About the Artist
The Man Behind the Voltage
Every piece starts with a bolt of electricity and ends with something that stops people in their tracks.
Meet Michael
I'm Michael, the maker behind MSD Designz. I've been fractal burning for 7 years and laser engraving for 2 years. No two pieces I make are ever alike — the electricity writes its own pattern into the workpiece.
I'm based in Tallahassee, Florida. I got into fractal burning after seeing what high voltage could do to wood — the way it traces its own path, branching out like a tree or a river delta. You can't fake that. You can't plan it. You just set the conditions and let the electricity do what it does.
My work starts with high voltage fractal burns. Real lightning patterns burn into the wood, bone, and shell. Then layered with detailed laser engraving, resin, and hand finished. If it stops people midstep at a festival, that's what I'm going for.
The Process
How the Work Gets Made
High Voltage Burn
High voltage electricity is passed through, tracing Lichtenberg figures — branching fractal patterns that look like frozen lightning. No two burns are ever the same.
Laser Engraving
Once the fractal burn is set, detailed designs, text, or imagery are layered in with precision laser engraving. The two techniques complement each other — the chaos of electricity meets the precision of the machine.
Resin & Hand Finish
Epoxy resin fills and seals the burns, bringing out depth and contrast. Each piece is then hand sanded, finished, and inspected. The result is something that feels as good as it looks.
Everything Is One of One
When it's gone, it's gone. I don't reproduce pieces. I don't do mass production. Every burn is a collaboration between me and the electricity — and electricity doesn't repeat itself. That's the whole point.
Have an Idea? Let's Talk.
If you have an idea, an existing image, or a piece of wood with a story — I want to hear it. Custom orders are how some of my best work gets made.