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swap piece update!! |
Benzart
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 09, 2004
Posts: 10306
From: Port Saint Lucie, Florida
|  Posted: 2007-03-24 7:40 pm Permalink
PDrake, your latest stuff is REALLY showing your Improvement, All Over the Place. part of it is the tools but you have to Improve to effectively use the tools. You are Well on your way to All around Excellence. Just take care of the finer details and you got it.
Beautiful stuff, I'm shaking my head with pride!
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pdrake
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 13, 2006
Posts: 1764
From: las vegas
| Posted: 2007-03-24 7:50 pm Permalink
thanks a lot ben. i still think i need a lot of improvement. i can see every flaw, big and small. you know what they say, the artist is his own worst critic. i've been taught and inspired by the best in the world. it helps me strive to better myself and my work.
thank you very much.
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Benzart
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 09, 2004
Posts: 10306
From: Port Saint Lucie, Florida
| Posted: 2007-03-24 8:30 pm Permalink
One thing about getting better is that you SEE more flaws and are then able to fix them. It's all in the fine details. Something about a carving you can't quite put your finger on but you know it isn't right. With more skill and experience comes the ability to DEFINE that thing that other people can't put their finger on. 
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pdrake
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 13, 2006
Posts: 1764
From: las vegas
| Posted: 2007-03-24 8:58 pm Permalink
detail? um, okay. will do!
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pdrake
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 13, 2006
Posts: 1764
From: las vegas
| Posted: 2007-03-24 9:22 pm Permalink
a little more detail . . .
if any of you jade workers think i'm butchering the stone, please advise me on how to make it better. i really want to make my work better.
thanks.
actually, i'd like some feedback. i see stuff, like, make the fin ribs thinner at the top and that kind of thing. i'd like some honest input. i know it's a nice piece and all, but i want it to be gallery quality. (not this one, just one in the future.)
[ This Message was edited by: pdrake 2007-03-24 21:24 ]
[ This Message was edited by: pdrake 2007-03-24 21:29 ]
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pdrake
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 13, 2006
Posts: 1764
From: las vegas
| Posted: 2007-03-24 9:32 pm Permalink
oh, this is what it looked like after the big piece flaked off. i'm glad i didn't give up on it.
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Benzart
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 09, 2004
Posts: 10306
From: Port Saint Lucie, Florida
| Posted: 2007-03-25 08:10 am Permalink
yes, you are putting your finger on things that don't look right, Any irregularities in the continuous line, a long gentle curve that has kind of flatish spots on it, stuff like that. How to fix them is difficult because you need to go back to where you created those lines and use that tool to even things out. Sometimes you need to compromise and fix some and leave others alone. Fixing one may make the other bearable. Don't get me wrong, this is an Excellent piece the way it is. and you may want to leave it as is depending on how much time you want to spend on it, peopleare usually not going to give you a hard time about minor stuff, Unless you show it to them, then you probably need to fix it. There are Some pieces you will do where everything just clicks and it is just turning out great and you can see it is one of your better pieces, That is the piece you will spend the extra time with going over it with that fine toothed comb, making it as perfect as you can. then there are other pieces that are just so-so and don't merit the extra time for special upgrades.
This is what I mean by having the ability to see problem areas,decide weather the piece warrants the time to fix those issues and then Fixing them. The more you do, the more you realize that needs to be done. I hope this helps to solve the riddle of carving. I hope it did not add to the puzzle and make you more confused.
You are definitely on the right track!
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GROG
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Jun 21, 2006
Posts: 6178
From: Tujunga
| Posted: 2007-03-25 08:54 am Permalink
Benzart,
You ARE the MASTER! A true sage! Excellent advise, very understandable, and I'm sure that not only does Pdrake appreciate it, but all the other artists as well.
Good luck Perry.
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pdrake
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 13, 2006
Posts: 1764
From: las vegas
| Posted: 2007-03-25 10:56 am Permalink
grog's right ben. thank you very much. it made quite a bit of sense and i appreciate it.
