Oak Leaves

[ClayB]

There are probably 100 different ways to carve an oak leaf. George Hurst has a book called The Mighty Oak with a bunch of different styles in it. The one I will show here is based on a pattern in that book. I used different tools on each side of the leaf to show different effects you can get.

Here the leaf is traced and cut. I try not to join the cuts at the tips. If you do, the tips can start to peel up, which now that I think about it, might look neat in certain carvings.

Here I started to bevel the leaf. On this side I used a smooth beveler. I usually start on the inside curves with a smalll beveler. Tandy used to make round bevelers that should be good for that, but I found them hard to use. For really tight curves, the small figure bevelers work pretty good.

This side was beveled with a checkered beveler. I usually use checkered bevelers because they leave less "tracks".

Next I beveled the center vein. The top side was done with a Craftool 202 (left or right) angled beveler. I always have to hit it on scrap first to know which one to use on which side of the vein. On the bottom I used Hidecrafter Pro Crafter PB016. It allows you to do both sides with the same tool. You can see that the craftool makes finer lines.

Here I am starting to pear shade. I use a long, narrow pear shader like a P368 and start in the points of the leaves. Once the leaves are shaded at the tips, I fill in most of the rest of the center of the leaf with the pear shader, but leave a ridge along the outside.

Continuing to fill in. While looking at the pictures really large like this, I am thinking it might look better to leave ridges that aren't shaded from the tips to the center vein to get more contrast. I might have to try that on the next one.

The pear shading is done on one side.

Small viens are cut in with the swivel knife.

On this side, decorative cuts where put in instead of the small viens for a different look. Decorative cuts have never been my strong suit so you'll have to just pretend they look good.

This side was backgrounded with a pebble backgrounder from Hidecrafter. It's one of my favorite backgrounders.

This side is backgrounded with a regular checkered backgrounder just to show the difference in looks.

Here I used a coarse textured backgrounder. Just another different look.

If I dont have a border on my carving, I like to switch from the pebble background to an E294 matting tool when I get a little ways away from the figure.

I like to use a pro petal tool to lift the inside curves of the leaves. I think it gives added depth to the carving. The tool slides into the leather, but not through the back. It creates a small cavity in the leather and if you lift on the tool, it raises the top side of the leather, giving your leaf a 3-D effect.

So there's an oak leaf the way I carve them.

[yaklady]

Those leaves look so good, I bet my yaks would try to eat them!

Kathy

[Bobby]

Exceptional Clay.........

Thanks for the tips.......starting to understand lifting a little.......

Bobby

[Regis]

Clay,

What a great training tool you put together. The idea of teaching 2 techniques on one leaf is just wonderful. I like all of it.

Thank you,

Regis

[Don]

Clay,

Your leaves look great! I have never been really good with oak leaves...I think its because I never really know how to pear shade the leaf, but now I think I have an idea...Thanks. Is your petal lifter a tool that you tap with a mallett or just push with your hand?

Great job.

Don

[freak]

WOW, and I mean WOW !!!!!

LEAVE ,,,,,it to ClayB (rimshot please) to write up a over the top How-To. I loved it Clay. The pictures and the way you wrote it, WOW. Dude your awsome . I've got a guy at work that wants me to try to make him a gun belt and holster and all he wants on it is a few oak leafs. Now i feel like i do oak leafs with my eyes closed, well i feel like i done one without sweeting it now.

Thanks again Clay for taking the time to do that . You ROCK !!

[pete]

Thanks for the gret tutorial!! Any reason that you use the pro=petal AFTER the backgrounding? I have always done it after cutting. Then the backgrounder/matters cover any marks. I LOVE the results that you get though.

Was this how you leaned or do the pockets show up cleaner?

pete

[ClayB]

Don,

The tool I used there is a tool you push with your hand. You can get somewhat similar results with an undercut beveler or one of the petal lifter tools made for Sheridan style carving, just not as deep.

Pete,

I don't think it would matter if you used the pro petal before or after the backgrounding. Not sure why I use it afterwords except that maybe I dont think of it until I am done. A lot of times I go back and put the background tool into the depression left by the pro petal to clean it up a bit. I do think that after the background is done, it might be easier to slide the tool into the leather in the position that it will slide in without going to shallow or too deep.

Clay

[Johanna]

Why don't you announce a time you can be available to talk about this with anyone who wants to on "Live Chat"? Maybe you could put together an oak-leaf contest? I can try to hustle up a few prizes.

Another outstanding tutorial Clay, great pics to illustrate, too. Thanks for taking the time to share this with us all.

Johanna

[Beaverslayer]

Clay,

That is about the nicest oakleaf I've every seen. You'r ework amazes me every time I look at it. Thanks for the look see and the tutorial.

Ken