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Rock Art => Carvings and Sculptures => Topic started by: southerly on December 16, 2016, 10:29:57 PM

Title: Unicorn - unicorn now added
Post by: southerly on December 16, 2016, 10:29:57 PM
This is one of 'those' projects where I started, got stuck and had on the desk for a couple of years as I worked out how to attack it. It is one of a few projects I have finished up lately, they are far from perfect but it was nice to finish with something. This is a Christmas present for my daughter, she is twenty but loves whimsical things. The stone is pancawarna jasper from Indonesia, it is a mixture of mud, copper, opal and hard chalcedony with a range of hardnesses to match. Size is roughly 3.5in x 2.5in. Not yet a unicorn, will post pictures of that after Christmas.

Original slab
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/1/612/31656949886_f900c1fb1e_k.jpg)

Marked up and ready to start
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/1/559/30852106514_47f08e996e_k.jpg)

In progress
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/751/31547457912_60d1cf50a7_k.jpg)

Finished, all but the white jadeite horn, the eye in black nephrite from Cowell, South Australia and about 1.1mm across.
(https://c4.staticflickr.com/1/767/31693745555_65826d795d_k.jpg)

Now with horn.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/664/32190420221_1459a23f2e_k.jpg)
Title: Re: Unicorn
Post by: Ranger_Dave on December 16, 2016, 10:47:13 PM
Nice. :icon_thumleft:
Title: Re: Unicorn
Post by: hummingbirdstones on December 17, 2016, 06:54:29 AM
I envy you your carving ability.  It's looking good and will be awesome once you have the horn on there!  Looking forward to seeing it finished.   :icon_sunny:
Title: Re: Unicorn
Post by: Orrum on December 17, 2016, 07:20:23 AM
That's really good and anatomically correct, I am so wanting one!!!
Title: Re: Unicorn
Post by: Susan on December 17, 2016, 06:43:46 PM
That is awesome!
Title: Re: Unicorn
Post by: metalsmith on January 01, 2017, 04:13:06 AM
Great work! The highlight on the face works really well. What did you use for the eye, out of interest?
Title: Re: Unicorn
Post by: southerly on January 02, 2017, 01:23:49 AM
Black nephrite jade from Cowell in South Australia, it is a tiny cab about 2mm in diameter, which was an interesting challenge to cut.

David
Title: Re: Unicorn
Post by: Pebblehopper on January 11, 2017, 05:37:52 PM
Wonderful work on the layout of the piece on the original slab. 
Question: what are the tools of choice for carving
#1 the veining of the mane.
#2 carving down the negative space all around the image, the background. :icon_scratch:
Thanks.
John
Title: Re: Unicorn
Post by: southerly on January 14, 2017, 02:55:41 AM
Hi John,

For the mane I use tiny disc burs, I have some smaller ones now and can do more detailed work than this piece (see the fishing fly) however I still need to sort out the sanding and polishing without loosing the detail, more to learn, yipee.

For the outline I use large squat cylinders and use it as if it was a router bit to cut out the rock around the raised parts.

I may post a pic of the bits in the morning.

David
Title: Re: Unicorn
Post by: Pebblehopper on January 14, 2017, 07:27:30 AM
Thanks David, your description makes good sense, I can see what you are talking about. Then there's the part about new learning...I second the YIPEE!!
Title: Re: Unicorn
Post by: auscarver on January 14, 2017, 11:21:13 AM
Great design and skill shown in this carving David, great outcome with the fine detail, thats the challenging part.
Title: Re: Unicorn - unicorn now added
Post by: southerly on January 14, 2017, 01:27:10 PM
Now with horn.

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/664/32190420221_1459a23f2e_k.jpg)
Title: Re: Unicorn - unicorn now added
Post by: 55fossil on January 14, 2017, 04:36:47 PM
   Awesome, you picked a perfect stone to pull that off.
Title: Re: Unicorn - unicorn now added
Post by: hummingbirdstones on January 14, 2017, 04:39:14 PM
Wow, that's awesome.  Only 1 question (don't hate me) -- aren't unicorn horns spiral? 
Title: Re: Unicorn - unicorn now added
Post by: southerly on January 14, 2017, 11:30:13 PM
Wow, that's awesome.  Only 1 question (don't hate me) -- aren't unicorn horns spiral?

Not this one, though I did thing of that. Next time.
Title: Re: Unicorn - unicorn now added
Post by: Ranger_Dave on January 15, 2017, 09:46:01 AM
I know someone that would love that piece. She LOVES unicorns. Any unicorn lover would love that piece.
Title: Re: Unicorn - unicorn now added
Post by: metalsmith on January 21, 2017, 02:08:02 AM
Wow, that's awesome.  Only 1 question (don't hate me) -- aren't unicorn horns spiral?

Depends on the subspecies: Monokeros spiralatiformis has twisted (spiral) horns whereas latiformis is just plain, like the last one I saw!  :WEEEE:
Title: Re: Unicorn - unicorn now added
Post by: southerly on January 21, 2017, 03:38:21 AM
A friend said I was deluding myself, I almost fell off my unicorn!
Title: Re: Unicorn - unicorn now added
Post by: Asianfire on June 12, 2017, 04:00:50 PM
Never saw that one. What a superb piece and stunning use of material.
Still got a few pieces from Daniel, just would wish he where around more often.
He had the best Pawancawara. Things offered these days are not as interesting.
Title: Re: Unicorn - unicorn now added
Post by: gemfeller on June 12, 2017, 04:16:12 PM
James Thurber's unicorn had a spiral horn according to the illustration in my favorite Thurber story:

 http://english.glendale.cc.ca.us/unicorn1.html