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pdrake
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 13, 2006
Posts: 1764
From: las vegas
| Posted: 2007-03-25 1:17 pm Permalink
well, it's almost finished. now i have no idea where to put the hole. any suggestions?
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Tamapoutini
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 30, 2006
Posts: 1529
From: Aotearoa (New Zealand)
| Posted: 2007-03-25 2:13 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2007-03-25 13:17, pdrake wrote:
well, it's almost finished. now i have no idea where to put the hole. any suggestions?
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A: "Decide from the very start where you are going to put them and allow room..." 
Please forgive my teasing, its just that I have faced this particular problem many times myself & am repeating my own Mantra to you.
The areas you circled as 'problem' spots just need a little more taken off them to rectify those ridges. As Ben said, you would need to readdress with whatever tool/s you made the rest of that shaping with. I tend to run a pen or pencil mark along ridges so that you can find them again once the water is running on them. Ditto any small bumps or hollows; not that you seem to be having any trouble with them. Your shaping is getting remarkably smooth; the rest of this hook esp. the internal facets are looking very crisp & of 'gallery quality' already in my opinion (Galleries come in all shapes/sizes/qualities too you know - I found that my work was accepted by 'lesser' galleries at the start & found its way into more upmarket venues quite naturally as skills/quality improved - prices follow suit) Once you've got 6-10 pieces that you are happy with & that work well as a group (this is important! most outlets/galleries prefer to see some continuity running through a group of work, as this helps to reinforce trust that the artist knows what he/she is doing/can do it again, & also means that each piece 'backs up' and helps to sell the others) try contacting a gallery that you think might accept/suit them. I dont know about the US but over here most newcomers have to accept sale-or-return/consignment basis until a name is established & you can start to dictate a few rules of your own.
Keep it up; I wouldnt bother telling you this if didnt think your work/potential up to it. Because we are working on such a small/fine scale I would suggest working your designs out on paper first & then transfer onto the stone. Get your designs as perfectly proportioned/refined as you can make them before transferring and then stick to those lines as best you can. There is always a little 'wandering' but a bit of evolution is ok. As time goes on you can loosen this approach a bit but for now I would advise concentrating on how accurately you can stick to your design; this seems to be your way anyway and is the approach of many great carvers.
I understand how Maori designs must appeal but I always advise that people find their own style/devices/approach/subject matter: If I were in the US I would be using local jade & trying to create myself a wee niche market. Jade can be turned into anything; I have been commissioned to make horseshoes for horsey-types, Chevrolet/Harley.D badges for the rev-heads, warm tingly family-stuff for new parents, alien heads, New-Age symbols, etc, etc... Even in NZ where there is almost an inexhaustable demand for spirals/hooks etc, I advise carvers to find an area to specialise in - Cabachons/ring-stones is another avenue & perhaps the very best u$e for good stone; a tiny-but-well-made cab can fetch ridiculous money for use by metalsmiths...
Hope this helps!
Tama
[ This Message was edited by: Tamapoutini 2007-03-25 14:16 ]
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pdrake
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 13, 2006
Posts: 1764
From: las vegas
| Posted: 2007-03-25 2:42 pm Permalink
thanks. that helps. i always appreciate when people take the time to type something in order to help others.
i still don't know where to put a hole.
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pdrake
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 13, 2006
Posts: 1764
From: las vegas
| Posted: 2007-04-07 3:14 pm Permalink
a little sumpin i'm grinding at.
[ This Message was edited by: pdrake 2007-04-07 15:15 ]
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pdrake
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 13, 2006
Posts: 1764
From: las vegas
| Posted: 2007-04-07 10:21 pm Permalink
so, any advice? doesn't matter, i'm just going in balls out.
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Tamapoutini
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 30, 2006
Posts: 1529
From: Aotearoa (New Zealand)
| Posted: 2007-04-08 1:53 pm Permalink
Naked women..? where? what..? 
-oh I get it; that was a ploy to get me here right? Well, it worked...
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This hei-tiki is coming along nicely; your balls out/in approach seems to be working just fine. Dont forget to allow room for the suspension hole!
Rock on!
Tama
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