Pictorial carving of a beach

[DominickTuroski]

I’ve been trying some figure carving these past few days and am liking it. I’ve been toiling leather for only about a year now. I’ve done some very simple Sheridan stuff and my own floral designs. I’m from Minnesota so I’ve been trying to adapt some of the traditional western carving to a bit more of a midwestern taste. I’m trying to tool the shoreline of Lake Superior specifically. 

I have been searching for reference images of rocks or water or beaches or anything like that being tooled. I’m pretty satisfied with the tree, I’m getting the hang of that, but the rocks and water are a bit off for me and I can’t find many good references. 

If anyone has reference photos of scenes they have toiled with rocks or water or any tips I’d love to see what you’ve got. Criticism on anything on this is welcome as well.

[DominickTuroski]

^ Also the stamping above the tree is not ment to be leaves, just a border. That picture isn’t finished either

 

[DominickTuroski]

The second photo is my first attempt on nicer leather. I then swapped the grass for rocks as seen in the first image

 

[Rockoboy]

Both look really good, but I am not so sure about the stamping along the top of the tree. It loses a little bit with those stamps, IMHO.

[DominickTuroski]

Thank you!

As for the stamps I agree, I regret adding those. Trying to figure out how I want to border it.

[Rockoboy]

4 hours ago, DominickTuroski said:

Trying to figure out how I want to border it.

Can you carve the tree as you did in the bottom pic, so the tree is complete, and use those same stamps along the border of your leather?  Maybe a backgrounder which fades away as it gets to the edge stamps. Not an expert, just thinking on the go.

[buzzardbait]

Pictorial Carving Finesse by Al Stohlman is a great resource with lots of instruction for carving.