Monthly Figure Carving Challenge

[ClayB]

Horsehairbraider,

For not having done any figure carving before, that is pretty dang good. Who told you that it was okay to make the pattern smaller though? Smaller patterns mean bigger magnifying lenses, at least for me. Really thin leather like that makes any carving more difficult, cutting without going through, and tooling to get depth without cutting through again. That probably explains why some of your cuts look really deep. It does look like you got some nice depth though, especially on the mouth and ear. You can see several different levels of depth in those areas. On the nose, I can see knife cuts, and then it looks like you might have used a pear shader instead of beveling. The cuts stand out. To eliminate that, I wouldn't cut the lines, just trace them and then use the pear shader to create the shape. Then I would use a modeling tool to blend the pear shader impressions out. I think it would look a little better if you would add a lot more hair, closer together. The direction and length look good, just need more of it. You are off to a really good start. Thanks for playing along and sharing your picture. (NOTE: I am not really comfortable doing critiques like this, and hope I everyone knows I am just trying to point out things I think might help)

[SCOUTER]

HorseHairbraider! I can't believe the detail you got into that little piece of leather! Is that a real penny? When you go miniature it ADDS a whole bunch of problems to contend with! Like Clay said with a really small carving regular knife cuts look HUGE, but you have a really good handle on it. I guess you use an OPTIVIEW and alot of LIGHT!

I like the really small stuff because of the challenge. Thanks for Posting!

[SCOUTER]

Well, here is my attempt at the pattern... I am a little short on Leather so I found this piece with a lot of tools I bought on E-Bay. I have never worked with such thin leather (less then 1/8) so I rubber cemented it to a piece of plexiglass and began carving. (The leather was so thin that the thinner from the rubber cement came up thru the leather and wet my graphite paper) I started at 4am and it took me 3 hours. (I'm a night owl) The color and hair all done with pyrography. (heat) My only dilemma, WISKERS... I want to add wiskers but one mistake and, well you know. I have to ponder this...

[HorsehairBraider]

The trend seems to be to add color somehow, so I decided to paint mine. I thought - "Hey! How could I possibly make it worse?" I painted sparingly because my taste is for leather paintings that you can tell are still leather.

On doing it so small: first, I know I'm not very good, so I am messing up less leather this way! Second, my tools are not real leather tools. They are meant for stamping sterling silver. (I'm a jeweler.) So they are quite tiny. I don't have a swivel knife for example, but I do have a scalpel so that is what I used.

Clay, you should not feel uncomfortable saying your opinion - isn't that the whole point? For my part I accept what is said here in the spirit I hope it was intended - in the spirit of friendly helpfulness. I hope anything I might say would be accepted the same way! I certainly intend it that way. Clearly I am no expert - but I still have an opinion, and I am sure everyone else does as well.

From what has been said, I gather I should strive to make shallower cuts and perhaps fewer of them, and maybe add a few more details in things like the hair. I'll try to improve!

Scouter, how did you do the nose? Did you cut it? Because you can clearly see it but it looks much better than mine. Personally, I would add whiskers but I would do it with a knife. Do you have a scalpel? :D MIne worked like a charm! I never thought of adding color with heat. I'll have to try that! It turned out very nice.

[ClayB]

Horsehairbraider,

I was told once that good color can improve a not so good carving and in this case, your coloring really adds to your carving. Then on the other hand they also said poor coloring can ruin a good carving which is more often true in my case.

I'd be really interested in seeing a picture of the tools you are using if you could share one. I use a scalpel for some things on my pictures, but I cant imagine trying to carve the pattern with it. It has to be challenging to try and do this with tools that were designed for something else.

Yes the idea here is to share our opinions and try to help, I just dont ever want to discourage anyone or cause any hurt feelings. Sometimes when typing, it's hard for people to tell exactly what the intent is.

Scouter,

The coloring with the woodburning tool looks neat. I have a couple of those that I thought I would try using on leather, but haven't gotten around to it yet.

[HorsehairBraider]

Clay - here's a pic of my tools. I should have added that giant penny... but I hope this gives you an idea of scale: most people have seen a scalpel blade.

From left to right: First is my scalpel. Second, a sculpting tool made of polished agate that I use for a "pear shader", next is a dental tool, the next two are my plain "seeder" and my textured "seeder". Then my "mule foot", my "camoflauge tool", my "veiner". And then are two pieces of 10 gauge brass wire that I fabricated into "bevellers", one sharply triangular and the other a little wider. Next are my only two real tools - a beveler and a pear shader by Craftool, nos. B935 and P233. Then my solder pick (I really use it to pick up pieces of solder when I am soldering), and another one of those tools made from polished agate. In the center is the cantle back of a teeny saddle I am making. This was my first carving in donkey's years, a floral, and it's kind of bad but I am hoping I'll improve and that no one will notice on the cantle back of a teeny saddle!

As far as it being a challenge to use such tools: ignorance is bliss. I can not remember using "real" tools, or doing full-size carvings, at all well. So I suppose I will have the exact same learning curve as someone new to carving, which I basically am. Scalpel blades aren't too hard to use if you hold them really close to the tip of the blade, and be really careful not to cut off any fingers.

Thanks for what you said about my painting. You are obviously really kind! Hopefully people who join in will be able to accept other's opinions in a generous way. As for me, I used to be a sculptor, so when you finish your embossing you can expect some comments from me in turn.

[Roger]

well... ups didn't get here with my next seat project so i spent a couple hours and came up with this.

donno if i'll add any color or not

[SCOUTER]

Horsehair- I like the color you did! I knew you had to work with miniatures! (Jeweler) Your wiskers came out great but it's funny how alot of us are fearful of those "few simple cuts that can kill your carving." I notice that Beezachopper who has great texture on the whole nose, did not put wiskers on either! Also Horsehair- Your tongue color is perfect!

