Re: Carving Jurney 2011 - Dec 18. Last addition

[asianfire]

I recommend the single name "Gauche" (if I got my French correct  )

   Now you got me confused again

gauche/gōSH/
Adjective:   
Lacking ease or grace; unsophisticated and socially awkward.
Synonyms:   
clumsy - awkward - maladroit - ungainly - gawky - unhandy


  ?????????   

[Connie Liu]

Thanks Connie,

You can do all of that too.
Besides us here on the forum, you can tap into practical help at your factories.
That could help you to catch up and overtake us fairly quickly.
 

Thanks, Kurt.  Yes, I planned to try for a long time, but not get any good clue.  Actually, I tried to cut a cube when I visited a factory long time ago.  It is funny.  I think the first things I need do is to prepare some necessary tools/machine.  My interest is not only to be a sale woman or merchandiser, I really want to try something by myself.   Well, I will let you know if I do out my first piece.  

[asianfire]

Hallo everyone,

finally got something to show for myself again. Oh my, just realized that I'm now down to two pieces a month, yet spend more time than ever on this hobby.  Took over 2 weeks and was a long way coming. Attempted several new things this time round.

Unknown material, Drusy face, double material and smallest seize yet (16 millimeter from tail to head for the black frog).

Got this material as an extra in a shipment last year and considered it for a lot of different things. I even got started last year with having a snake coming from behind with the head being where the frog sits now. Put it aside and a few months ago I thought of creating the head of a panther but realized after a few cuts that the overhang (over the drusy) is too low. So I put it away again.

While I was working on the last guitar, I somehow picked it up yet again and somehow got the idea of a frog sitting on a leaf.

The guitar was not yet finished (still is not, still waiting for being strung with gold-strings LOL), as I started to look at pictures of frogs. Started with the hind-legs only to realize that their position would not line up with the highest points for the head. Luckily, picked it up again and redid the hind-legs.


We had a B'day party in the house, so my usual workstation was off limits. Went upstairs and between digging I rummaged in my box of "Failures past"  Came across some pieces of pietersite I broke years ago and decided that one of them had a perfect fit for a second frog emerging from the water. It also gives a very colorful contrast to the otherwise dark appearance of the piece overall.


Shaping the base


Walk around after polish and second frog glued into the base


Closer view


I thought I'm done, but looking at the pictures now it becomes clear that more needs to be done at the level of the front legs (maybe even cutting through all together and deepen the spaced between the toes as well as smoothen out the surfaces around the frog.


In any case, no picture can really show the fascination this exudes.
Even across the room, the black frog shines (glassy, not plastic for a change) in the room-light. With every move you make a glitter (slightly bronze colored) comes from different parts of the druzy surface. And finally you see and notice that red/yellow/blue googly-eyed creature (at some angles looking more like a snake LOL) .

Its a piece that needs to be worn. Only when in movement can every facet of it be really enjoyed and noticed.

Now, its back at it and sort out the remaining issues to ensue that the pictures are showing what the eye can see. LOL   

[jackd]

Kurt, its hard for me to pick a favorite from your creations, if I had to pick one it would be the mother and child...........but then if I could pick more than one, I would have to pick all of them .....


...jack

[ScarlettoSara]

My, My, My:) I do dearly love this creation.
It is superbly fantastic:)
What a wonderful design:)

[Steve]

Well, well, well.............you just keep on astonishing ans astounding me................keep it up................

[3rdRockFromTheFun]

I recommend the single name "Gauche" (if I got my French correct  )

   Now you got me confused again

gauche/gōSH/
Adjective:   
Lacking ease or grace; unsophisticated and socially awkward.
Synonyms:   
clumsy - awkward - maladroit - ungainly - gawky - unhandy


  ?????????   

Well... that would be me, showing off all I don't know about French 

When I was in junior high school I asked a teacher what the saying 'How gauche!' meant. She told me that 'Gauche' meant 'left', as in 'left handed' and that it was a social stigma at one time (according to her it had to do with left handed clumsiness - years later according to a work associate it had to do with the stigma regarding how people use to eat with their right hand and wipe their rears with their left back in the very old days). For all I know they were both pulling my leg (my left leg I'm sure).

Well, damn - I feel so un-cosmopolitan now!   (I notice it's the guy on the left getting beaten by the sign there... hmmm...)

[3rdRockFromTheFun]

Holy amphibians batman! Those frogs are awesome Kurt! Geez, and so freakin' tiny - that is 'A+'mazing! 

[39don]

Kurt, with this carving you get to move one rung up the ladder........You'er almost to the top. WOW!!!! those are two most adorable frogs..........                  

[southerly]

Wow Kurt, you are maturing as a carver and an artist really quickly. I really love the frog and the context of the pond, superb craftsmanship.

David

[DonniesTreasures]

Love the frogs, man!   That is just sooooo cool!   Do you know what is so cool about a frog??
Now tell me truthfully................Have you ever seen a frog that wasn't SMILING!!!!  Frogs are happy looking critters & soooo much fun to watch!  I used to have a couple of terrariums with frogs in them 7 they were so much fun to watch, esp those little fire belly toads!  My favorite though was a White's tree frog!  He sure was a nice little frog!

[ScarlettoSara]

I am kinda partial to frogs myself Donnie. They are attractive and I have kissed many of them.
They are not bad kissers as long as you dont have a sense of smell. Bug Breath is pungent:)
Who is the Lady in Black Kurt, is that your lady frog?

[Enchantra]

Kurt.
I just showed these frogs to Dad.
This was his reaction:
"Oh My G-d those are gorgeous!  I could see myself wearing those on a pendant!"   
Really Dad?  You NEVER wear jewelry of any kind....
OK so maybe it helps too that he collects frog figurines as a hobby...
He asked how you could carve something so darned small.
I told him that it was how you stayed sane!   

[3rdRockFromTheFun]

He asked how you could carve something so darned small.
I told him that it was how you stayed sane!   

At least you didn't say, "veeeeeeery carefully...!" 

[asianfire]

Who is the Lady in Black Kurt, is that your lady frog?

Me in the water talking to deaf ears. 

Amanda: thought he might like it. 

I told him that it was how you stayed sane!  

What our squabbling (me and Rose) can be felt all the way over there? 

Here is one pic I took with flash:


One as it should be worn:


And lets try if this works: a 2 minute video I tried to make of it



Click on the picture to get there.