how do I create (burnish?) realistic looking 'shadow'

[cybertracy]

how do I create (burnish?) realistic looking 'shadow'. I have a large area that is the shadow of the item I've carved, but I cannot seem to burnish (darken) the leather past the width of a single tool. I beveled the entire perimeter then tried various background, matting and pear tools with no success.

thanks for any tips for this newcomer!

[Mike]

Not knowing exactly what you're doing makes it difficult to answer. The quick answer is that burnishing is directly related to casing the leather. Leather cased the old fashion way and then allowed to become a bit dryer (as near the end of a carving session) will burnish better than damper leather. Also some brands of leather burnish better than others. I seem to recall Wicket & Craig seemed to burnish easier and better than other brands. As in other methods of coloring, burnishing takes practice and can be overdone.

Properly cased leather will not feel wet. It will be cool to the touch and the moisture content even throughout it's depth.

Mike

[Dale]

Cyber,

Two thoughts come to mind:

1. Since you're getting burnish for one tool width, my first guess would be that you're not beveling/tooling with the same force you used to bevel the perimeter. That's typical...most of us want to fade the burnish as we move farther from the cut/bevel line. That being said, the force of impact behind the tool, by itself, doesn't necessarily tell the whole story. You can get a good burnish with just a modeling spoon. So...

2. Like Mike says, moisture content makes a lot of difference. Too much and it's like working a sponge. Too little and it's like working cardboard. I've attached a couple photos below. The first one shows the difference in color between dry and quick-cased leather. The second shows the approximate color of the leather when the moisture content is at working level. The color variation around the image is largely due to burnishing. If you look at the top of the piece, the color variation is the result of the leather drying (the uneven drying is a natural consequence of quick-casing). That not-quite-dark and not-quite-light color is what I look for as an indication the moisture content is where I like it.

Dale

[cybertracy]

wow, thanks so much for your help. I've been experimenting w/different moisture levels and getting great results.

I can't tell you how helpful this site has been, i've been learning (and unravelling mysteries) so much. It gives me renewed hope that I'll be able to someday finish that keychain for my mom before she's too old to drive. (ha).

[CitizenKate]

Dale... wow... nice figure carving. You need to post more of your finished work.

Kate