Wallet in progress.

[Rolandranch]

Hello!

Here is a wallet I am working on. Still trying to improve at figure carving so any tips/advice is appreciated.

 

Ryan

[Rohn]

Lookin' Great!!!!!!!!

[Ferg]

 

Ryan,

Your embossing (I assume) is very nice. I am not enamored with your selection of background.

First, I wouldn't mix completely different types of  tooling. My preference would be more subtle backgrounding. Seems to take away from your image.

Just my .02

Ferg

[heydox]

You should be proud of that work. The skull if very well done and has some excellent definition and contouring. The eye guard tines are beveled well and have good definition. Though that definition does not appear consistent through the main beams. 

The matting tool you chose for the background presents a problem that @Ferg mentioned. The pointed, detail stamp doesn’t present an easy way to vary the impression. Unfortunately, the symmetry of the deer skull and antlers emphasizes the patterning effect of not altering the orientation of the detail stamp in an otherwise random background. 

My advice would be to randomize your orientation of the pointed, detail stamp as you are working your figure’s edges. Some tight corners you just can’t avoid it, but along longer, open edges like the right-side eye guard tine, rotating the stamp as you work down the edge can give you a more random background. 

[Danne]

"so any tips/advice is appreciated." No need for advice, this is awesome. I've never tooled anything, but I wish I could.

[Rolandranch]

@Rohn Thank you, sir!

@Ferg Yes, it's embossed. I see what you're saying about the background. This was the first time I've used that backgrounder so I wasn't sure what to expect. Also, the leather was still a bit wet when I took the pic so the background looks a little darker than it really is. Thank you!

@heydox Thanks! That's a great tip! Like I said to Ferg, this was the first time I've used that backgrounder so I guess I wasn't paying much attention to the random part. Will definitely do this on the next one!

@Danne Thanks! 

[Smartee]

Oh wow!  The skull and antlers are awesome!  My husband would love something like that on a wallet!

[SickMick]

I personally love the background.......it looks more like the ground the skull may have been sitting on and is just a very unique approach. All your work is pretty darn incredible. Thanks for putting up the pics...it gives me something to strive for (or cuss at because I'm not quite ready to try something like that.....yet)

 

[arashikage]

Impressive as always!

 

[JLSleather]

Guess I'm the odd man out, Kid - I don't mind that 'background".  Color will make the thing in this case, I think, but I'm not bothered by that texture at all.  Now, stop readin' all this an' gitta wrk on that thing -- see ya in a bit

 

[plinkercases]

That's is very nice young man.

As for the back ground I guess I am half and half... I like the texture just as I like pebble back grounds but there are areas where it get s little too "regular". I agree that the finishes will make a big difference and likely draw the attention to the skull where it belongs.

Is it embossed? and what weight leather are you working on?

As for getting better other than practice all I could add is that if you happen to be doing this blind folded it would get a little better when you use your eyes.