eagle relief

[chuckbolton]

for my relief carvings i find frames at michels that will work-- it seems there are some mass produced frames where the out side of the frame is more recessed than the inside-- ( bad explaination) and it always works-- that the piece to michels and check out what is there-- one of mine is an odd size and i had one made for it-- on a 40% off sale-- and it was only about $30 and really makes the picture-- in fact some have actually thought it was a painting until they got close to it. i painted it with john-- -- u can see it in the gallery-- dawt mill

[Joy]

Thanks, Chuck, that's a good idea.

[Irish]

You might consider an Annarondack (sp) style frame for that beautiful carving - rustic, primative, natural. Because of its natural, primative setting a shadow box made from bark strips would add to the rustic scene feeling. A series of small branches laid in a log cabin structure with some of each end extending beyond the actual carving blank would also pick up the feeling of untouched forest for your eagles.

For me, since your scene contains only natural elements a formal routed frame or square shadow box doesn't seem to add anything to the work.

Just suggestions and ideas.

Susan

[Squint]

Joy What a beautiful relief. The painting is great and the expression is IMHO perfect. Myself-I would not even think of
framing it.
Squint

[Joy]

Susan, I hadn't thought about using sticks. I tried some old wood but when I cut it to length all that new wood showing at the ends turned me off. I will see if I can find some appropriate sticks to try. Thank you for the idea and the compliment. I am currently working on the wolf head from your book. Beautiful pattern!

[Joy]

Squint, thank you very much. I appreciate your glowing comments.

[Irish]

Joy, when I want an old look to a cut piece of bark wood I don't stain it. Stain works wonderfully when I wnat to make one wood look like another ... birch turning to an aged pine coloring. But stain tends to be too even and too uniform to me when I want the wood to look like it was cut many years ago and not yesterday on my band saw.

Instead I do a tea dye. I brew a pot of black tea with about 10 to 12 tea bags to about 4 to 5 cups of water. Let it steep very well and very long, about 1/2 hour. Then I can dip the cut wood side into the tea and get that blackish-dirty-been around for a long time look to the wood. You dip over and over again until you have that 'just right' color.

Green tea is great when I want to make the wood look 'young' as it casts a light yellow green coloring. And, of course, good old Red Rose is wonderful when I just want to go a bit more brown.

Cheap, easy and no trips to the hardware store.

Susan