Applying to join this forum, you HAVE to activate your membership in YOUR email in the notice you recieve after completing application process. No activation on your part, no membership.

Lapidaryforum.net

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Welcome new members & old from the Lapidary/Gemstone Community Forum. Please join up. You will be approved after spam check & you must manually activate your acct with the link in your email

Congratulations to Auscarver for his Tigereye carving of Saturn!

 www.lapidaryforuum.net

Another cabochon contest coming soon!

Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Old Friends, the story from start to end  (Read 3220 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Asianfire

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 727
Old Friends, the story from start to end
« on: October 28, 2015, 06:04:07 AM »

OK here we go from beginning to end for those of you who do not partake on FB.

It all started a bit over two years ago, with a Montana heel, that had a line of dendrites running through milky but otherwise clean chalcedony.



Step one, pretty much exactly 2 years ago (Oct. 2013), entered this in the cab-contest and for it ground down the back to stable material, and polished both sides.


After that put it away again, but by now had an idea as to how to preserve the dendrites in front in form of a staff.

 
By now, I envisioned to use the inclusions at the back as a sort of dragon-wing that swings forwards at the bottom of the piece and having a person standing on the inside of the wing holding the staff.

Acted on that fairly quickly, but it would be another 6 months before I somehow could get the nerve to try to outline the person.

Did not like it, so I put it away again. Until earlier this year as I got the drive to try out some dragons. That started the dragon face, but not much more.

5 months on in September, I finally got the vision to deepen the legs and wing-tips as well as to do a basic back.

Followed by digging out a tail-end for the dragon.



Was tinkering with it all month long, still hesitating because I could not envision the torso and head.
But eventually there was nothing more to do so I had to try a head and the final arm leading to the dragons mouth. 

The head turned out situated much lower than expected and without hair. Looks ok as long as you don't magnify. The proportions fit, but I'm not sure if I would try to refine it, if I would not mess it up.

So finally I'm ready to call it done (for now)
Best daylight-pics thus far


And Indoors plus back-lit


Ohh yeah, drilled a second hole under the dragons neck to utilize solid material to string the cord (not trusting the stability of the wing-tips)

Never had so many uncertainties in the past few years, does not look like what I originally envisioned at all, but still proud to wear it.  yippie24

Thanks for looking, Kurt


Logged
Anything not given, is lost.

hummingbirdstones

  • Opalholic and General Rock Nut
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3055
    • Hummingbird Stones Lapidary Services
Re: Old Friends, the story from start to end
« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2015, 07:59:04 AM »

I think he's beautiful as is!  Fabulous dragon that anyone would be proud to wear.   :headbang:
Logged
Robin

lithicbeads

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3250
Re: Old Friends, the story from start to end
« Reply #2 on: October 28, 2015, 02:39:19 PM »

Very interesting post. Following your life as a carver has been unique. Tremendous commitment of time and always a stretch emotionally as you really put yourself on the line as you really don't have control of the process , rather you must share the control with the hidden peculiarities of the stone.For me this one has been particularly fun to watch. Thank you.
Logged

Enchantra

  • Head Bead Nut
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2840
  • Insane Bead Woman
    • Enchanted Regalia
Re: Old Friends, the story from start to end
« Reply #3 on: October 28, 2015, 04:09:50 PM »

I love dragons, this piece is certainly no exception to that.  You made great use of the material.   :icon_sunny:

Phishisgroovin

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3015
  • I am here by addiction
Re: Old Friends, the story from start to end
« Reply #4 on: October 28, 2015, 08:56:43 PM »

this is just the coolest stuff ever.
One of these days i will be able to afford to set myself up with rock carving tools.
Logged

wampidy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 583
  • A ring on the hand is worth two on the bush
Re: Old Friends, the story from start to end
« Reply #5 on: October 29, 2015, 03:55:44 AM »

WOW It always amazes me how much you can put in such a small space. Art is a wonderful thing.

Where are you on FB?
Jim
Logged
I threw a stone into the air.
It came to earth "ouch"
I now know where.
You can quote me on this, I have the scar.

Asianfire

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 727
Re: Old Friends, the story from start to end
« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2015, 05:55:09 AM »

Thank you all for the kind feedback.
this is just the coolest stuff ever. One of these days i will be able to afford to set myself up with rock carving tools.
I presume you got pretty much everything already. If not, the carving-bits are not that expensive. But then again, you could set them up at your regular cabbing-machine. Just attach it to the endpoint and create a stationary/fixed point like most of the pros do it. That leaves you both hands free to hold your piece.

WOW It always amazes me how much you can put in such a small space. Art is a wonderful thing. Where are you on FB? Jim
I'm under my full name. https://www.facebook.com/kainzer.kurt

Logged
Anything not given, is lost.
Pages: [1]   Go Up
 

Page created in 0.032 seconds with 38 queries.