It has been a log time since I have posted anything. Here are a couple of new carvings recently finished with more experiments using color. The carvings are in 4/4 basswood and painted using a combination of oil, acrylic and watercolor paints.
Thanks so much for the comments, good to know that my efforts are paying off. An amazing amount of time goes into each piece! These were carved for a gallery and for a collector of my work. The rabbit is the spring carving in a series of the four seasons with rabbits. I am also doing a series of the seasons with owls. I think I enjoy doing these panels more than any of the other carvings I do.
These are a couple of the first carvings I have done in over a year due to moving into a new home/shop along with carpal tunnel problems and surgery among other issues. It's good to be working again.
Nice work, Stave. The rabbit carving looks to have more depth of field contrast, to my eye. That may only be an illusion from the darker colors used, though.
The depth of the two carvings is the same. The multiple layers combined with the darker colors create the illusion of more depth. I admit that I had to re-carve the leaves once, paint them multiple times and spent more time coloring them than I did producing everything else on the piece. Anything green is just difficult work on.
I do draw all my own patterns although they are usually based on a compilation of parts from different reference materials with the inspiration usually coming from something I have actually seen in nature. My new home has an abundance of wildlife to watch. So far the bears have stayed away (although they have been within a 100 yards) but we have seen everything from owls to turkeys and deer to bobcats. Amazing what you can see if you are quiet and just watch.