[cobalt]

Finally got into the wokshop,had a busy week.

The three images are of the collar thinking of fitting to the head

one is silvel nickel

one is white camel bone

the last is buffalo horn .this looks the job just a little more polishing to do on the horn collar but it sets the piece of

The glass eyes is some i had for a bird i am supposed to be doing there 6mm

The shank is hazel with some nice colour on it i was saving it for that special thing ,but think i will get a good return on the dragon so a little more effort is worthile.Just have to straighten the shank fit a ferule .then just decorate the head with stain or paint and a good polish on the shank to lift the natural colour out

 

[gdenby]

I see you decided on scales. Personally, I always think of dragons w. scales.

I like the look of the buffalo horn collar, but that may in part be because that pic has the dragon with a glaring eye, which is also striking,

 

[cobalt]

It was my thought to just got it primed with a very thin gouche .Trouble is water based paints tend to lift the grain so will needa light sanding when dry then give a very thin coat ot it again

 

[CV3]

Very nice carving cobalt. With that hazel it will be a very unique stick. Look forward to seeing when your done.

 

[cobalt]

Your carvings look pretty dam good .I like the low relief work ,see you have painted some powerful image with the paint work. post some more

I do like to see work in progress ,seeing different style of work, different approach with tools , you can oftern pick something up and incorporate it into your own style,So any more planned?

 

[CV3]

Thanks for the kind words cobalt. I posted some more painted sticks in the gallery.

 

[cobalt]

put some washes on the dragon and griiffin .like to build up the colour in stages it seems to give a better effect .Will have to give a antique look when finished or the colours will be to strong

 

[gdenby]

put some washes on the dragon and griiffin .like to build up the colour in stages it seems to give a better effect .Will have to give a antique look when finished or the colours will be to strong

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Here's a link to a video that you may find interesting.

Among other things, it shows how to recreate classic European style painted wood sculpture.

 

[gdenby]

Ooops, I didn't realize posting the link would embed the video. Hope this doesn't cause a problem w. the forum. Moderators, please delete if need be.

 

[cobalt]

excellent video its a area which im not very strong in but keep trying.Have treid the manufacturing of form in blocks keeps the cost down.His construction was well planned and executed .i was amazed both with the detail and finish of the work .

I am going to see if any of this painting could be adapted to fit in with me .I have used gold leaf before and was pretty satisfied but after seeing that i see i have a long way to go.His tone of the skin is something i have always struggled with so i will watch it a few times .

 

[cobalt]

a selection of thumb sticks advertised for sale by a stickmaker in the area all about 50£ think thats about 60$.Made from buffalo horn with bone collars on hazel shanks

 

[cobalt]

also came across this nice piece of work and a 6 mnth waiting list for them costs about $ 440 buffalo horn with pheasant crook

 

[JJireh]

Hard to see, is the pheasant horn too or is it added? Judging by the form of the horn, it would have to be separate. If so, I wonder what material it is....

You could buy his 50 dollar crooks and add pheasants to them and make a nice profit

 

[cobalt]

I dont know i assume its added at that price. A good 1st class stickmaker would do it all in one piece Then it would be pricey

He is a good stickmaker but to carve a one piece stick like that would take a great deal of time and would need a very large horn to do it but because it is buffalo horn doubt if it could be done

 

[cobalt]

Have to tidy the garage theres about 60 hazel shanks here already 30 hanging from the garage roof ,thats next years hazel taken care of.mayby?

All need seassoning then straigtening and cutting to size.havnt sealed the of the shanks there all oversize.Mostly a rich brown colour the green in the pic is reflection from a platic sheet a roll them in to carry,need to improve my photos.

Not the most tidy person so i have been told

The price of these are getting crazy to buy 5 seasoned shanks 2 years seasoned fetch £54 it seems to be getting more popular thats on ebay. So lucky have found a source of hazel i can help my self to.

Whats the price over the pond?

 

[cobalt]

I have been given a piece of flatterned rams horn and seeing how well RADS scrimshaw worked thought i may have a go at it .It needs shaping a bit and a lot of polishing and if there is enough material on it it i will egrav eand colour it with some celtic design down the piece and mount it on a hiking pole .

There are some amazing illuminated celtic boarders and script out there .

The other piece of rams horn i have ben given is a flat piece abou t6"*x 3*about 1/4 thick hoping to cut and shape it to put the wifes intials on and then mount it on the shank.Dont know how i will get on using the engraver but have painted illuminated script before so it will be slow

Its pretty easdy to shape using the heat gun or may boil it but you can bend it with your hands when warm so it shouldnt be to difficult to bend it to the shape of a shank for attachment

 

[CV3]

Nice group of sticks cobalt. All the time I have been doing this I have never used antlers or horn. I need to try that.

 

[cobalt]

Threw together some ideas for the piece of rams horn.last night .trying to decide what i will do with it,Mayby put a celtic boarder down each side of the horn. Its about 7.5" long 1nd about 1.5 inchs thick ,but not sure how much i will have to reduce the thickness to get a good polished surface on it.yet still keep its shape.It should polish up like your finger nail.So a good celtic design done in the scrinshaw style should stand out well.?The danger is if i have to file it to much it will be difficult to insert a threaded bar in for mounting?

The flat piece of horn i also need filing and does need a high polished surface to get my wifes intials on it again in a celtic illuminated script ,as not sure what will happen when i engrave the design on as i was hoping to put the design on flat.when its polished ,then bend it to fit into the hazel shank ..

Its something i will take my time over and pin the design board up in the workshop as it feeds me both for design ides and tackeling it pratically,so will leave it for a few weeks.

 

[cobalt]

I am sure these machines have a mind of there own cant edit the pics

 

[cobalt]

Had to start the albertross today the guy wants it ..Not to happy with it but he has seen the blank and says it s fine ?.

Its just a off cut of wood ,Iwould have rather given it a bit longer neck but they say the customer is always right !!!

should finish it tommorow so here it is to date

the blank burnt ready to texture

Strated a mute swan today for my wife extended the neck .Made it in two parts for ease of carving it keeps the grain in the direction i want ,much easier to carve and uses of cuts of material

Hoping to insert a bone plate on the shank with her inials highlighted in illuminated celtic script and then put a celtic boarder around it on the shank