Monthly Floral Carving Challenge

[ClayB]

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?????

[Roger]

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

[SCOUTER]

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.

[Roger]

popped this one out this eve.

Edited February 1, 2008 by beezachoppa

[rharris]

I finished this today. Would appreciate any comments.

RussH

[bruce johnson]

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.

[Roger]

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

[william]

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

[ClayB]

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.

[bruce johnson]

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. .