Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Wood carving, art experiment and art deco .

These are the photos promised in previous post. First the wood carving which is 27cm square by 17cm high, Leichardt timber which is yellow colour.
The block.

Tools I used which came as a kit, nine blades, one handle, instructions and small block of pine with transferred image to learn on. I have carved the small block and while it's okay I bought another two pieces and traced the same design onto them and I am carving that together with my friend who wants to try carving as she is doing pyrography and would like to try carving.

So many errors but it is my first attempt so I still feel it's rough in some ways compared to what I see weekly with the group. One gentleman has offered to make a handle for each blade so that was gratefully accepted. One of the ladies on our groups table called "the carvers" gave me her spare handle as she has handles on all of her blades and it makes a big difference to be able to just pick up a carver without having to change blades.

And here it is doing it's intended job and should I feel like it I could carve the other three sides in a continuing pattern.
I have ideas running through my head with this new interest so feel like I have my hobby sorted for the next few years, never a dull or spare moment here, sometimes the days aren't long enough but all artist feel like that when the creative urges are calling..


Meeting with friends for art experiments and exploring ideas.
Experimenting with friends involving what is called paste paper, basically glue with colour added to nice smoothness and brushing onto quality paper then adding objects to add texture. Here one used coffee as the colour as t he ladies were after a sepia tone. I'm not too sure on it's lasting qualities though as any paint would do. We had fun anyhow.





My latest art deco colouring page.

This is the Wacker Bird and I really enjoy the challenge of working out the colours  in the busier backgrounds to help draw attention to the main image. I can do this for hours but limit my time to attending to all artistic interests.










Sunday, May 1, 2016

Wood carving project number one finished.

It was back in early  March I posted about an attempt to carve wood and settled for a piece of Leichardt, well it's done ,not of the most professional standard but it's performing it's job admirably. That is to be functional by supporting the monitor for the computer as the books it was sitting on was too low so thought if I 'm going to do this make it useful. Now this has led me to all sorts of interesting ideas concerning my new passion which I won't divulge just yet, nothing like keeping whoever reads this in suspense of sorts.
It does involve wood(of course)but of the whittling style with that project having three different things to be made and then being a book artist a challenge has presented itself there too. So I think there is enough to keep me very busy this year and possibly into the next, but then what else does a retired lady do?

Photos later as I have to work out how to load them from the camera chip to new W.10 programme which doesn't seem to like the old programme, just another thing to deal with one day but I promise it will happen.

My lady friends have returned plus a new member to make books and we experimented with coffee staining and they produced some really nice effects so it's on again weekly with great company, plenty of laughs and great food. Now I find that I have 4 books to make on my own list and the days aren't long enough so it's a mater of which is more important.

There is always my art deco colouring in to fall back on just to rest the body and brain, of course latest photos are on the camera still!

I attended the Anzac Day March with the school children and very proud of the grandchildren marching and two for the first time.
Bye for now.