ClayB Report post Posted January 30, 2008 (edited) For those of you that don't do figure carving (you figure carvers can play too!) here is floral pattern for you to try. This pattern was sent to me by Kathy Flanagan aka Yaklady. Thanks Kathy! Same things goes here as with the figure carving challenge. You can carve this anyway you like, use whatever tools you want, change it, add your own touches, just have fun with it. If you have any questions, comments, discussion, feel free to add it here and hopefully we will all learn something from it. Edited January 30, 2008 by ClayB trying to get the pattern to print a decent size Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
electrathon Report post Posted January 30, 2008 Clay, I am now confused. This was posted in the other challenge thread about the couger: Tiwnoaks, this is actually the pattern for February. Since the topic was brought up, I decided to go ahead and announce it a little early. So everyone has a few weeks to play with it. I'll post a new pattern around the 1st of March since it looks like there is enough interest in this to keep it going for awhile. Are both both supposed to be for February? I have started on the other one (which is tough since I have never done an animal before). I will move on to this one if it is going to be the current one. Aaron Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ClayB Report post Posted January 30, 2008 Aaron, Both are for February. Figure carving isn't everyone's thing, so I thought I give them more than one option but you can sure do both and I'd encourage you to do that if you have time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pete Report post Posted January 31, 2008 I thought when seeing the Yaklady picture that I could do something really neat. I first thought that I would do an inverted design and(something that I had never seen before) background the OUTSIDE of the design. I've never done inverted before and I was crosseyed afterwhile! All of my instincts told me to bevel the OTHER side. I finished the cutting , beveled the insides and promptly backgrounded the part I wanted natural! Oh well- my leather was large enough to do another next to it so I tried again. This time I did what I had in mind but I don't think that I like the effect. Oh well- It only took about an hour and a half to do it all. Hope SOMEONE likes it! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tina Report post Posted January 31, 2008 Hi Pete, This is awesome...The inverted one is actually my favo, beautiful work:-) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pete Report post Posted January 31, 2008 Thank you Tina! I really admire your work so your compliment is special! By the way- WHICH inverted did you like? If you look at the left one it is inverted too! I just don't know how to do it yet!!! pete Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ClayB Report post Posted January 31, 2008 Hey Pete, They both look really nice! That's what I was hoping for was new and different ideas, the "what if's". Normally inverted carving is done so there is no background, but with the ridge you left around the carving, I like it. Didn't think I would, but I do. The other one would probably be called sihillouette (I have no idea how you spell that) carving. It looks really neat with the turned back parts left untooled. Both different, both fun, both really well done. Thanks for the neat ideas! Clay Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolvenstien Report post Posted January 31, 2008 You know, that is quite unique.... I have never done an inverted.... and seeing the two together like that of the same pattern.... Very cool. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tina Report post Posted January 31, 2008 Thank you Tina! I really admire your work so your compliment is special! By the way- WHICH inverted did you like? If you look at the left one it is inverted too! I just don't know how to do it yet!!!pete Hi Pete, It should have said...The inverted on the right side. Sometimes the brain is qicker than the fingers:-) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardb Report post Posted January 31, 2008 (edited) For those of you that don't do figure carving (you figure carvers can play too!) here is floral pattern for you to try. This pattern was sent to me by Kathy Flanagan aka Yaklady. Thanks Kathy! Same things goes here as with the figure carving challenge. You can carve this anyway you like, use whatever tools you want, change it, add your own touches, just have fun with it. If you have any questions, comments, discussion, feel free to add it here and hopefully we will all learn something from it. Clay, yer killin' me. Two non-contests?? One's gonna drive me nuts. OK, to the meat of the question. I need defenitions! Figure carving, Sheridan carving, floral carving, 'blank' carving... What's the diff? Why isn't the cat "figure carving" and why isn't the floral, well, "floral carving"? Edumacate me! I thought when seeing the Yaklady picture that I could do something really neat. I first thought that I would do an inverted design and(something that I had never seen before) background the OUTSIDE of the design. I've never done inverted before and I was crosseyed afterwhile! All of my instincts told me to bevel the OTHER side. I finished the cutting , beveled the insides and promptly backgrounded the part I wanted natural! Oh well- my leather was large enough to do another next to it so I tried again. This time I did what I had in mind but I don't think that I like the effect.Oh well- It only took about an hour and a half to do it all. Hope SOMEONE likes it! Pete - this rocks! I really like the inverted carve. I tried it once and failed miserably. I've been looking for an excuse to try again... Brent Edited January 31, 2008 by howardb Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ClayB Report post Posted January 31, 2008 Hey Brent, I didn't mean to confuse you, but I make up the rules as I go. When I started this, I didn't know there would be two, now there are. I didn't want to leave anyone out just because they don't do figure carving, so now there's two catagories. Some month there might be more, some less, who knows. It probably got more confusing when I merged Pete's post into this topic, and didn't realize the title changed. Now I edited both topic titles and everyone will probably be completly lost. Who put me in charge of this anyway????? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roger Report post Posted January 31, 2008 (edited) well.... i guess i need to pull another hunk of scrap out of the pile and see what i can do. should be intersting! nice work pete! Edited January 31, 2008 by beezachoppa Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SCOUTER Report post Posted January 31, 2008 This pattern lends itself to much more diversity... Funny thing with me is I never understood the whole western floral carving origins. So many times I look at a nice carving but wonder "What the hell is that swirl thing?" I get the flowers (sometimes) always get the roses, leaves yes- but what are those things next to the stem? Is this a West coast thing? Do I have to visit a desert? Can someone post a real pic of what I am looking at. