[Joggernot]

I just joined and am looking for an ivy pattern that can be used as a wraparound on a walking stick. I live near the desert and make walking sticks from yucca, sotol, and agave stalks.

I have been carving for about two years and have just gone beyond the "rolling bear" stage into wood spirits, donkey's, dogs, and things. Nothing original so far.

Thanks for any help.

Joggernot (I don't jog)

[GeorgiaCarver]

I can't help but welcome to the forum!

Greg

[AlArchie]

Welcome, Joggernot!

I've carved quite a few walking sticks with the ivy vines, but don't have a pattern....mostly because it's not needed. This might seem a bit oversimplified, but all you rally have to do is free-hand a winding line with dark pencil where you want the vine to go. Then draw another line right alongside about 1/8" away. This will be your base vine. Next simply draw in ivy leaves wherever you want them. You can either free hand these in also or copy a real leaf or picture from a book or magazine. Now draw more 1/8" stems to meet the vine. Keep these leaves about 1" or so from the main stem. Sometimes putting a leaf over the main vine can ad some depth to the carving.

I even like to put in a few of those tapered tendrils that grow off the main vine. These I do with a very serpentine shape, ending in a fairly tight spiral that ends in a tapered end. Make a few smaller stems with small heart shaped leave that will look like new forming leaves.

A good technique I've found is to use a woodburner to outline ALL the vines and leaves before carving. A sharp tip burned in fairly deep and straight will form a really good stop cut for your carving tools.

Now you can either relieve the vine and leaves with a gouge, just cutting back 1/2" or so, or relieving the entire area on the cane between the vines and leaves. Either technique looks great when done.

Another benefit of using the burner to outline the carving is that if you want to paint the vine and leaves, the burn will help contain the paint and keep it from bleeding through to the background.

If you need a picture of the ivy leaf or vine system let me know and I'll post a picture.

By the way, I've taken groups of Scouts to Philmont Scout Ranch, up near cimarron and have always made a side trip down your way to visit the caverns. 7 expeditions and we've always had a good welcome in your town. We've stayed at the National Guard Armory each time. I don't remember the name of the place but there was a really good pizza joint heading out toward White City on the right side of the road!

Al

[Joggernot]

Originally Posted by AlArchie

Welcome, Joggernot!

I've carved quite a few walking sticks with the ivy vines, but don't have a pattern....mostly because it's not needed.
<snip>
A good technique I've found is to use a woodburner to outline ALL the vines and leaves before carving. A sharp tip burned in fairly deep and straight will form a really good stop cut for your carving tools.
<snip>
Another benefit of using the burner to outline the carving is that if you want to paint the vine and leaves, the burn will help contain the paint and keep it from bleeding through to the background.

If you need a picture of the ivy leaf or vine system let me know and I'll post a picture.

By the way, I've taken groups of Scouts to Philmont Scout Ranch, up near cimarron and have always made a side trip down your way to visit the caverns. 7 expeditions and we've always had a good welcome in your town. We've stayed at the National Guard Armory each time. I don't remember the name of the place but there was a really good pizza joint heading out toward White City on the right side of the road!

Al

Thanks for the help! I think I have an ivy leaf that would work (I'm not a good artist) but will give the freehand method a try. I like the woodburning idea and will sharpen the burner and give it a try.

Glad you've been down our way. I know the Guard Armory and the Pizza joint (Pizza Inn) quite well. There are more places to eat, but you have to consider the wants of the kids, too, and pizza is always a hit. Of course we have about 10 pizza joints, too...

Joggernot

[Joggernot]

I don't know what happened to my original post, but here it is again...

I like the burner idea. I have a wood burner and will sharpen the burner and get busy free hand. I'm not an artist, so the leaves will be unique...<grin>

Glad you made it down. I know the Armory and the pizza joint (Pizza Inn) and there are about 10 more pizza joints in town.

Joggernot

[Donna_T]

Joggernot,
I'm not very good at doing free hand drawings either, but I often do a google search and get some good ideas when I'm trying to come up with something "close" to what I need for a new carving. So you might try looking for pictures of ivy leaves on the internet.

While it's not totally accurate, I often draw heart-shaped leaves to do a border of vines. That might be an easy way to get a leafy vine. And I like to woodburn them first, too. And once burned and carved, I like to just barely tint them with an acrylic wash or use an oil pencil to add just a touch of color.

Donna T

[Mottles]

Hello and welcome hope you find your ivy pattern check www.carvingpatterns.com
I have two agave stalks, and have thoughts of trying to do something with them. I think something woodburned might work.
How about showing us some of your walking sticks when your ready.
Kathy

[Joggernot]

Originally Posted by Mottles

Hello and welcome hope you find your ivy pattern check www.carvingpatterns.com
I have two agave stalks, and have thoughts of trying to do something with them. I think something woodburned might work.
How about showing us some of your walking sticks when your ready.
Kathy

I just finished a simple stick using the woodburning and freehand drawing suggested by this group for the ivy, and the ivy turned out good for a walking stick. Agave stalks are great for walking sticks. If they are too large in diameter, they make excellent picture frames when cut in half and decorated. We use a small draw knife to take off the outer coat because that coat splinters easily, while the core does not. These stalks are very light, yet very strong. Prescott should have all three: sotol, agave, and yucca.

I've attached a file to view, but it doesn't show in the preview post. oh well.

Joggernot

[Mottles]

Hey that looks like a pretty nice walking stick. In our club we have a couple members who carve a lot of walking sticks. Mostly apsen they carve and woodburn animals into theirs. They use the aspen nubs for the animal faces and then burn that animals paw/hoof print into the wood also. Great effect, do you do that too? If not give it a try!
Yes, we have at least two of the plants you suggested yucca and agave. I'm not sure what sotol looks like, will do a google search so I can ID it when I see it.
The picture frame sounds really neat, will add it to the list. Thanks...
Kathy

[Joggernot]

Originally Posted by Mottles

Hey that looks like a pretty nice walking stick. In our club we have a couple members who carve a lot of walking sticks. Mostly apsen they carve and woodburn animals into theirs. They use the aspen nubs for the animal faces and then burn that animals paw/hoof print into the wood also. Great effect, do you do that too? If not give it a try!
Yes, we have at least two of the plants you suggested yucca and agave. I'm not sure what sotol looks like, will do a google search so I can ID it when I see it.
The picture frame sounds really neat, will add it to the list. Thanks...
Kathy

I just finished three more carved sticks. We make them for the Friends of the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park. We sell them for $6 and the gift shop sells them for $18 as a money maker. With spring break in Texas we haven't been able to keep the sticks in the store. They sell about 20 in a week. We have found that kids walking sticks (shorter than for an adult, but just as detailed with bright colors) sell very well here and don't take too long to make when using woodburning for much of the design. Only a few get the wood spirit or an Indian carved into the wood.

I like the idea of putting the paw/hoof print into the wood, thanks! We have been puttings southwest stylized snakes, tortises, bears, horned toads, etc. along with a hand hold area and a leather thong at the top. All get some acrylic paint, but only on the hand hold and one or two other areas. The last three got some turquoise epoxied into the "wasp" holes as filler. We have the carpenter wasps that make a hole about 3/8-inch in diameter in some of the sticks.

Sotol and agave stalks are great. Normally very straight, not like a yucca stalk. Yucca curves and has more "character", but people seem to like straight walking sticks. We had one special order for a plain walking stick. He paid good money for a stalk that had been cleaned and sanded only (not sprayed) and a thong on the end. Nothing else on the stick. This was a man who truely hiked and wanted a "working" walking stick.

I've talked too much again...;-)

Joggernot