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Post by kk on Nov 11, 2013 4:24:54 GMT -5
Hi there, Its been a while since I had something to show. I think I had enough from Fire Agate after this one for awhile.  This one started with peeling onions a while back.  Did not get far with the colors as every-time I thought I could settle on something, something larger peeled away giving me a completely new picture. So I decided to keep what I've got and do some carving instead. Here are some stages   A few angles of the salamander  Have not seen sun in a while, so this will have to do as the best picture from the last couple of days  A size comparison with my son who is pretty much as big as me.  But lets save the best for last: The pictures above are all taken the way any viewer would see them. When I look down on the pendant while wearing it, I get much stronger color and metallic effect.  And best of all: Not the fire I'm afraid. But something just as mesmerizing. The chalcedony or is it sard, that is nearly void of the brown color. Its that layer that is vexing me since months now on this material, because it alters the colors underneath according to thickness, and its translucent property does not allow perception of depth. But,......... when light hits the piece from above, it seems to literally illuminate the whole of the salamander from within and makes it stand out.  Till here for now, with best regards and wishes for the week ahead; Kurt |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,603
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Post by jamesp on Nov 11, 2013 9:37:09 GMT -5
Handsome fellow, takes after Mom for sure.
Typical Kurt masterpiece.
Most botyroidal formations are in layers and somewhat brittle.
Only pros should make the colors show in those random 'cabs'
Only masters should attempt to carve.
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rolanstones
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2013
Posts: 95
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Post by rolanstones on Nov 11, 2013 9:44:00 GMT -5
I really like this. You have an amazing ability to see the form in your minds eye, and take away anything else that does not fit leaving the best features of the stone and your vision.
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Post by kk on Nov 11, 2013 9:50:15 GMT -5
Handsome fellow, takes after Mom for sure. Most botyroidal formations are in layers and somewhat brittle. Only pros should make the colors show in those random 'cabs' Only masters should attempt to carve.  You are quite right. Kenneth is the one who looks more Asian than Caucasian. His older sister comes after me. Those two where and are, often mistaken as friends, rather than siblings. James; thanks for the flowers. But,..... I'm neither a pro nor a master. Just someone who likes a challenge (despite of all the whining  ) has as much fun working stones, as you have in finding and smashing them up.  |
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Post by kk on Nov 11, 2013 10:03:46 GMT -5
I really like this. You have an amazing ability to see the form in your minds eye, and take away anything else that does not fit leaving the best features of the stone and your vision. Thank you Scott. Judging from your avatar, you are pretty good in that too. As I don't draw, I got some basics in mind and just get started. I found over the past 3 years, that things usually work out reasonably and often special effects fall in place without targeting them really.  FA can be a pain, but when it works out, it does so in a wonderful way. While the colors that I got in the JEBEREDHIAH FA's (Christopher's name for his claim) are not as strongly visible as in some other material, they do have a wonderfully soft flair to it that have their own attractions. I started 6 or seven pieces since the Southern Magi in August, and only this piece worked out for carving. So you can see that even for us, it takes a lot of luck for things to fall into place. |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,603
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Post by jamesp on Nov 11, 2013 10:05:09 GMT -5
I like that smashing comment. But i tell you, breaking that stuff is my biggest challenge. To get nice tumbling shapes that don't have pits/fractures etc. I have been trying to make spalls. They are say large chips w/no fractures. For spear and arrow head guys. Those are really challenging.
Your the man Kurt. Your carvings are transcending.
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Post by pghram on Nov 11, 2013 11:03:50 GMT -5
Nice carving. Great model.
Rich
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2013 11:15:58 GMT -5
You have done it again and the modesty only makes you better. I think you can put that up against a lot of other great artists and hold your head high.
Jim
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Post by kk on Nov 11, 2013 17:29:54 GMT -5
A hundred and one thing that should be improved on. But as we all know, its not going to happen. Even if it does; there will be other things that should be done to improve further. It never ends. I simply don't have the feel yet for looking at something and thinking that enough is enough.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,603
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Post by jamesp on Nov 11, 2013 19:24:02 GMT -5
A hundred and one thing that should be improved on. But as we all know, its not going to happen. Even if it does; there will be other things that should be done to improve further. It never ends. I simply don't have the feel yet for looking at something and thinking that enough is enough. That is a serious thought process. That is why i relegate to smashing rocks. |
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Post by kk on Nov 12, 2013 17:07:06 GMT -5
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Post by wireholic on Nov 12, 2013 17:30:06 GMT -5
That is so cool!