Clay, one thing I noticed is that the eyes on the pattern is a little too timid, if I was doing this on my own I would have added some skin flap over the eyelid like Tina did.

[Roger]

i wasn't afraid of anything. they are not on the pattern and didn't feel the wiskers were needed

[ClayB]

Bezzachopper,

Did you emboss yours slightly? It kind of looks like it, but I cant tell for sure. I also don't know if it needs whiskers. I think they look pretty good without them, and some of them look good with them. I think it's just a personal decision on them. What did you use for hairing, and is there a reason you didn't do it on the head? Not that there's anything wrong with it, just wondering.

[Roger]

Bezzachopper,

Did you emboss yours slightly? It kind of looks like it, but I cant tell for sure. I also don't know if it needs whiskers. I think they look pretty good without them, and some of them look good with them. I think it's just a personal decision on them. What did you use for hairing, and is there a reason you didn't do it on the head? Not that there's anything wrong with it, just wondering.

yes, it's embossed a bit. hairing was done with a couple different Camouflage stamps i have. the head is also done but, with a finer tool for finer hair. i guess i need to take a couple more pics and see if i can get the embossing and hairing to show up

[Roger]

some closer pics

Edited January 31, 2008 by beezachoppa

[ClayB]

Beezachopper,

I thought it looked embossed from the original pictures, thanks for sending more. Using the cams for hairing is something I had forgotten about. Al used to do that on some of his animals. That's the kind of things I was hoping for with this challenge, lots of different ideas and techniques to get your results.

[Roger]

Beezachopper,

I thought it looked embossed from the original pictures, thanks for sending more. Using the cams for hairing is something I had forgotten about. Al used to do that on some of his animals. That's the kind of things I was hoping for with this challenge, lots of different ideas and techniques to get your results.

this was my first attempt at this sort of figure carving including this amount of complex hairing and embossing.

i pulled out my AS figure carving book for the cam idea. one of those flat sidded cams would have made it quite a bit easier

[howardb]

I'm glad it won't be competitive, cuz I'd bow out RIGHT NOW! Good to know I have a month, cuz it will take that long... Yikes!

Brent

[rharris]

It is cold and windy today so I thought it would be a good day to stay inside. Here is my lion.

Edited January 31, 2008 by rharris

[ClayB]

Clay, one thing I noticed is that the eyes on the pattern is a little too timid, if I was doing this on my own I would have added some skin flap over the eyelid like Tina did.

Scouter,

I think that the skin flap you are talking about is mainly just how you interpret the pattern and how you bevel or shade above the eye. I wonder if adding a line in the pattern would have made a lot of difference. I think whyAl Stohlman changed his patterns when he wrote Figure Carving Finesse book. Instead of dotted lines, going to shaded areas the defined muscle definition. Paul Burnett touches on that in some of his instructional material too. It would be interesting if someone good at drawing patterns and familiar with that technique would take a stab at redrawing this pattern.

[ClayB]

this was my first attempt at this sort of figure carving including this amount of complex hairing and embossing.

i pulled out my AS figure carving book for the cam idea. one of those flat sidded cams would have made it quite a bit easier

One thing I notice about using the cam for the hair, above the eye it looks kind of like rows of hair in really even layers. I would like it more random, but I am wondering if you used the cam in a random overlapping way, if you would get more of a cross hatch pattern? Guess I'll have to dig out the book and see how Al did it. I still think for a first attempt at this kind of at this kind of project, you did a really nice job. I'm glad you gave it a shot.

[Roger]

One thing I notice about using the cam for the hair, above the eye it looks kind of like rows of hair in really even layers. I would like it more random, but I am wondering if you used the cam in a random overlapping way, if you would get more of a cross hatch pattern? Guess I'll have to dig out the book and see how Al did it. I still think for a first attempt at this kind of at this kind of project, you did a really nice job. I'm glad you gave it a shot.

i think if i had a flat sided cam and a better understanding of what i was doing it could be done without a problem. i also could have gone back with my hair tool and added some more ramdom hairing. i kinda liked the way the hair flowed around the eyes and mouth.

i guess i would need to study some cat pics to do much better

[SCOUTER]

rharris, Looks nice, could use a bigger pic... I like your wiskers!

[ClayB]

It is cold and windy today so I thought it would be a good day to stay inside. Here is my lion.

Hi Russ,

I am running out of things to say (is that clapping I hear in the background?? ) so I am glad you didn't ask for comments. You guys are all doing a great job with this pattern. Thanks for taking time to give it a try.

[ClayB]

Ok, despite several of my latest attempts at painting not turning out so great, I keep trying. This one actually turned out better than I expected it would. I went back and used the techniques Silva Fox teaches in her Dazzling Color DVD and they really do work. I don't know why I dont do things that way more often.

The first picture is with the shading done in shades of purple.

And then the second is the finished painting.

[Regis]

Clay,

Just amazing!

I've gotten side tracked some on sewing but, carving is my desire. I need to back-up a couple steps and review your tutorials for "each" attempt and work slower. Still need to sew to get functional items done but, need to invest more time into carving (although I'd have to live to 103 to catch up to your embossed lion here)

Thanks for leading & showing

Regis

[HorsehairBraider]

Clay, that's nice! You've even got the eyes, nose and tongue shiny so they look like they are wet. That embossing is a really neat technique for showing depth.

[Tina]

She came out absolutly great Clay...Awesome:-)