| Project by LittlePaw | posted 202 days ago | 1003 views | 2 times favorited | 27 comments |  |
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I started carving a block of Basswood measuring 8” X 14 ½” and 2 ¾” thick. The softness of Basswood made it easier to carve than Sycamore (Twists n Turns o Life)– maybe even a bit too soft for comfort. I started it with a frame supporting the tips of the lily, bulb and leaf until almost all the carving was done; then removed it. They now bounce a little – extremely fragile. So I made an acrylic box to protect it.
I reduced the thickness of the flower and the leaf to under 1/8”, somewhere between 1/16 and 3/32 with areas that are opaque against a light. That was a challenge and it was slow going as well as having to support the working area with counter pressure from the opposite side; at times, I felt faint for having to hold my breath doing that!
And for added realism and a little humor, I carved a Lady Bug that ate a hole (I really hated doing that) on the Lily. I did not color this composition because I did not want it to look like just another resin cast made in China. This puppy is made – correction – hand carved in America out of one piece of wood. The bug is the only thing added. I used mostly traditional hand tools on this project. I did use a drill press and a power chisel to remove large areas, but no laser, CNC or router was used. On the advice (thank you, guys) of some of my fellow LJs, I put 5 coats of (rattle-can) lacquer on the composition.
I am elated to tell you that last weekend, I entered this project into the judging contest at the 46th Annual Artistry in Wood Show in Oklahoma City, OK and won a Blue Ribbon!
Thank you for watching.
-- Paul - The sweetest sound in my shop, next to Mozart, is what a hand plane makes slicing a ribbon.
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27 comments so far
a1Jim
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87110 posts in 1745 days
#1 posted 202 days ago
Wow what a delicate work of art .Amazing work and beautiful piece.
-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/
Joe Lyddon
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6390 posts in 2220 days
#2 posted 202 days ago
Beautiful sculpture / carving!
Sure is nice!
Thank you.
-- Have Fun! Joe Lyddon - Alta Loma, CA USA - Home: http://www.WoodworkStuff.net ... My Small Gallery: http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showgallery.php?ppuser=1389&cat=500"
peteg
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2268 posts in 991 days
#3 posted 202 days ago
A well deserved Blue ribbon for this beautiful piece Paul, I could find a space for this no sweat
Pete
-- Pete G: If you always do what you always did you'll always get what you always got
Lee A. Jesberger
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6494 posts in 2147 days
#4 posted 202 days ago
Great job.
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
Sheila Landry (scrollgirl)
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5930 posts in 1088 days
#5 posted 202 days ago
That is really beautiful! No wonder it won! Awesome job!
Sheila
-- Contributing Editor, Creative Woodworks and Crafts, Sheila Landry Designs http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com "Knowledge is Power"
Monte Pittman
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7060 posts in 506 days
#6 posted 202 days ago
That is blue ribbon awesome for sure. Not sure I could ever do that kind of work.
-- Mother Nature created it, I just assemble it. - It's not ability that we often lack, but the patience to use our ability
michelletwo
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1767 posts in 1184 days
#7 posted 202 days ago
congrats on the blue! amazing it was made from one piece.
-- We call the destruction of replaceable human made items vandalism, while the destruction of irreplaceable natural resources is called development.
CharlieM1958
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14855 posts in 2386 days
#8 posted 202 days ago
That’s incredible!
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
Roger
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9191 posts in 972 days
#9 posted 202 days ago
Absolutely Beautiful! So delicate, but, powerful, WOW!
-- Roger from KY. Work/Play/Travel Safe. Kentuk55@bellsouth.net
HillbillyShooter
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1355 posts in 460 days
#10 posted 202 days ago
Exquisite! (everyone else has already used the phrases I normally use, so +1, and I’ll raise everyone an adjective or adverb, as the case may be). Great job.
-- John C. -- "Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are the peoples' liberty's teeth." George Washington
woodworm
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14104 posts in 1759 days
#11 posted 202 days ago
Superb sculpting work – really very very beautiful sculpture.
-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.
Surfside
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2277 posts in 341 days
#12 posted 202 days ago
That’s totally amazing. I wanna shake your hand right now and say Congratulations.
You are truly talented and you deserved the blue ribbon .
-- "someone has to be wounded for others to be saved, someone has to sacrifice for others to feel happiness, someone has to die so others could live"
Nate Meadows
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881 posts in 375 days
#13 posted 202 days ago
Wow, you are extraordinarily talented! Beautiful work indeed! I am humbled and inspired by your persistence, patience and skill!
Nate
-- "With a little bit of faith, and some imagination, you can build anything!" Nate
Daniel Wise
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107 posts in 1128 days
#14 posted 202 days ago
Beautiful work and congratulations on the blue ribbon. Great work on the inner portion of the lily. That would have been a nerve squasher for sure.
luv2learn
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763 posts in 471 days
#15 posted 201 days ago
This sculpture is certainly blue ribbon work. Congratulations!!
-- Lee~"If the women don't find you handsome, at least they ought to find you handy"~ Red Green
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