trying to make a feather

[carr52]

Not sure why, but I just wanted to try to make a realistic looking feather. I have seen others on here do it so I had to try. I started out with a heavy peice so I'd have the thickness for the center part. The quill I guess you call it. Then I just kept skiving it down on the edges till I got what I wanted. The one on the left is the front side. Still have some touchup to do. So, tell me what you think. I need the advice, good or bad.

Tom

[ClayB]

Tom,

It looks pretty good. The thing that stands out the most to me is the "fluff" at the bottom of the feather. It's pretty thick. I'd try and make those a lot thinner if you can. If you skive that part of the leather down real thin, then make the individual cuts with a scalpel or x-acto knife, it might be easier. On the second picture (the horizontal one) the quill isn't real even at the bottom. The notches in the main part of the feather, looks like you cut out V's. I just make a slice along the veins, not cutting anything out. Not sure how you are going to finish this, but my next step is to put on an acrylic sealer and when that is still wet, you can twist and turn parts of the feather to shape it. I like mine to look pretty ragged, but that's just me.

[carr52]

Tom,

It looks pretty good. The thing that stands out the most to me is the "fluff" at the bottom of the feather. It's pretty thick. I'd try and make those a lot thinner if you can. If you skive that part of the leather down real thin, then make the individual cuts with a scalpel or x-acto knife, it might be easier. On the second picture (the horizontal one) the quill isn't real even at the bottom. The notches in the main part of the feather, looks like you cut out V's. I just make a slice along the veins, not cutting anything out. Not sure how you are going to finish this, but my next step is to put on an acrylic sealer and when that is still wet, you can twist and turn parts of the feather to shape it. I like mine to look pretty ragged, but that's just me.

I did cut out vee's. Thanks. I plan to make a few more. I'll need to be more careful with my cuts on the quill part. I'm not really sure how to finnish it. I can see this shaping up to being something later on. Maybe part of a Dream Catcher or something. Thanks again for the imput.

Tom

[carr52]

OK, here's another try at it. I need to clean it up some and maybe cut a few more loose feather parts in it but I think it's alittle better than the first one. Comments please.

Tom

[carr52]

Two new ones with a coat of clear laquer on them to strenghten them. Now I'll airbrush the color on. Not sure what color. Anyone have suggestions? I was just going to look online at feathers.

Tom

[ClayB]

Check out the gift shop on Paul Burnett's website. It should give you all kinds of ideas.

[carr52]

Check out the gift shop on Paul Burnett's website. It should give you all kinds of ideas.

All I can say is WOW!! Love the red ones on page 6 and the turkey tail feathers. Thanks for the link.

Tom

[stanly]

Guy I took a different class from had made hundreds of feathers and would carve them out so fast u didn't really have time to appreciate everything he was doing, but my takeaways were:

You've seen the multiblade hair knife, right?

Very few feathers are 100% straight

His feathers (Eagle I suppose) all had ruffs

He wasn't trying to carve a stand alone feather, his all were attached, then the edges were lifted.

[Troy Burch]

You don't have to do all that skiving sir. bevel around the feather then use a surgical knife, laying the cutting edge fairly flat to cut under the edge of the feather all way around. cut it feather thin for one half inch or so and use thinner leather. it will make your fluff easier and better also.

[electrathon]

With the little I know of feather making (not a lot) I have one hint. Use your leaf liner along your bevaled line at the quill. It will bring your lines the rest of the way into the quill instead of the smooth bevaled area.