I am looking for any information on butterfly patterns and painting techniques, also I am looking for bullfrog patterns and particularly how to make the bumps on the frog. Any information on these subjects would be greatly appreciated.

[AlArchie]

Can't help you out much on butterflies, but you will find a good bullfrog pattern at Â*

http://www.stillerpatterns.com/catalog_page_28.html

Also I haven't done one yet, but for the bumps, there is an excellent article on doing the bumps on humpback whales that I would imagine would work as well for the frogs.

It entails using round steel rods as punches and knocking the bumps DOWN as you reach the finished surface. This will compress the wood (go as deep as you want the bumps to be high) Â*Next sand the surface down flush with the depressions, then apply several drops of water to the compressed 'dots'. Â*This will cause the compressed wood fibers to swell and return to their original height, raising them above the surface. I've tried this on some scraps and it works!

Al

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

I did that on the raised small ridge down the side of a fish carving and it works great...

[Gergie]

Hi, I also tried that technque On a Flag for the stars. It worked well. Here's a link to the photo. Later Gergie http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/...&members=1

Sorry I haven't replied, I have been on vacation for the past 12 days. I just wanted to say that I appreciate the suggestions and I will be trying them out.

Kelly

[Bandaid]

Hi Kelly!...check out http://www.feathersinwood.com for some good info. on butterflies as well as a tutorial on carving a Redpoll song bird. Very good site with some great carvings.

[Kenny_S]

Neat technique ALA, Just tried it on a piece of scrap wood. Neat-o.

Just finished my Mallard duck head cane for my Bro-in-law and it came out fine but I wished I hadn't burned his name in as I should have stained the letters of his name. I will take a couple of pictures and upload them to Picture trails in a couple of days when I have some time.

Thanks again for the technique on raising wood!
Regards

Try butterflypictures.net

I cut several in Aspen, it's harder than basswood and you can get it pretty thin. I do each wing and the body seperate seperate, and use fishing line 'spider wire' or paint brush brisles for the feelers. I use dowls for the body.

Dish the wings out, leaving more wood at the top so you can undercut the lower section. leave a little tip at the top and bottom edge, cut a slit in the body and glue the tips in at an angle.

I mounted 10 a piece of drift wood. Some are the size of your fingernail, other have a 2-3 inch wing span and more have a closed wing.

carving, gloves and finger guards are required!

I just wanted to thank everyone for their help again on the technics for the bumps on frogs, I have tried them and they seem to work great, I also appreciate the link's you have suggested on the butterflies, I have gotten several of them for the patterns and will be trying them out real soon. I also have two more questions, is mahogany and maple suitable for carving with hand tools, I may have an unlimited supply of these woods in three inch thicknesses from a friend that builds musical instruments for 0.50 cents a lb. Also could someone give me any information on starting a carving club, I live in Louisville Ky. and can find no clubs around. Thanks again and happy carvin.

[AlArchie]

Both mahogany and maple are excellent carving woods, but bear in mind that they are on opposite ends of the hardness spectrum for wood. Mahogany is similar to carving cedar (at least the few pieces I have tried), and maple is akin to carving rocks! You may have to use tools with different cutting bevels to achieve the best results. Also, maple sometimes comes in beautifully figured, birdseye and tiger grain, and these are notoriously hard to carve with hand tools and may require some power, especially yo do the rough carving. The little 'eyes' in birdseye tend to pop out when using knives and chisles, although for fine detail, you can use blades but very carefully, and make sure they are razor sharp.

Tiger grain and burley maple tends to want to run with the grain when cut with hand tools so again, power may be an option, and super sharp blades are a necessity for using knives and chisles.

Now, with that said, expect some beautiful results from using either of these woods!

Al