Dragon carving

[bjrogg]

Really like it Ruddy thanks for sharing the progress.

[Ruddy Darter]

You are welcome Bjrogg, and thank you one and all for showing an interest...it helped me out of a rut and I got it carved  . When I got the whole project finished I'll show some pics.

  Ruddy.

[Ruddy Darter]

I managed to get the York rose carved out on the other side,  it's  English holly wood set into oak that I collected myself a while back, so pleased it hasn't spalted at all and is a very clean ivory white,( managed to get a couple of big logs of it nicely split and seasoned for future projects.)
Just got to carve in a crisscross at the centre ( pencil marks) and guild it, hopefully sometime tomorrow. I thought I'd show a pic before I put on the gold centre and some Danish oil.

 Ruddy.

[Adam]

Wow! You have some serious talent.

[Zuma]

A rose by any other name....
Sweet
Zuma

[bjrogg]

Looks like you're very much out of your rut to me Ruddy. Everything's coming up Roses.
Bjrogg

[Zuma]

Looks like you're very much out of your rut to me Ruddy. Everything's coming up Roses.
Bjrogg

[Ruddy Darter]

Thanks very much again guys, its been a real help.

 I just got round to gold leafing, it's going to take a while to dry, needs  a couple of hours before I can smooth it and put on Danish oil, so I'll probably finish that tomorrow. I'm also going to pic out the  leaves in the oak with some green watercolour staining once I've shaped them a little more, (still undecided). That's the main features pretty much done now.
Here's a pic with the centre carved and unsmoothed gold on..

  Ruddy.

...just added another pic with 3 coats Danish oil on. Looks more like ivory I reckon.

[JW_Halverson]

Once the finish was on the petals, they began to look like ivory. Cool effect!

[YosemiteBen]

beautiful work!

[Lumberman]

Good grief that is really cool

[Ruddy Darter]

Thank you very much Lumber man and YosemiteBen,

J.W. I was really pleased with how the Danish oil worked, this is the largest piece of holly I've carved with and was pleasantly surprised with the finish look, it's hard and tight grained this wood and polishes up like porcelain with xfine grit cloth ( I believe in years gone by it was actually used as imitation ivory). Looking forward to trying a few ideas out with the holly for future projects.
Managed to carelessly chew my thumb knuckle a little today with a rough tooth handsaw while cutting some brackets for the side pieces I'm working on, nothing major but keeps opening up when I use it, so a couple of days out. Good time for a break anyway 

 Ruddy .

[Ruddy Darter]

I got some time to finish designing and drawing out the stencil for the two side pieces, going to be a nice little challenge to saw out with my coping saw, all the knotwork will be sawn all the way through and needs to look reasonable on the reverse sides too, the knotwork will be undulating over and under when carved and shaped( 3/4" oak board). The central panel will remain solid and will have brackets on the reverse to receive the dragon/rose centre piece. The feet and bow holders will be inlayed with a slice of holly back and front with a dowel through the sandwich. The centre panel will have an acorn and oak leaf/leaves carved on, which I've yet to draw out, which was requested for personal and sentimental reasons.
Thought I'd show the design before I start.

Thumb is now o.k., (first time I used superglue and worked a treat )

 Ruddy.

[Zuma]

Wow, like taking a ride on a roller coaster.
Makes me want to hide my chisels.
Inspiring Ruddy.
Zuma

[Ruddy Darter]

Thanks Zuma,

 I've been pondering how the sides should be while working on the centre piece, I was looking on the web at Celtic knotwork and stumbled on carved Welsh love spoons and got ideas from there. I think having the knotwork sawn out instead of just carved in will give some lightness and a touch more elegance.
Just sawn two lengths of timber and got the stencil inked on...I started the saw cut with a square bit of timber this time and not my thumb knuckle...(what was I thinking? )  I was lucky to get away with a light warning .

 Ruddy.