Lapidaryforum.net
Rock Art => Carvings and Sculptures => Topic started by: Asianfire on October 07, 2014, 07:18:00 AM
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Had seahorses on my mind for some time now and its time to give it a shot.
First up are those two: Palm with a lot of prominent plumes, hardness differs a lot between colors.
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/palm1_zpsfcfb1564.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/palm1_zpsfcfb1564.jpg.html)
And a Chrysocola to practice shape
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/Chrysocola1_zps233e157a.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/Chrysocola1_zps233e157a.jpg.html)
That thing is incredibly hard, just preshaping used up 7 burrs, and I mean there is not a grain of material left on the burrs, they are completely used up.:) :)
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/Chrysocola2_zpsca52fcc5.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/Chrysocola2_zpsca52fcc5.jpg.html)
The palm is relatively soft and I promised a seahorse to Brooks, so I need to get a feel for the material, so I decided to start with this one in the first place.
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/Palmsh2_zps1a7435d6.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/Palmsh2_zps1a7435d6.jpg.html)
But in the end, the whole exercise is for this piece. The last one to start as it will have to involve different kind of cutting-methods. While the head will need to be raised, the rest of the body needs to have only the ribs/lines raised.
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/Palm2_zps349a2191.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/Palm2_zps349a2191.jpg.html)
So thats where I'm thus far
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/seahorses_zps992d7162.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/seahorses_zps992d7162.jpg.html)
Now the basic cutting is done, I will sand it all the way to 2000 paper and then go back to do the mane, ear and other things that still need to be cut to make it a bit more presentable.
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/chrysocolla3_zpsc1d5e8d4.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/chrysocolla3_zpsc1d5e8d4.jpg.html)
The snout is a bit too long for a horse, but following what I saw at the palm-piece (where I kept it even longer), I think it actually looks better having a snout more akin to a seahorse.
Miss-calculated the angle needed for a better appearance of the rips. Will need to find a way to correct that tomorrow.
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/seahorse1_zpsb56fd194.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/seahorse1_zpsb56fd194.jpg.html)
And here is a quick iPhone-shot to have a comparison of the 3 unfinished pieces as they are right now.
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/combojun11_zps1ad80e89.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/combojun11_zps1ad80e89.jpg.html)
OK, lets call it a day for the time beeing on this one.
Fantastic material, easy to work.
Tail will be added in time out of silver or gold.
4 x 3 cm 53 ct
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/blue_zps3ff4ce8c.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/blue_zps3ff4ce8c.jpg.html)
OK, so here we go: my new all time favorite (have been wearing it already the whole week) lol15
Pawancawara Plume from Daniel, presumed a palm fossil. In any case, plumes of various kind within agate. 3 colors, 3 different harnesses.
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/plumeseahorse1_zpsf0fbffc6.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/plumeseahorse1_zpsf0fbffc6.jpg.html)
And a closeup of the 3 layers
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/palmplumecolage_zps78e6432b.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/palmplumecolage_zps78e6432b.jpg.html)
Next up, I need to find inspiration for a miner for Warren. A project that is long overdue.
In the meantime, I think I will have a try at those two
at 4 cm colour lenght, this is a purple monster
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/fa1_zpse633b269.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/fa1_zpse633b269.jpg.html)
And this one is smaller but the colors are going to be eye candy
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/fa2_zps901b3e44.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/fa2_zps901b3e44.jpg.html)
Lots of extra material on both, but don't know yet what to do with it. The second one does resemble somewhat a tail of a mermaid, so might give that a shot. One thing is sure, since I started looking at them with intend to carve, I do not want to just cut out the color any more. There is much more to be had in those things.
Next up was the mermaid:
I started a new chapter on Fire Agates. I finally found a way and the confidence to look at Fire Agate as a stone, not only at the fire. So instead of just cutting out the fire, I want to include the non-fire areas into a composition. No-one really wants the chalcedony dunno28 , yet I find the resulting colors and combinations quite attractive.
Here is the stone and the first cuts that started this project.
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/mermaidthebeginning_zpsd2ae8377.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/mermaidthebeginning_zpsd2ae8377.jpg.html)
Mermaid was the first idea as the tail-section lend itself to it.
At first I thought she would look good doing a backward flip, which would have made access to the body easier. But then I saw the natural form of arms coming down between color and white parts and it became clear that the whole body is already basically there and only head and hair are going to be white.
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/mermaid2_zps763f5745.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/mermaid2_zps763f5745.jpg.html)
One thing lead to another, and I finally saw the lower part that could be turned into a fish of sorts.
In the end I got a reasonable dolphin out of it. As the white chalcedony is anything but evenly thick, that was a gamble I had to take.
Here we are now outdoors. In the shadows under a tree on a sunny day
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/mmoutdoors_zps7b857dd7.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/mmoutdoors_zps7b857dd7.jpg.html)
And one more indoors. Room-lights during daytime
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/mermaidindoors_zps6ff2b81b.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/mermaidindoors_zps6ff2b81b.jpg.html)
Can you find Neptune, watching her? saved12
Oh yeah nearly forgot, got this wonderful material yet again from Christopher and its Mexican coming in at 26 x 20 mm, so its practically one square inch.
