Making my own patterns was quite a challenge for me, but these are looking pretty good. If you would like to make your own patterns from photos go to the pattern making section of this web.
Here is my final finished bee eater with dragonfly. Made some changes for the ones for the class I am teaching at War Eagle. Smaller bill, less rounded bird, but for the most part this is it. Hope you like it, I am fairly pleased with it. If you use the transparancy technique do not spray the transparency material. It foggs up from a reaction from the solvent in the spray.
Making my own patterns was quite a challenge for me, but these are looking pretty good. If you would like to make your own patterns from photos go to the pattern making section of this web. For feet I use the purchased metal ones from Woodcraft Shop. The legs almost always break so I have been working on making better ones. For the Bee Eaters I am using #12 house cooper wire. Cut the pieces as shown and bend like the metal furnished ones. Solder the two pieces together and then use a little of Kulis to get the joints right. I am pleased with the outcome. The metal toes/feet have a hole through them and the wire fits through the hole into the mountimg base. Now I have a better looking leg and toe arrangement as well as a strong assembly that will hold up a heavy bird.. Here is my attempt to make a dragonfly using copper wire and Kulis Karvet, with the wings I made onto transparancy film. I took light weight copper ground wire. Using dyke cutters I gentely cut groves in the wire. Sanded it to break the lines, formed the Kulis to the shape using a dowel with a cup rounded concave into the end of the dowel to shape the large eyes. Painted with acrylic paint. The bee is from tuploe, not very pleased with the outcome. Better luck next time. My plan is to use the fine wire and insert it under the Bee Eaters toungue with the dragonfly just about in its mouth. . With a dozen carvers, the Grove Carve In was a success. Hot but not too bad. If you missed the boat you Will have another chance in October, at Foxfire in Rogers, final date to be decided. Lynn cordinated the carve in at Harbor village. Tables and a fan under a overhange helped beat the heat. We had a good time joking with visitors and each other. These are good times for us old timers. Harbor village has a vast collection of oldies including some carvers. You can see a lot of the ' Rember When" moments there. Next time it is held in Grove you need to make a trip over. Best Carrot Cake ever on the Back Porch dinner. . Here is a great place to go and day dream about a special project. Black Smithing, build a Boston Rocker and many more. Such as a once in a lifetime project. https://www.folkschool.org/ Such an unusual school that saves so many of the old arts of about everything. John C. Campbell Folk School provides experiences in non-competitive learning and community life that are joyful and enlivening. Located in scenic Brasstown, North Carolina, the Folk School offers year-round weeklong and weekend classes for adults in craft, art, music, dance, cooking, gardening, nature studies, photography and writing. Be sure and check out the history and also the Brasstown Carvers. You can get a catalog and enjoy a few hours of possibilities. Check out their on line catalog. Almost there, is that the reply we use when we travel with grandkids as a responce to the question, " are we there yet?" I still have quite a bit ow work here. Some paint touch up, highlighting of feather tips and the final detailing. Also feet/legs and branches. Hope to do apple blooms and leaves on a couple of branches. The flying one is after a bee and two of the pearched ones have a dragonfly to look forward too. More pictures on the tips page. |
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