Express yourself ! Lapel pin challenge

Just Carving · #11 06-14-2008, 04:29 PM

I give you Yankee Doodle bear! I didn't glue the pinback on yet because I wanted to get the picture taken first. It's about 3" high and 2 1/8" wide. It's carved in eastern white pine. It's painted with acrylic paint and has 3 coats of high gloss lacquer. The fine detail, i.e. the stars and stripes were drawn on with a Rapidograph drafting pen using thinned down acrylic paints.

Ron, the carving is a teddy bear wearing an Uncle Sam costume and he is walking and holding an American flag by it's pole in his paws. The flag is waving over his right shoulder, goes behind his head and continues waving behind him. If you could a imagine a teddy bear dressed as Uncle Sam, carrying a flag and walking down Main Street in a parade, that's pretty much what it would look like.

Hope you like!

Bob L

Lightningbolt · #12 06-14-2008, 08:30 PM

Golly gosh... that's as good as it gets! The first thing that came to mind when I saw it was "parade" then I saw what you'd written about it. You definitely get the "most detailed" award with carving and paint job. Thanks for sharing AND setting a new standard.

Just Carving · #13 06-14-2008, 09:08 PM

WOW! Thanks Dave--I wasn't trying to set a new standard--just trying to improve my painting! The Rapidograph pens work pretty good once you get the paint thinned down enough and you use a big enough size pen (I used a #2 .6mm) that the ink will flow. It was tough to use for a bit but I think I accomplished what I set out to do.

Bob L

Lightningbolt · #14 06-15-2008, 12:23 PM

Bob: I'm glad that you mentioned the Rapidograph pens and I've been googling them learning more about just what they are and it looks like they are perfect for this tiny pin painting.

About last Christmas I bought a set of something called "Painters" made by the Elmer's Glue company but didn't think to try using them for the striping on my flags because I think that would have made it easier. I have the medium size and they come in small & large also and I believe those sizes would work in most situations but the Rapidograph pens would offer a lot more possibilities from what I'm reading. I just picked the Painters up in the arts & craft department at Wally World.

Anyhow, thanks for the additional hints.