One of the most enjoyable aspects of guitar making is undoubtedly making the inlays, which I prefer to do myself rather than buying them premade. Though it requires painstaking effort, the range of possibilities and opportunities for artistic expression coupled with the eventual sense of accomplishment makes it time well spent. 

My signature rosette, which I introduced in 2003, features a weaving knot-like central motif that is loosely inspired by, or an interpretation of,  the border of the 2nd-century Roman mosaic The Triumph of Dionysus (found at the House of Dionysus at Paphos Archeological Park in Cyprus).

To the right, you can see some examples of recent rosettes, including some under-construction photos, the original concept drawing, and an example from 2004. 

This rosette requires a different sort of construction than the traditional grid mosaic, and while I arrived at this independently and without knowledge of it, a 1913 Vicente Arias with a similar motif shares the same method of construction, proving again that there is nothing new under the sun.

Some pics of my homage to José Luis Romanillos. This guitar is inspired by the guitars of his "Guijosa Period", the guitars he made in retirement. Those guitars exhibit a high level of artistic freedom, with many variations, and I did my best to capture the spirit of that period of his work. I drew heavily on my experience of having learned his method of construction in Sigüenza (the closest city to his village of Guijosa) at his course in 2001.

The guitar features a European spruce top, with Brazilian Rosewood back and sides. The soundboard bracing uses the Torres pattern. The neck is flamed Spanish cedar, and the head is attached with a traditional V-joint.