Artists Out There?

Wow! Nice! Very nice. Time for you to take it up again!

 

You guys got some talent

I'm with unclejoe, stick figures are about my limit

 

I wish I had some artist in me, but I literally couldn't paint a picture or play the piano to save my life. My brain is wired for all function and no form. When I have to create software for people it works really well, and is easy to use, but the user interface usually looks bad .

 

How about firewood art?


I do some woodworking too. But I'm sort of a "left brain" kind of guy - I can't draw stuff freehand out of my head, but I'm pretty good at mechanical drawing and duplication.

I make software too! Story of my life right there - I make it work; making it look pretty is another guy's job.

 

Most of the time I have to be the "other guy" too.

 

It's not difficult to learn how to draw. Start sketching over and over again. It helps to develop eye hand coordination. Next, look at how the light hits an object. Art is all about light.

 

Yeah, used to love to draw. Occasionally will find time to do some rough stuff. Been woodcarving off and on for the last 20 + years. Manage to get one or two birds carved every year, this year I've gotten three done. Here is a pic of the the last (a Red-Headed Woodpecker).

 

That is great work, Art C.

 

That's really cool Art C!! I'm always envious of people that can carve really well.

 

Excellent work Art C. I have an unfinished downy woodpecker that I lost interest on, since the beak was pointed cross ways against the grain and broke off. I glued a new one on, but it does not look right.

I used to carve competitively in a few N.E. shows back in the 90's. I have a few songbirds if anyone wants me to post the up. I have a few shorebirds too. It was time consuming, but I always learned a little more with every new one. I use a Foredom tool to power carve on the birds. I will use knives and gouges on bigger stuff.

 

Great, Fishingpot. Please post! I love doing shore birds. Love doing "slicks" and more realistic. You're talking my vintage, as I did some competitions in the 90's ( and late 80's). The Red Head was actually a bird I was teaching my son to carve about ten years ago. He screwed up the head, so I replaced the head and the beak is actually a branch off an old Lilac tree growing next to the house. Personally, I think it's a dying art. We had an "uptick" in the last couple decades, but we need some of "old guys" to continue the craft. I'm working on a Baikal Teal for a friend and hope to continue into retirement.

 

Another vote for posting pics.

 

Art, I do believe that there are still a good number of carvers out there. My dad is in a carving club with a pretty strong membership. Maybe carvers are not so prolific, or do not put their work out there to be seen. But, true that it needs to be passed on or taken up by more folks. I haven't carved a bird for 3 years, as I move around in my woodworking interests.

Ok, so here are a few pictures.

The first one is the downy woodpecker that I replaced the beak on. The beak could work, but is needs to be pared down a bit.


My first chickadee from 1994. I gave it to my grandmother as a gift. I received it back when she passed a few years ago.





My last baby chickadee from 2011. Lots of practice in between them.



An Avocet. I have never seen one in person. I just used reference photos. The skinny, neck, beak and driftwood all turned into a graceful flow. I may have put a little too much color on it. This is one head carving.



Nuthatch on a stylized cherry block.




Semi-palmated plover. Another bird I have not seen in person. I made the legs from brass and did a lot of hand filing.



This blue jay broke off its' legs. I painted it with an airbrush and layered paint washes. This had pre-made pewter legs. Big mistake. If I ever repair it, I will make brass legs for strength.



Last one is a wren. The wood grain lines unfortunately showed through when I was done. I use tupelo for songbirds. It is usually a non-visible grain. I may have had a bad piece.

 

Simply outstanding!!! Love them all, but especially the Avocet head! I haven't done any airbrush work on my birds (nervous about the process, I guess) so usually hand paint. With that said, using acrylics, my birds end up being on the "flat" side. Which is fine if I'm carving decoys, but it takes way from when I'm trying to do "life-likes". Glad to here your area has a fair amount of carvers (where about are you?). I started out in an adult education class 20+ years ago by a fellow who was friends with Wendell Gilley. He learned the craft from him and passed a lot of good info on to us. Great guy, sadly, he passed away a couple years ago. Out of our class, maybe 6 or 7 of us are still alive and I don't know how many of those still carve. I'm still a member of the National Woodcarvers Association, so do get to see that there are carvers out there but don't see the numbers of them that I did in the past or the amount off shows/competitions that there used to be.

I think it's time for you to break out the knives/chisel/ Foredom or whatever and get back in the game.

 

second one looks remarkably like my ex

 

I came across this loon tonight that I made in 1993. I had it stored away since it takes up a bit of space when out on display. This one is pine 2 x 12's glued and screwed flat with the head added on.

 

Thats good woodworking there.