Sheridan style Carving

[bobocat]

Hello Everyone,

This Sheridan style Carving is used at wallet for certificate.

now I didn't dye the caving. now just add the dye of Burnt dark brown on it.

[TomSwede]

That looks sooo smooth and as usual the carving is top notch!!

Tom

[ArtS]

Beautifully done!

Art

[JustWakinUp]

WOW ! I agree with Tom super smooth and the decoratvie cuts are wonderful

[hidepounder]

Beautifully done Bobocat! Excellent composition and knifework! You've also done an excellent job in shading...in particular you've matched the correct size shader to match the pattern....or designed your pattern to match your tools...either way, an important fundamental not recognized by many toolers. I'm impressed with this piece, as I am with all your work! I would categorize the style as "Traditional Western" or probably more accurately "Stohlman", rather than "Sheridan". Nevertheless, it's beautiful! Really well done!

[Alan Bell]

I am curious Hidepounder, what design elements do you feel exclude this piece from being Sheridan and would make it Traditional Western and what elements take it from Traditional Western to Stohlman. I am having trouble finding my own niche. I prefer/like what I see as Sheridan as opposed to what I see as Stohlman but I would have thought this piece was a Sheridan piece mostly because of the thin "bouquets" and the size of the leaves. As I understand things Don King used finer "bouquets" than was Traditional in creating Sheridan and hence the need for sharper angled bevelers and finer shaders.

Vaya Con Dios, Alan Bell

[electrathon]

I am ill equiped to get into a debate in this but I will throw in my opinion.

When I opened the post the first time and saw the carving the first thing I thought was: One, extremely nice work. Two, that is Western Floral, not Sheridan.

The vines are too big to be Sheridan. There should be more flowers and less folage. I would have moved the top right flower to the left and added another to the bottom right. Then the folage could have been trimmed back and the flowers would be predominate and not the folage being predominant.

Not an expert, I am interested in the opinions of others too.

[hidepounder]

I am curious Hidepounder, what design elements do you feel exclude this piece from being Sheridan and would make it Traditional Western and what elements take it from Traditional Western to Stohlman. I am having trouble finding my own niche. I prefer/like what I see as Sheridan as opposed to what I see as Stohlman but I would have thought this piece was a Sheridan piece mostly because of the thin "bouquets" and the size of the leaves. As I understand things Don King used finer "bouquets" than was Traditional in creating Sheridan and hence the need for sharper angled bevelers and finer shaders.

Vaya Con Dios, Alan Bell

Hi Alan....glad to give you my opinion, but please remember, it's just my opinion and others might disagree....and that's okay!

The two flowers used, especially the lower left are unquestionalby Sheridan! However, if you'll notice, the acanthis is nearly as large as the flowers and the way it used and tooled says Stohlman to me. It and the swirls are nearly as important elements in the compositon as the flowers, where, in Sheridan tooling there is much less emphasis on these elements. In addition you'll notice that the petals on the stem are very short and rounded. In Sheridan tooling, these petals are much more elongated and you will see them used more frequently. The swirls as used here are very large and broad, and again, a major part of the composition as oppossed to just being a complimentary element.

The use of the flower in a circle, as typically seen in Sheridan style tooling, does not make a composition, Sheridan Style. The use of a flower in a circle is very common in Traditional tooling designs. If you have the opportunity to study the book "Sheridan Style Carving" by Bob Likewise, you will see a lot of examples of what I'm trying to convey here. And remember, there is no hard line that separates Sheridan style from what I call Traditonal style. There are several Sheridan elements and techniques used in this piece, primarily the design and tooling of the flowers and the general use of a thumbprint/bruiser in lieu of a shader, as well as the use of a steep beveler.

The popularity of the Sheridan style coupled with the surging interest in western tooling has resulted in the use of the term "Sheridan" to describe all western floral tooling, and that just isn't correct. What I think is unquestionable is that Bobocat is a Master tooler and this little sample he has shown us is simply beautiful! He is easily one of the best toolers I have ever seen and I carefully study everything he does because I always learn something! and "that's all I have to say about that".

Hope this makes sense.....if not....just ignore me!

Bob

[Alan Bell]

Thanks for taking time to explain all that Bob, I do have the Likewise book but not right here in front of me so when I get home I will get it out and look for the elements you are talking about and compare. I gives me a better understanding of Sheridan to understand what Don King was trying to create when he created "Sheridan" from Traditional. It also helps me know what I am doing when I am trying to do some "Sheridan" tooling practice. I know what i want to do but for some reason I can't seem to re create it myself.

Vaya Con Dios, Alan Bell

[Johanna]

Ahem. Alan, we are missing Bob Marley quotes here. I can't believe you ran out! Waaaaahhhh! I want 'em back!

~J

[hidepounder]

Thanks for taking time to explain all that Bob, I do have the Likewise book but not right here in front of me so when I get home I will get it out and look for the elements you are talking about and compare. I gives me a better understanding of Sheridan to understand what Don King was trying to create when he created "Sheridan" from Traditional. It also helps me know what I am doing when I am trying to do some "Sheridan" tooling practice. I know what i want to do but for some reason I can't seem to re create it myself.

