Maple Leaf.... 1St One I Feel Ok About Anyhow:) Comments And Suggestion Welcome!

[chancey77]

Thanks to Jax and Imiketoo this morning for saving my day!

I really am trying hard for some realism so please any comments are welcome! I dyed it with brushes watered down with red orange and yellow then added some dark brown and black dry brush effects... Compared to the pile in the garbage this morning I like this one so far but since this style is not what I do normally could listen to some sound advise!!

Thanks!!! I am all ears!

[mikesmith648]

Looks good to me....maybe a bit of dry brush green??

Mike

[Jax]

Glad to help Chancey, it looks geat!!!

[chancey77]

That's what I was thinking to Mike and I held off until someone else said it hahahaha

On the edges right, just a subtle hint of green...

Edited January 16, 2013 by chancey77

[Bob Blea]

Hi Chancey,

Overall I think it looks really good. Just my opinion, but I don't like the checkering across the leaf. If it were me, I would use a leaf liner or beveler with diagonal lines on it along the stem lines, both the main stem and the ones that radiate off it. I think it gives the leaf a more 3D look and would leave the rest of the leaf surface smooth. I wish I had a picture showing what I mean but I don't have access to my pics from where I'm at. However, I do think your leaf looks good and I like the color.

Bob

[immiketoo]

Chris, here's the leaf I wanted to show you earlier...

Chris, here's the leaf I wanted to show you earlier...

[Cyberthrasher]

Finally got the dang picture to open on this laptop

For the most part it looks good Bro, but I do have to agree with Bob on the matting.

The green would help the coloring, but I think it should be more of a light green leaning toward yellow since there's so much red/brown going on already. I think I should go look at some fall leaf pictures to make sure I'm thinking of the common color scheme right though.

Do you have a pedal lifter? I think I may have gotten an extra one. I'll have to look.

[Northmount]

When you add a hint of green, I would keep it closer to the stem. The outer edges of the leaf dry out first, so shouldn't have any green left. And I like it without the green.

Looks like an inverted carving style, which is fine. Been doing some myself. But as mentioned, reduce the amount of matting. The leaf surface in nature is smooth between veins.

Tom

[chancey77]

Ya this was from the inverted carving book northmount:) Mike that was the one I was trying at first like the picture you posted but I failed at it numerous times to look that cool.... I do not have a pedal lifter:(

So this will be going onto a tele pickguard and I thought that inverted carving would be much better just so there is nothing sticking up as this client only wants 1 lonely leaf in the center of the strings I figured this style would be the way to go....

Do you got some tips on inverted tooling for this application? Thanks for all your comments!!

[chancey77]

So here is some adjustments.... Now waiting on Johan to tell me is he wants inverted or more traditional with pedal lifting..... Arghhhh I hate waiting! I wish I wouldn't have cut the stems but I will flatten them out a bit more with the spoon...like I did on the small veins.

Here it is with the pick guard shape