[Mottles]

Title: Old Bodie Wagon WIP

Medium: Pyrography on 12� x 12� birch panel



Hi All: Well, here is a Bodie wagon left over from a time gone by. This is my most challenging so far as there is much detail. My knowledge of old wooden wagons is pretty poor, but I did my best to interpret the black & white photograph circa early 1970's. I added a border first and I think I like the effect.

Unfortunately my panel (it was that way when I started) has bowed in the center a bit. Has anyone else had this experience and if so what did you do to remedy it? If it were 300lb cold press watercolor paper I’d wet the backside and weight it down with books. LOL

This will be my last Bodie pyrography for a little while as I have a Birthday-Christmas present to work on. After seeing Brian’s wonderful tribute to his cherished pet I decided to do a portrait of my son-in-laws spaniel ‘Mandy’. She passed away a few years back and I’d always wanted to do something for him. They were real pals and hunting partners she was a terrific bird dog.

As always you know I appreciate your thoughts and comments.

Kathy

[GaryMc]

Wonderfull Job as usual! I love the old pictures and you did a great job of burning the wagon!
GaryMc

[Ashbys]

Kathy Very Nice work! Looks a lot like the wagon used in the Wizard of OZ, Also I am sure your son will love the gift, very thoughtful!










I only have one more thing I haveto say ... I really have to let you know ...





We did have Color photos in 1970 ... and cars !!!!!!!


rofl

Ash

[Mottles]

Hi GaryMc: Thank you, I have spent many hours roaming and taking pictures of Bodie and it's relics.

Hi Ash: Thank youLOL-- I went though a peroid of where I wanted to do black and white photography. I really liked the starkness of value patterns and how they made the ghost town more interesting. I do have color images too and will soon bore everyone with them again. Yep drove into Bodie the first time in our brand new Ford Mavorick (gold it was) grin

Kathy

[Irish]

Well, Lady, you have truely out done yourself this time. The small dark wheelbarrow in front of the dark, shadowed undercarriage is perfect. Lots of dark tones yet the picture is very clear as to what belongs to what. There's no visual confusion in that area even though it is so full of similar values and similar shapes. Very, very nice!

The changing patterns in that photo are wonderful, your composition with the photo is outstanding. I love the vertical wall boards pulling against the horizontal wagon boards then those spectacular wheel spokes! I know you were burning values but those values create some fantastic patterns. If you "lost the wagon, wheelbarrow and wall" you would have a wonderous abstract just with the patterning that was left.

Susan

[Ron Davidson]

Kathy-Looks pretty authentic to me great job as usual. Ron

[brian bailey]

Nice job on your wagon scene, Kathy.

I really like old west tumble weed type scenes.

Several years ago, My wife and I rode our motorcycles along the old Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica.

Along the way especially in New Mexico, Arizona, and eastern part of Cali. I blew by so many photo opportunities of old abandoned buildings and run down equipment of a past era that I'm almost considering making the trip again .

I believe that the western sceneries goes well being pyrographed.

Brian...

[squbrigg]

Beautiful burning Kathy, it gives the piece that "dusty" Western look. It captures the personality of that old wagon just right. Well done.

Bob

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Originally Posted by brian bailey

Nice job on your wagon scene, Kathy.

I really like old west tumble weed type scenes.

Several years ago, My wife and I rode our motorcycles along the old Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica.

Along the way especially in New Mexico, Arizona, and eastern part of Cali. I blew by so many photo opportunities of old abandoned buildings and run down equipment of a past era that I'm almost considering making the trip again .

I believe that the western sceneries goes well being pyrographed.

Brian...

Almost? lol

[Mottles]

Hi Susan: Thank you Susan it really was a challenge and my most ambious so far for sure. I've found a lot of painting techniques/rules apply to woodburning images also. I did a lot of negative and positive space comparsion while working on this one. In order to understand the wagon I had to disect and draw various parts of the wagon. Then figure out how they all fit and work together. I love to draw so it really helped me to understand the make-up of the wagon and it's parts. I don't think I'll be doing another wagon for a while. urgh!
PS: I was very tempted to use the shader for the foreground grass, but remembered your experience. I too was hearing Kathy no, no, no don't do it! So I used my writing tip instead and boy I'm glad I did. I do think though that I could utilized the shader for some minor shading. I need a little more ok a lot more practice using the shader. I was so close to finishing that I didn't want to chance messing it up. So thanks for sharing your experience!

Hi Brian: Thank you, I really do love these old relics what a story they could tell. We've lived in Arizona for 2 1/2 years now and still haven't taken the Route 66 drive yet. We go by the turn off for it when we go to California on highway 40. One of these days we'll travel down the 66.

Hi Bob: Thank you too, yeah I bet that wagon would leave a trail of dust behind. I believe it would have been a fright wagon as everything had to be brought into Bodie.

Hi HO: Pretend this is a cowgirl! Have you done the Route 66 trip?

Thanks all for your comments now let me see if I can get my head though the door.
Kathy