[schooner]

Hi Guys & Gals (Newbie Here )

I have a few carvings under my belt and I'm pretty satisfied with 'em.

My lovely wife asked me to carve a Strawberry Bottle Stopper for the many: Vingar, Oil, etc,etc bottles we have.

I got the leaves on top and the general shape (Rough-out now) However, I'd like to carve SEEDS into the berry and then paint it. Green for the leaves and red of course for the Strawberry.

But those dorn SEEDS

What you take on any IDEAS to plant those SEEDS into the berry.

Thank You ALL
GOD BLESS

Schooner

[Janel]

Hi Schooner,

Sorry, I am a bit late noticing this one again. The week you wrote this question was a very busy week for me.

I don't quite understand what your question is, but are you asking how any of us might carve the seeds of the strawberry? Have you figured it out for yourself yet?



If I were to carve a strawberry, I would consider it a challenging task to carve each seed in the indent. You might be able to make a sort of stamp tool that has a seed shaped hollow in it, and press or tap the indent/seed shape into the wood at seed-like intervals. You may need to smooth edges a bit to look more fruit and life-like after the stamping process.

If I were to use boxwood, a very hard wood, I might try making an ukibori tool stamp for the seed shape alone, carve shallow indents where the seeds go, press in the seed-shaped, ukibori stamp, then carve out each indent to the bottom of the stamp. Sand or steel wool the surface gently, then raise the grain with hot water, followed with gentle sanding or surface smoothing with a sanding pad. Knowing me, I may then accentuate each seed a little with a tool (details, details).

Have you already come up with a solution to your quest?

Janel

[schooner]

Janel, on Jun 10 2009, 08:18 PM, said:

Hi Schooner,

Sorry, I am a bit late noticing this one again. The week you wrote this question was a very busy week for me.

I don't quite understand what your question is, but are you asking how any of us might carve the seeds of the strawberry? Have you figured it out for yourself yet?

strawberry.jpg

If I were to carve a strawberry, I would consider it a challenging task to carve each seed in the indent. You might be able to make a sort of stamp tool that has a seed shaped hollow in it, and press or tap the indent/seed shape into the wood at seed-like intervals. You may need to smooth edges a bit to look more fruit and life-like after the stamping process.

If I were to use boxwood, a very hard wood, I might try making an ukibori tool stamp for the seed shape alone, carve shallow indents where the seeds go, press in the seed-shaped, ukibori stamp, then carve out each indent to the bottom of the stamp. Sand or steel wool the surface gently, then raise the grain with hot water, followed with gentle sanding or surface smoothing with a sanding pad. Knowing me, I may then accentuate each seed a little with a tool (details, details).

Have you already come up with a solution to your quest?

Janel

Hey Janel

Thank 4 your imput. However, after about a thousand hours of beating my head or its seemed that way . . . lol
I did come up with an answer for me at least and became very pleased.

I drill many, many tiny holes into the basswood strawberry. I painted the berry first and do the top leaves green. Then I drilled the resisted holes and it appears just like SEEDS.

That's it. Not bad 4 a beginner if I do say so myself.

I do hope this helps other also, as I'm being help by you.

GOD BLESS
Schooner

[Janel]

Thanks for the description of the solution! Do you happen to have a photo of the stopper you might be willing to share? I am glad that you figured out something that would work for you. This was a challenging idea and was one to learn from, to say the least.

Janel

[schooner]

Janel, on Jun 11 2009, 08:40 PM, said:

Thanks for the description of the solution! Do you happen to have a photo of the stopper you might be willing to share? I am glad that you figured out something that would work for you. This was a challenging idea and was one to learn from, to say the least.

Janel

Hi Janel & the gang

Been awhile since I've posted pics. However, I going to try.

First an explanation of what I did to achieve the SEEDS on my strawberry.

I first made a number of pencil mark(s) all around the berry. I didn't trust myself to do it rademly (you don't have to do that)
I got my handle DREMEL out and put in a pointed bit and went to town

Many, many holes and you guys & gals can see.
I then opened-up the holes a bit in order to remove the deep hole marks, as if there were still a pencil mark but there wasn't. It just appeared that way.

I'm glad I did, it made the SEED HOLES look like REAL SEEDS

O.K. gang hope the posted pics come out O.K.

Let me know what you all think

Take Care
GOD BLESS

This post has been edited by Janel: 14 June 2009 - 02:20 AM
Reason for edit: Cropped out background

[Janel]

Hi Schooner,

It worked! What did you use for the wood and for the stopper? What sort of paints did you use?

Janel

[schooner]

Janel, on Jun 13 2009, 07:05 PM, said:

Hi Schooner,

It worked! What did you use for the wood and for the stopper? What sort of paints did you use?

Janel

Hi Janel

The Wood is: BASSWOOD that's what all the guys in my (Over the hill Carver guys use) And boy can they carve

The Strawberry is made of: BASSWOOD

1. I drill an 3/8" hole in the bottom center of a block of Basswood 2 1/2in. x 4in.

2. The of course I carved the strawberry.

3. When the carving was all done and before I used any acrylic paint on the project I coated the entire strawberry
with a mix half & half or: Linseed Oil & Turpentine using a brush. And let it dry over night. The reason for this
procedure is to NOT let the paint BLEED when applying it to the strawberry i.e. ( The Green leafly paint bleeding
into the Red of the Strawberry. I was told to do this by the Master Carvers with over 10yrs. carving.

4. Once a Green & then a Red acrylic wash was applied to the strawberry and gone over a few times with the paint t
to get the right color greens and red. I waited over night for the strawberry to dry.

5. Finally, Whew!!!
I ramedly drilled tiny holes throughout the strawberry indicating the appearence of seeds.

DONE

I do hope that this little instruction novel will help others

Take Care Gang

GOD BLESS U ALL

Schooner