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roger Report post Posted February 1, 2008 (edited) popped this one out this eve. Edited February 1, 2008 by beezachoppa Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rharris Report post Posted February 1, 2008 I finished this today. Would appreciate any comments. RussH Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruce johnson Report post Posted February 1, 2008 Update from Oakdale. Got up primed to do some repairs, and just couldn't get real exicted about breast collar drops at 4:30 am. I traced it off the pattern, and then changed it up a little for some flow and elements I like to use. Attaching a picture. BTW the case was done with Ben's Baby Shampoo/Lexol mix (w/o Listerine) last night and bagged. The scrap is a low shoulder piece of light skirting from my bargain bin. My three things I would improve: 1) I would put in a slight more separation between the scrollwork, flower element, and leaf elements. The stem work all runs together and looks a bit busy to me. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. 2). There are some mishits on the beveling, and some minor "flow to the point" on the stem work. 3). I would make more interesting decorative cuts on the leaf fold/stump looking things. They are just OK. Normally I would have made up a paper pattern, then a tracing pattern off that. This would have minimized my 3 improvement zones. What I did do was to visualize it in my mind, put the major elements down from tracing the page I printed off, and then fill in on the leather. I'm getting better at that, but still need to draw them out first when the money is up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roger Report post Posted February 1, 2008 deffinaitly flows better bruce! i may give it another shot if i have some time but, need to invest in a couple tools i don't have a thumb print for one Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
william Report post Posted February 1, 2008 (edited) Scouter very good question about the Leafs. They are called Acanthus leafs. Google it and you can find some more info. F.O.Baird has several designs in his book Leather Secrets on page 14. Also try this link http://www.artmetal.com/project/TOC/proces...s/acanths1.html Edited February 1, 2008 by william Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ClayB Report post Posted February 1, 2008 Bruce, I like the leaf you added off the scroll. The viener impressions on on the tips of the small leaves are neat, never seen that before (or didn't notice it if I did) It's amazing what you see when you can blow a picture up really big. Did you use one of your altered bevelers on the outside curves of the flower and big leaves? Looks like you can see tiny lines radiating off of them. You might have to talk about your bevelers again sometime. I also like how you narrowed everything up where all the stemwork comes together. Russ, I really like the depth in the background, but on the pear shader, I wouldn't go quite so deep. The finish you put on it aceents the pear shader impressions and makes them really stand out in the picture, probably more than they do. I always found the mule foot a hard tool to use, to get it lined up perfectly and to get each following impression to fade out a little more than the last. Beezachopper, I always like the undercuts you do on your carvings. I think they really add to the depth. I also really like that background tool. It's one my grandfather used a lot. Doesn't seem like too many people use it these days. I want to thank everyone for playing along in these challenges. I didn't know what kind of participation to expect and I have been pleasantly surprised. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruce johnson Report post Posted February 1, 2008 Clay, Pretty much the petals were beveled with a #2 checkered from Barry. (I am feeling shame, the radiating lines are actually chatter marks from the beveler walking). Interesting things the pics show when enlarged. I stood those bevelers up (to minimize the mashing down of the underlaying element I sometimes do) and actually tipped them towards me when I was beveling the overlaps. You can see that it pushed the points back even off the cut line on some of them. This leather is low shoulder and might be a factor too with a looser fiber allowing that. lesson learned. The veiners on the tips of the stickers is kind of a California thing, along with the matted background. Since this is a new post, I am going to add three more things I would change. 1) I would make the leaf smaller, I generally use the 2/3 size of the flower factor someone told me eons ago. 2) I would probably stick a flower bud in place of the other folded leaf on the right side there. 3) I would take a picture and blow it up, THAT really shows the mishits, off line cuts, and attempts to fix decorative cuts that looked cleaner and nicer before. . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ClayB Report post Posted February 1, 2008 Well if those are chatter marks, they sure are nice and even, and dang close together! I am always surprised what you see when you blow things up on the computer screen. I should quit doing that, huh? I do it on my own stuff too, amazing how different you tooling looks that big! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roger Report post Posted February 1, 2008 (edited) Beezachopper, I always like the undercuts you do on your carvings. I think they really add to the depth. I also really like that background tool. It's one my grandfather used a lot. Doesn't seem like too many people use it these days. I want to thank everyone for playing along in these challenges. I didn't know what kind of participation to expect and I have been pleasantly surprised.thanks clay! the under cuts are done wiht a tool i made. i really like that background tool also. i don't have much use for it most times and could have been a bit smoother with it but, didn't take the time to do so. hopefully i have a chance to give it another shot before the end of the month Well if those are chatter marks, they sure are nice and even, and dang close together! I am always surprised what you see when you blow things up on the computer screen. I should quit doing that, huh? I do it on my own stuff too, amazing how different you tooling looks that big! i didn't do it this time (or i would have evened up my back grounding) but generally do when i'm about done tooling to see what needs attention. sure is a great tool and helps me to improve what i'm doing Edited February 1, 2008 by beezachoppa Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tina Report post Posted February 1, 2008 Bruce, I really don't know anything about floral carving but I do know when my eyes like something...They like :-) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruce johnson Report post Posted February 1, 2008 Clay, I looked again. Those are not chatter marks, the chatter marks are on the petal ends on the other side, slightly out of focus. The lines are part of the checkering pattern, blown up they do radiate. This particular beveler has a lot of side to side rock to it, and that may have affected the way it took the checkering. Because of the rock, I have to walk it in smaller steps, but it also does a good job for certain areas. I also have a #2 that is pretty flat side to side. That is mostly what I use on tighter stemwork. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SCOUTER Report post Posted February 1, 2008 Well, the good news is I did the design... Having no idea what the heck I was carving! I did not put any extra carving into the leaves because I want to try to dye/paint this piece. Next time we carve some floral can we have something East of the Mississippi? Thanks William, I will look. Bruce- You are always spot on with all your posts and advice... You really did a beautiful job on this pattern... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
