.

🎨 4. Painting and finishing

When the nailing is done, I spray the surface with a base coat.

I let it dry for about two hours.

Then I apply the final coat and let it dry again.

After it dries, I add a protective varnish that strengthens the surface and increases the quality of the wood.

The varnish gives the piece a smoothness, durability, and professional look.

🧵 5. The actual stringing

Now it’s time for the most visible part – the stringing.

I usually start from the center and gradually expand outwards.
Sometimes, however, the composition requires the opposite procedure.

Each thread is tensioned by hand.
Each stroke changes the structure of the whole.
The result is a dense geometric network with a subtle 3D effect.

🪚 Stringing on wooden slats

For works created from wooden slats, the process is similar, but technically more demanding.

First, I cut the slats to the required dimensions.

I mark the places for the nails.

I screw the base plates under them, which I then cut precisely so that they do not disturb the final appearance.

I screw the entire structure together, nail it, and the subsequent procedure – painting, varnishing and stringing – is the same as with MDF boards.

✨ Result

What you see as a finished work is the result of hours of manual work, precision and patience.

No mass production.
No printing.
Just handwork, geometry and light.

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