Signs and WS in the making

Irishman · #1 09-10-2006, 07:07 PM

I had some slabs of oak and maple so I thought I'd try my hand at doing a couple of signs - one for our family and one for friends on PEI. My camera work is terrible as usual so its difficult to read the print or the little designs I carved in. I used a 45 degree parting tool the whole time - not bad for my first try.
The other pics is a wood spirit in the making. I picked up this huge piece of white pine that was just cut down. Still very green and sappy. The head will be very unique as it has 6 or more large stubs from branches that were cut off. If work doesn't interfere, I should have it done later this week.
Patrick

Claude · #2 09-10-2006, 07:41 PM

Excellent signs, Patrick! That wood spirit-to-be is definitely going to be interesting.

One way to get the photos of a sign/plaque/relief carving to show the detail is to place the primary light source above and to the side of the carving, so the light casts shadows in the incised areas. Another, but weaker, light near the camera keeps the shadows from being totally black.

Claude

wade clark · #3 09-10-2006, 08:51 PM

Nice signs!
That white pine looks like two trees were traveling really fast, maybe in a hurricane, and ran into each other! Then grew some more!
Wade

Coffeeman · #4 09-10-2006, 09:35 PM

Patrick,

Whow, that is going to make one heck of a head piece, the hair groupings will be wild and great.

Nice lettering on the signs.

Bye the way, I'm originally from Canso, Nova Scotia, "MacDougall" . Bill

squbrigg · #5 09-11-2006, 07:25 AM

Great signs Patrick, I'm sure they will love them. That spirit is going to be awesome, with a head piece like that........ going to do something special with it? See what the wood tells you is in there!

Bob

Irishman · #6 09-11-2006, 05:35 PM

Canso you say! Been down there several times - great kayaking waters...that is when the fog is lifted

I expect I'm going to use my parting tool in new ways once I get to the hair. Open to ideas if someone else has suggestions.
Patrick

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coffeeman

Patrick,

Whow, that is going to make one heck of a head piece, the hair groupings will be wild and great.

Nice lettering on the signs.

Bye the way, I'm originally from Canso, Nova Scotia, "MacDougall" . Bill

Myron Compton · #7 09-12-2006, 07:36 AM

Really nice signs. I want to try that some day. Can't wait to see the spirit completed....myron

Eleanor · #8 09-12-2006, 07:38 AM

Hello, I like your signs a lot, letter cutting looks so difficult to me. I will tell my friend who often visits PEI to look out for it! When you say Parting tool, is that what I know as a v tool, or is it a skew? Or something I have never seen?
Eleanor

Tom H · #9 09-12-2006, 08:11 AM

Taken care of, those signs will last several lifetimes. Very, very nice! If I ever tried a sign I would have to have a spell check on my tools....Well done! Tom H

Irishman · #10 09-12-2006, 01:51 PM

Eleanor - the tool I've been calling a parting tool is the V tool with a 45 degree angle. I have much to learn about doing signs but what I accomplished was quite simple. I did the name and design on the computer then transferred it onto the wood...then took my mallet and V tool and traced over the tranfer removing the wood.
If your friend is up at the eastern end of PEI (Souris), my friends live directly across from the Lighthouse and Beach motel. They will see a large wood spirit I carved for them on their doorstep...and possibly the sign I just finished as well.
Patrick

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eleanor

Hello, I like your signs a lot, letter cutting looks so difficult to me. I will tell my friend who often visits PEI to look out for it! When you say Parting tool, is that what I know as a v tool, or is it a skew? Or something I have never seen?
Eleanor