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Post by kk on Nov 14, 2013 8:58:14 GMT -5
Thank you Karen.
Love to wear it as its light enough for me despite of its 90ct's, and snugs the body contour better than most cabs I had in the past.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Nov 14, 2013 10:08:13 GMT -5
Kurt, your carvings are always so beautiful! Salamanders, lizards, dragons, fairies - I see a theme here.
It is always the problem of the artist to know when something is finished or not.
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Post by Rockoonz on Nov 16, 2013 15:49:51 GMT -5
Beautiful carving Kurt, and many thanks for walking us through the creation process.
Lee
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Post by kk on Nov 17, 2013 17:30:01 GMT -5
Kurt, your carvings are always so beautiful! Salamanders, lizards, dragons, fairies - I see a theme here. Actually there are two recurring themes: I grew up with stories about myth and sagas of old, so we had to create our own images of them (not like the kids today, who get them served "fast-food style" in video-games), and despite of advancing age, still like to loose myself in that world. Carving allows me to do that regularly, and create (in my mind) whole worlds around the subject on hand. That alone by itself, makes the hobby worthwhile. What can I say; Age forces you to act according to expectations, but your mind allows you to be anything/anywhere you want to be, and I hope never to grow out of it, as this provides an escape from just about any worry that life throws your way. At the same time, its that process that often gives me new impulses to carve something that I did not think of before. In the end, I'm working my way up to something that I wanted to do since the beginning and hope to finally tackle with the Montana I showed about a month back: A fully fledged Dragon with a maiden.  As you might have recognized too: my themes are never straight on, I do intend to try to bring angles and some sorts of movement into any scene. Beautiful carving Kurt, and many thanks for walking us through the creation process. Lee Thanks Lee. Doing those presentations are a good way to preserve the process for later reference, and if it could inspire someone else from time to time to follow suit, to give it a try themselves, would make it worthwhile beyond intend, and even better. |
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,603
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Post by jamesp on Dec 5, 2013 7:13:19 GMT -5
We used to make elaborate pencil drawings of mazes and monsters using alien bombing machines with lots of explosions and ugly face aliens, kk.
Creativity and imagination can pay back well in contentment and monetarily.
Would use 11 x 17 paper and fill the whole thing. Maybe more pencil than paper showing. Wish i had saved them.
Great for the imagination. Like there was a whole world to live in your own imagination. Seems to turn delusional w/age. Haha
I am not sure about today's youth.
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Post by kk on Dec 5, 2013 9:21:24 GMT -5
I think, they still have it, but adults tell them far to early to stop all that nonsense. They comply and eventually retreat into the things that are available to them, video-games and things served up through the media, because those things are much healthier. The generation before mine was told to get out of the house and not to show their faces till dinner-time, my generation got the headstart on the TV-babysitter and today the babysitter is a computer of sorts and an endless race for the "in"/"newest" gadget. Just look whats promoted right now as Christmas-gifts. ;( |
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adrian65
Cave Dweller
Arch to golden memories and to great friends.
Member since February 2007
Posts: 10,790
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Post by adrian65 on Dec 5, 2013 10:12:09 GMT -5
I thought you're going to use the natural pattern (bubble) of the stone for the coiled tail. But it's beautiful like that also, that pattern which remained apart resembles with a salamander's coiled tail and seems to say it's another one around, not far.
Adrian
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nvkermit1512
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since April 2014
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Post by nvkermit1512 on May 1, 2014 22:06:55 GMT -5
That is a very nice piece, great eye in spotting it hidden in the rock
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You are quite right. Kenneth is the one who looks more Asian than Caucasian. His older sister comes after me. Those two where and are, often mistaken as friends, rather than siblings.
) has as much fun working stones, as you have in finding and smashing them up. 
