[sgtusmc]

OK, when in doubt, go to the best. As you can see this is not a true likeness of a black panther, the pic. is actually a tattoo that I have on the inside of my for-arms, better known as Semper and Fi. Up to this point I'm some what happy with the way it looks, until I got to the front paws, I know what I want them to look like but for some reason I can't make those tools move the way I want them to move. I've walked away from it a dozen times, only to come back and run into the same wall. I've made thicker than I normally would, fail safe, I know how to make the claws, bend a tooth pick, but the shape paws just isn't working.


I'm running out of time, and if I keep lowering them down I'll be running out of wood.

Scooter
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[AlArchie]

Maybe you are trying to get those claws too visible. Just from the position of the paws in the photo you have, the claws would actually be UNDER the end of the toe. If you look at the print of a cat's paw when it is just walking, there will be no indication of a claw......it is sheathed in the lower tissue of the toe. When a cat "extends" it's claws, what it is actually doing is pulling the toe back which unsheaths the claw.

In the perspective you show, my bet would be that you would see the upper arc of the claws and not the "killer end" of them.

To get a better idea of how the cat's paw works, take your right hand (well left if you want) and spread your fingers and bend them into a claw shape. Now pull back the fingers as far as you can while maintaining the "claw" pattern. That's pretty much what a cat's paw with claws extended looks like. You'll notice that in order to get the claws pointed out where you can actually see the points, you will have to tip your wrist back, and may even have to pull your elbow back. That is the cat's attack position; toes pulled back to expose the claws, "wrist" and elbows back, but the claws are still pointed away from the pads of the paw.

In order to get those nasty claws to show, you will have to rotate the entire paw so you are looking at it obliquely, from the side. This will also limit the actual number of claws that show. The entire paw will be foreshortened and the claws to the back of the carving will be hidden by the ones in the foreground.

If you want to maintain the current profile of the paw as you have it, you will have to carve only the top profile of the claw, and that will not include the sharp points. Here again, if you use that same claw representation you did with your hand, turn your hand and look at the back of your hand.....that will be what the cat's paw will look like in that configuration.

Hope this makes sense...it might not help with trying to get the claws out on your carving, but maybe helps understand why you are having trouble getting those claws to look right. They just don't extend in the way you are trying to portray them.

Al

[bghebert]

Scooter I hope this helps, from what I see if you move the direction down at the half-way-point I think this is what your looking for. I'm at work so I didn't have a lot of time to work on the sketch, but it will give you an idea. You should work on some before hand just to get the idea in your head.

[mark yundt]

I think what may be causing some of the problem is the perspective of the paws might be off a bit. The individual toes seem to be coming from the wrong direction.
I also think Al is correct,,,from this perspective the claws,,,though you know they are there,,just might not be as visible as you think they are. Then when you put them in,,they don't look right to you.
Maybe it's a case of "I see it,,but maybe I shouldn't see as much"

[sgtusmc]

Got to change my glasses I think your right its the way I'm looking at it. The claws are not a problem I plan on putting the in when I'm finished, I'm going to try to carve a paw in a piece of scrap, I probably need a little practice.

THANKS FOR ALL THE IMPUT


Scooter
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[sgtusmc]

Kenny Rogers once said you got to know when to hold and when to fold, I think I'm at that point. It will be a rare moment that I can walk away feeling good about what I see, I always get the feeling that it can better, and then I go to far.


Once again thank for the input.

Scooter
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[Dull Knife]

Originally Posted by sgtusmc

Kenny Rogers once said you got to know when to hold and when to fold, I think I'm at that point. It will be a rare moment that I can walk away feeling good about what I see, I always get the feeling that it can better, and then I go to far.


Once again thank for the input.

Scooter
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And then again.....maybe you should just leave it alone for a week or so, and work on some thing else...then when you go back to IT, you may see what you've been missing.

[sgtusmc]

I think what ever I was looking for I found it, thanks to some helpful input.


THANKS AGAIN.


SEMPER FI. SCOOTER /BOB