DaCodaBuchan Report post Posted January 8, 2010 I have noticed that a lot of leather carving seems to be geared towards floral carving. Why is that? Is it just a traditional thing? It seems like Cowboys, Bikers, and people that like Flowers are the only ones contributing leather carvings. I just wondered if it was a preference, or if there was a long history of florals in leather working. It seems like even Tandy's stamps are geared towards florals, the leather craft handbook shows one cute monkey and then goes into several pages on floral stuff. I think it has something to do with the fact that a single floral will demonstrate the use of almost every type of stamp, but at the same time I'm having a hard time finding things that are not about the west, the open road, dragons, or flowers. Your thoughts? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hilly Report post Posted January 8, 2010 I have noticed that a lot of leather carving seems to be geared towards floral carving. Why is that? Is it just a traditional thing? It seems like Cowboys, Bikers, and people that like Flowers are the only ones contributing leather carvings. I just wondered if it was a preference, or if there was a long history of florals in leather working. It seems like even Tandy's stamps are geared towards florals, the leather craft handbook shows one cute monkey and then goes into several pages on floral stuff. I think it has something to do with the fact that a single floral will demonstrate the use of almost every type of stamp, but at the same time I'm having a hard time finding things that are not about the west, the open road, dragons, or flowers. Your thoughts? You missed figure carving, Celtic carving, the skull crowd, and tattoo flash crowd. And yes, florals are pretty much traditional. Why, are you a flower hater? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DaCodaBuchan Report post Posted January 8, 2010 Why, are you a flower hater? No, not at all. I just wondered if there was a history behind it or if it was just a good teaching tool and that's why so many beginner kits seem to include it and teach it to death. They are pretty. They do seem to all look the same after a while though. I'd love to see some beachscapes, maybe a nice tree with Spanish moss dangling from it's lofty branches. I'm working on a skyscraper that I'd like to carve on leather when I'm finished drawing it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ClayB Report post Posted January 8, 2010 I think a lot of it is "tradition". Seems like a lot of the patterns that are used in leather carving came from other forms of art. Some of the same types of patterns are seen carved in stone, wood, metal etc. I remember reading once that the old time cowboys had carved leather on their saddles, belts, boots etc as their way of having some sort of art to take along with them into places that didn't have that sort of thing available. It went along with the story that they saved labels off of canned food just to have something to read. I don't know if that was really the reason or not. I think if you start looking around into the old magazines and other places, you'll find that people have carved all kinds of images into leather. Darwin Ohlerking used to carve lots of old barns, bridges and things like that. Lots of people carve scenery and figures, human portraits etc. It does seem like floral carving is what is taught to beginners. Maybe it is that it's easiest to teach how to use the basic tools with these patterns. But once you get used to using the different tools, the sky is the limit. I remember Peter Main telling me that there isn't anything you cant make out of leather. I figured that was pushing it a little bit, but the more different things I see done, I think he was probably right. If floral isn't your thing, no problem. Decide what it is that you would like to do and do it. Then show us all here! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
terrahyd Report post Posted January 8, 2010 DaCoda;;I started out tooling floral 40yrs' ago ,and decided to tool wildlife as my main enterest early on ,,still trying to learn to do it well..very what you do if you like ,,but with all the tutorils on sheridan &floral avilable use them to master the tools and then you can master your subjects of choice....personaly learning to master the swivel knife will take me a life time ...and I will love every minute ....the main page of this site has a great deal info ;;;;;tricks &,,..tutorils..... how to do this and that ...ect ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jmace Report post Posted January 8, 2010 I think flowers are just easier for alot of people. You don't have to worry as much about scale as you do with landscapes or wildlife scenes etc... The thorns don't have to be identical on 2 roses but a 2 inch cow standing next to a 3 inch barn just doesn't look right. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DaCodaBuchan Report post Posted January 8, 2010 I don't think that flowers are beneath my skill. I am sure that I will work several flowers before I get tired of them. It's not so much that I can do something else well, it's that if I'm going to do something wrong I'd like it to be something I enjoy. I do like he flowers, I've just never been a hardcore fan of western, or biker designs. More power to those that are. I'd like to try my hand at scenes from around God's country. Alabama has a lot of old barns and even down into Florida and over to Georgia. The TN river was my home when we lived on a boat so I'm sure it's banks will provide several lifetimes of work and I think on top of being something I can love it will be something other's will appreciated. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Denise Report post Posted January 9, 2010 DaCoda, take a look at ClayB's website and Rob Barr's stuff as well. I think you will get a lot of inspiration there for the type of thing you are leaning toward. And yes, show us pictures! Give some others some inspiration too! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted January 9, 2010 I have noticed that a lot of leather carving seems to be geared towards floral carving. Why is that? Yep, traditional thing. Other side of the coin, though... Where was that fella talked about the "good" mistake? If you're carving a portrait of me, then it needs to LOOK like me (good news, you won't need your hair blade). But, you can make that flower look like about anything you want. If you trace a line off just a little, it STILL looks like a flower Lots of folks seem to think they are not an artist, therefore they shouldn't do this or that. Buddy years ago was a charcoal artist (black and white drawings). Always said, "You can't be scared and be an artist". And somewhere I heard that -- "If you think you can't, you're right". But by using these "flowers", you're getting comfortable with your use of tools, whether that's bevelers, swivel knives, brushes, the dyes, whatever ... if you make a "mistake", YOU know it and can improve, but meanwhile you have a MARKETABLE PRODUCT (looks like a flower to ME). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DaCodaBuchan Report post Posted January 9, 2010 (edited) That, my friend, makes perfect sense. I'm hoping to get shoulders or a side in the next month. I plan to cut it into six by six sections and just practice. What I'll do with all of these perfect squares afterward is beyond me. I'm focused on the practicing for now. Edited January 9, 2010 by DaCoda Buchan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Colter Report post Posted January 10, 2010 (edited) Don't quote the novice on this, but as i read in Tandy's 'Lucky Eight Belt Book', Floral carving is a several-centuries old Style, Originating in Spain i Think. In my sight and many of my customers, it's beautiful. i'm Asking still how someone brought up the idea to cut flowers into a strip of Cowhide, it's absolutely strange but i like it, So incredibly fun to tool, As well. Edited January 10, 2010 by Thalaskaru Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
