| Project by StevenAntonucci | posted 11-15-2010 04:44 PM | 1819 views | 0 times favorited | 6 comments |  |
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Got some things done yesterday while I had the house to myself. This “turning” is a somehat annual tradition that I started a couple of years ago. Each year, I carve a Santa for a collector I know. In return, she lets me keep half of my stuff.
He started life on the lathe, between centers and became a “bullet”. From there, I used a picture of another carvers work as a starting point for layout:
http://www.reasonstobelieve.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&ProductCode=al106&CategoryCode=AL
I think there is enough different in scale, execution, and color to make it 51% original, and I can see doing this type of work again.
The coloring was done with Mixol pigments in lacquer, cut about 50/50 with lacquer thinner. About 2-3 drops of Mixol is all it takes. The stuff goes a long way.
Comments welcome.
-- Steven
6 comments so far
helluvawreck
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#1 posted 11-15-2010 04:49 PM
These are very nice gifts.
-- helluvawreck aka Charles, http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com
mmh
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#2 posted 11-15-2010 05:32 PM
I like the shape of the Santa. It’s intriguing that you started with a lathed bullet and then carved it down, making it a relatively quick piece to create. Nicely carved at that.
Since I like seeing the natural grain of the wood, would you consider using a stain or just wash the wood with the color desired and allow the grain to show? I think this technique would look quite stunning and actually more rustic. Not to say that your paint job is not nice, as it’s quite rich looking too, but I am thinking that the grain could show off more and give the viewer more understanding of what this piece is made of.
Looks like you should have more days to yourself!
-- "They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." ~ Edgar Allan Poe
StevenAntonucci
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#3 posted 11-15-2010 05:42 PM
The photo doesn’t show it real well, but the basswood grain does come through the lacquer pretty well. of course, it’s just basswood, so it’s nothing that exciting. I left the face and his undergarment natural wood. I also debated a quick 600 grit sanding to buff through some of the lacquer and expose some of the cut marks a litte better, as none of the surfaces are flat (nor were they meant to be…).
-- Steven
sedcokid
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#4 posted 11-15-2010 05:52 PM
Wow! Very nice, I wish that I could carve like that…
Thanks for sharing
-- Chuck Emery, Michigan,
Loucarb
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#5 posted 11-16-2010 02:42 AM
Great santa, I like the choice of colors. I like your vessels also. I love those shapes but have a lot of trouble turning them. Well done.
StevenAntonucci
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#6 posted 11-16-2010 02:59 AM
Thanks Lou… shameless self promotion coming:
I’ll be teaching hollow turning at Peters Valley next summer in addition to the Intro to woodturning class… If you’ve never taken a class in NJ, it would be a great Christmas present to yourself ;-)
And for Sedcokid, anyone can carve with about two or three basic tools, which is all that I use…getting the idea mapped out still is work for me…
-- Steven
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