How Would You Carve A Wooden Strawberry

[schooner]

Hi Guys/Gals

I'm fairly new to carving and really getting into it.

I want to carve a: Bottle Stopper in the shape of a STRAWBERRY !

Some question(s) please:

1. Where in our website here is there any info on how to go about this project.

Here's what I have: 3 1/4" x 2" wide piece of Basswood.

2. How would I start carving this project ?

Any and all ideas will be Greatly Appreciated

GOD BLESS YOU GUYS/GALS

[Dan S]

Hey there,
If it were me, I'd find a model. Find a berry of the size and shape you want. Don't eat it. Copy the rough form from that. WEAR A GLOVE! You can add the stem later but the leaves should be easy enough, just leave a ring of extra wood around the top. Mark out your leaf shapes and carve them last.
You can now either paint it red and paint on seeds or get complicated. The complicated instructions follow:
Once you have the final shape sand it very smooth with at least 400 grit paper. (You'll see why below.) As far as the seeds you can paint them or there is a trick that may work. Try is on a bit of scrap and see.
Take a nail and file or grind the sharp end flat. Next grind it to the shape and size of the seeds you want. Press this into your wood about 1/16" deep. Now recarve the wood to the depth of your depression. Do not carve below that point. lastly add a drop of boiling water. The compressed wood should swell creating your seed. This also works for warts on toads.
This may have been more information than you wanted but the trick with the water can be useful. If you ever dent a finished carving you can reove the dent by adding a bit of water and heating it with an iron.

Take care,
Dan

[schooner]

Hey Dan

You always hit nail on the head when it comes to wood carving. I'm glad you are a part of the Saturday Over-the-hill carving gang @ Ray J. garage.

And thanks for the tip(s) my strawberry

Quote: The more i surrender the more i win !

Schooner

quote=Dan S;242869]Hey there,
If it were me, I'd find a model. Find a berry of the size and shape you want. Don't eat it. Copy the rough form from that. WEAR A GLOVE! You can add the stem later but the leaves should be easy enough, just leave a ring of extra wood around the top. Mark out your leaf shapes and carve them last.
You can now either paint it red and paint on seeds or get complicated. The complicated instructions follow:
Once you have the final shape sand it very smooth with at least 400 grit paper. (You'll see why below.) As far as the seeds you can paint them or there is a trick that may work. Try is on a bit of scrap and see.
Take a nail and file or grind the sharp end flat. Next grind it to the shape and size of the seeds you want. Press this into your wood about 1/16" deep. Now recarve the wood to the depth of your depression. Do not carve below that point. lastly add a drop of boiling water. The compressed wood should swell creating your seed. This also works for warts on toads.
This may have been more information than you wanted but the trick with the water can be useful. If you ever dent a finished carving you can reove the dent by adding a bit of water and heating it with an iron.

Take care,
Dan[/quote]

[Dan S]

Here is that complicated technique I mentioned. Have a look at works in progress.
Twilight Meeting • Janel Jacobson ~ Small Sculptures and Netsuke


Dan

[Jammy]

I did this to get the ridgeline on a rainbow trout... seems VERY strange, but it works just great!!