After basically finishing the FA mermaid, I had also finished another FA much better to my liking. Yet kept it off the forum just to see how the mermaid would be received.
Simply because finally I got something to show that makes all the practice of the last few years worthwhile.
Started out as a Gypsy woman with headscarf, but then messed up the face somehow and turned into a guy. Anyhow, after the sex-change, lets call him "Magi"
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/gypsydetail_zps23e7089d.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/gypsydetail_zps23e7089d.jpg.html)
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/Zigeuner_zpsae3b8450.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/Zigeuner_zpsae3b8450.jpg.html)
And the eventuall finished pics as worn these past two weeks.
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/magiindoor_zps70c3052c.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/magiindoor_zps70c3052c.jpg.html)
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/magioutdoorsmallsize_zps83b2f185.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/magioutdoorsmallsize_zps83b2f185.jpg.html)
Lets see if that video works
http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/DSCN0255_zps12d8d10a.mp4.html
Mexican Fire Agate 30 x 20mm
I re-sanded the mermaid as the pictures showed some crummy corners and edges. It looks much better now.
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/newmermaidcombo_zps2e9aa53f.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/newmermaidcombo_zps2e9aa53f.jpg.html)
Remember this one?
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/china%20trip/regencyrosesingle_zps235311ac.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/china%20trip/regencyrosesingle_zps235311ac.jpg.html)
While re-sanding, I saw a possibility to improve the overall look. While the plumes lock fantastic by themselves I did not like the overall shape.
Saw a mermaid in the cab, but also a possible face with headdress. As Southern Magi, needed a companion and I need a lot more practice doing faces, I went for the woman.
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/RegencyRosevision_zps65951b71.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/RegencyRosevision_zps65951b71.jpg.html)
Looks pretty young, so leave it up to me to mess that up ant turn it into someone much more mature. saved12
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/RRday2_zps07d7369e.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/RRday2_zps07d7369e.jpg.html)
Its close to finish now. Eye needs more cleaning up, other than that its cut and polished. Front and back.
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/rrday3_zps562ea07a.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/rrday3_zps562ea07a.jpg.html)
Finished outdoor
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/rroutdoor_zpsa013acf1.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/rroutdoor_zpsa013acf1.jpg.html)
Finished indoor
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/rryoungatheart_zpsd6312d4d.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/rryoungatheart_zpsd6312d4d.jpg.html)
Now that that is done, I will set myself up to either go boom or bust. Just cut a slice of this quartz a few days ago. looks good, its not as clean as it appeared from the outside. Could not see those feathers before cutting. But now, I want to try something entirely different (for me). Might either go very quickly, or take the whole month, but will be a whole new challenge. Fun to look forward to.
Recently, I saw a very attractive picture of a moth sitting on a branch at night.
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/stageoneintentions_zps0116d3d7.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/stageoneintentions_zps0116d3d7.jpg.html)
Naturally, being me, I had to mess up the simplicity and give it a branch in front too.
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/day3testing_zps8e38673d.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/day3testing_zps8e38673d.jpg.html)
The original idea was carving on both sides, but by then it became clear that its not that easy to get the visual effect of having the moth sitting on that branch at the back. So I consulted with DebbieK and (some of you might still know him) August Voss. Both had some very helpful advise.
So today, I erased the moth in front and started experimenting with the moth from the other side. Needed to see what I'm doing, so I polished it up yet again. That's when I did not head the most important advise that Debbie gave me.
Allowed the stone to become just a bit too hot on the leather, and a feathered inclusion turned into a fully-blown fracture. Does not show on the surface, but goes right through the stone and off course, had to be right through the moth.
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/fail_zps3396251d.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/fail_zps3396251d.jpg.html)
Not giving up just yet. Erase the moth in the back, reshape and turn the branch into a tree.
OK, so its a week later and its basically done.
Lots of changes: Recut the overall shape to get rid of most of the fracture,
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/Newtry_zpsca6b8b32.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/Newtry_zpsca6b8b32.jpg.html)
Instead of a moth its now a bat clinging to the side, and under the tree is now some tall grass in order to hide the strong remains of the feathers.
On finishing thus far, got one more surprise from the material. It has asterism and if cut right might produce a star. But I only got a dot moving around at the top as is, yet clearly out of alignment with a light-source.
Back and front.
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/frontbackafterpolish_zpsd19140fc.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/frontbackafterpolish_zpsd19140fc.jpg.html)
Angles outdoors
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/outdoor_zpsd3f6f1e7.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/outdoor_zpsd3f6f1e7.jpg.html)
So, now I need to go shopping for burrs in low grids to make the frosting at the back more visible and permanent.
Since posting the pics, the more I look at the pics the more unhappy I got with the overal shape. In hand, it does not look so bad, but the pics are horrible. There is an imbalance that I can't stand seeing. While my work is never perfectly balanced, this gotta go.
So as soon as I got home today, I removed the branch on the right completely and ..... we are back on track ......
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb340/kainzerkurt/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/reshapeaug21_zpse85060b9.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/kainzerkurt/media/carvings%202012/carving%202013/summer%20carving%202013/reshapeaug21_zpse85060b9.jpg.html)