Take 1

[brian-bailey]

Thanks Claude for the advice.

I corrected the stone problem, the mineral spirits that I brushed on seemed to make them pop more than they actually do. Anyways, they were the wrong type of stone for that scene, round stones belong near water.

Religious themes are not really my thing either, but I'm not lacking for work by doing them.

Brian...

[Mark Dellinger]

Brain,
We may not all be looking at it from your angle, but apparently we are all seeing the same thing, a very nice piece of work. I'm not a professional carver and sometimes don't relate to the numbering of carvings and the thoughts on people borrowind carving ideas and all, but in my humble opinion, you summed it up with "the look on their face was priceless" They were beaming. I like Claudes idea of marking them as to make the distinction between a real and a practice carving.

Safe Carving and God Bless,

Mark

[Curly Early]

Brian,
Like others, I couldn't imagine running that scene through the planer. My first thought was you would be planing the back-side to make the board thinner, but realized you were contemplating erasing the carving. Looks to me it like it would take but a bit of time to finish that scene, personally I really like it. If the one you gave away, that didn't please you, brought so much enjoyment to someone else, I can certainly understand why. You mention 1/8", would you be meaning 3 layers of 1/8" or 3 layers equaling 1/8". Either way, looks like you've captured quite a bit of detail in his robe and face, this being on my mind as I have been privately discussing gun stock carving with a member, so you have shown what can be done in a very shallow relief. Great job -- I need to go "practice" ----Earl

[brian-bailey]

I guess some would think it is a terrible waste to toss those practice pieces, but frankly I just don't have the room to keep them. Also, I'm not comfortable with them being shown as my finished work.

Earl,

The depth of the whole scene is just under 1/8". The fore, middle, and background levels or layers are just slightly more than 1/32" thick.

Mark Yundt always remarked about how much detail that can be done on thin layers. Just look at the back of a coin he would say..

This particular scene is going on the back side of the lid. The lid is only 1/2" thick, I've already have carved the front so I don't have much room thickness wise on the back. That is the reason for the thin layers, other wise I would go deeper and give myself some wiggle room.

Here is a photo of the front (top) of the lid.

[Ashbys]

Brian ,
I do understand about getting rid of the work, but I will ask, do you get rid of the practice work before you do your next practice piece? I usally hold mine , to see if I did something I really like and changed it on the next piece. After the final , all are the rest are gone.
For some of the work the addition of the simplest line can really make a difference, or removing it. Someone told me that when I first started, now i understand , then I really didn't.

Hope you post the finished piece, looks to be a really nice piece.

Garry

[Curly Early]

Thanks Brian for the update on the carving. It seems amazing to get so much form with so little depth of relief. Like Garry, I will look foward to the finished piece. You've sure given an excellent example of what can be done with a shallow relief.
Thanks again, Earl

[brian-bailey]

Garry,

I am going to add some color to this scene so I'll keep the practice ones to practice painting on. It will only be two pieces.

I'll be sure to post pictures of the finished box.

Brian...

[tnartist05]

Its looking good!! I like your carved oak leaf bowls.Just excellent work on your behalf plus Im sure this one will be also.

Forrest

[brian-bailey]

Thanks Forrest! I enjoy looking at your work too.

Brian...

[brian-bailey]

Here is another scene I'm playing with.
I like this scene better because the rock wall anchors the figure.
One problem I've run into is that I have to stop thinking 3-D. Compression is the rule here.
One more day to play, then it's the final take.

Thanks for looking.