Vaya Con Dios, Alan Bell

I don't think Don was trying to create Sheridan style carving....he was just trying to improve on the style he learned. He was a Porter saddlemaker and when he went out on his own he tooled the way he wanted, which was a variant of what they did at Porters.....more refined and more customized. Remember, while Don was certainly a catylist, there were other Porter trained saddlemakers and toolers working in the area, as well as those trained by Don. Bill Gardner being a prime example. It would be unfair to a lot of great craftsman to not credit them in the evolution of the style also. Undoubtedly Don's business success as a saddlemaker influenced others to do what he was doing....

[ClayB]

Whatever anyone wants to label this carving, it's great carving as all of Bobocat's work is.

I agree it's not really Sheridan, but I wouldn't consider it Stohlman either. I wonder if it wouldn't be like some of Don's earlier work when he was starting to develop his own style, before his tooling got smaller and tighter?

[bobocat]

Thanks for giving me the direction and compliment.

It is true that I didn't know how to give the title at the beginning.

I live in Taiwan and there are no horses around my environment , so even don’t know how to make the saddle of the horse.The impressions of the old western just be seen in the movie, and I also want to learn how to make a paddle of a horse some day.

Thank Hidepounder spend time to tell me the characteristic of SHERIDAN,and also thank ALAN BELL tell me what he thinks.I am poor in english and I must find my brother to tell me what you say.so I just used my eyes to record and learn Floral Carving in the past.I learned the technique of Stohlman style carving in the book at the begining,and till I have ability to buy the tools of SHERIDAN and then begin to try the style of SHERIDAN.It's few peole to do the job of leathercraft around me,and no one can tell me what is the SHERIDAN,so I think it's the one of part of the western all the time. I didn't want to give up the original skill of the Stohlman style carving in the procedure of learning SHERIDAN.And it's like ClayB say, it's not like the SHERIDAN and also not like the Stohlman.but I respect and worship the both of Stohlman and Don King all the time.

I think I just like a child likes eating to love to put the same fruit I like in the same basket, and try to combination of some styles.Maybe it will lost the original meaning,but I feel happy in it.I always learn the new ways the rolling up of leaves just like the metal carving always uses the tooling of Stohlman,and still keeps the cutted line of the metal carving,I don't know what I think is correctly or not really.

I thinked about the job of Hidepounder in these days,and It's a pretty good of job.It spreads the flowers in the frame in nature way,and also have the rolling up and fluent leaves. This is the structure of making picture I'd never seen before.I admire the Hidepounder that he understands the style of leather carving very much.

just like ClayB saying,I really want to chang my habit of leather carving to fit my work,and even think about changing some tools to fit my works now.

Of couse,It's just my own openion,I think I must work more hard because it's a long road about learning.

Thanks again about everyone's openion.

[hidepounder]

Thanks for giving me the direction and compliment.

It is true that I didn't know how to give the title at the beginning.

I live in Taiwan and there are no horses around my environment , so even don't know how to make the saddle of the horse.The impressions of the old western just be seen in the movie, and I also want to learn how to make a paddle of a horse some day.

Thank Hidepounder spend time to tell me the characteristic of SHERIDAN,and also thank ALAN BELL tell me what he thinks.I am poor in english and I must find my brother to tell me what you say.so I just used my eyes to record and learn Floral Carving in the past.I learned the technique of Stohlman style carving in the book at the begining,and till I have ability to buy the tools of SHERIDAN and then begin to try the style of SHERIDAN.It's few peole to do the job of leathercraft around me,and no one can tell me what is the SHERIDAN,so I think it's the one of part of the western all the time. I didn't want to give up the original skill of the Stohlman style carving in the procedure of learning SHERIDAN.And it's like ClayB say, it's not like the SHERIDAN and also not like the Stohlman.but I respect and worship the both of Stohlman and Don King all the time.

I think I just like a child likes eating to love to put the same fruit I like in the same basket, and try to combination of some styles.Maybe it will lost the original meaning,but I feel happy in it.I always learn the new ways the rolling up of leaves just like the metal carving always uses the tooling of Stohlman,and still keeps the cutted line of the metal carving,I don't know what I think is correctly or not really.

I thinked about the job of Hidepounder in these days,and It's a pretty good of job.It spreads the flowers in the frame in nature way,and also have the rolling up and fluent leaves. This is the structure of making picture I'd never seen before.I admire the Hidepounder that he understands the style of leather carving very much.

just like ClayB saying,I really want to chang my habit of leather carving to fit my work,and even think about changing some tools to fit my works now.

Of couse,It's just my own openion,I think I must work more hard because it's a long road about learning.

Thanks again about everyone's openion.

Bobocat,

You're a gracious speaker and a Master tooler! I can't wait to see more of you're work. It's very inspiring to me and the others who recoganize your talent!

Bob

[Bree]

Wow...

Bobocat and Hidepounder talking shop together... two of the best leatherworkers I have ever seen. It's thrilling just to read this little thread!! I love this place. It makes you want to grab some leather and start cutting and pounding away to see if you can even get close to these guys!!