That is an excellent photograph depicting the fine details. The sculpting and background inlay work are amazing. Can't wait to see the finished project.
Thanks for the pics Phil. Do you sculpt the scrollwork with gravers then stones or do you use a punch to displace the metal, then stone it? It's already looking spectacular. I would really like to see the progression on those pooches because it bewilders me as to how you turn something with as little definition as the dogs at this stage, into the world leading artwork that it ends up as.
As always.... kindest regards.
Phil, If I may ask a couple of questions please. When you are laying in the multi colors in a leaf is there a trimming cut made to insure a straight line between the colors? When you seat the next color how in the world do you keep from over setting and ruining that line? Thanks Fred
I don't use punches to form the carving, I use scrapers stones and burnishers. These days with power tools it's a lot easier to carve, it still takes time to cut the shapes and remove the background but a lot quicker and a lot less stressful than with H&C.
Sometimes when butting together two different colours I use a dividing line, undercut either side but sometimes I just butt the two together. There's a couple of ways to inlay, one colour first, if you overshoot the joining line, just trim it back before the next colour goes in. The other way is to lay the two colours side by side and punch the two in together carefully, the line should stay intact.
At the moment the gun is about halfway through, all the scroll is 90% finished, the game scenes background need doing, then gold dogs added, it then goes for hardening. When that's done, the carved goldwork will be finished which includes the two dogs in the picture.