Thursday 26 March 2009

Jock Tamson


Here's a fun caricature I've finished. I've called him Jock Tamson. This is the equivalent of Joe Blogs.

Used a fair bit of burning on him. He's 4 2 of limewood and water based paints were used.






This is a clock plate I chip carved. I've had to order another clock, I broke the other one. Yes I can break a clock inserting the battery. Not many can claim they've done that.

Tuesday 24 March 2009

It starts at the feet.


Made a start at Albrecht, his feet. These are from limewood and oversize as is the as are the big toes.

As an experiment I'm carving the head from apple wood
I've had to use power to carve this wood.

Sunday 22 March 2009

A beginning

Got a start to Albresht. I've a piece of fruit wood. appleAbout 4 " square. This Ibelieve will hold the hair cuts better than lime. Unfortunately its a haed carve. The grain is strong , it's an experiment for me, if it does n't work I've a bit of lime that I can use. As I'm prefabricating this carving I've carved a foot.

Apart from that, spent 2 hours with Roberta trying to get her to complete the feed in for a speech recognition programme. As she can n't read this I saw as an aid. Unfortunately her inablity to read also meant I'd to read and repeat to her. Her inability to do this accurately made it a frustating task for both of us.
We'll leave it for a day or twoamd have a break .

WEather strong to gale force winds.

Friday 20 March 2009

Nibelung


Planning my next caricature, based on this drawing. Apart from my enjoyment of Wagner's music a friend made me two knives. The leader of the Nibelungen, Albrecht is seen here doing his blacksmith bit.
The first problem I see is the amount of hair, the second the skinny arms.

Thursday 19 March 2009

I've cracked it.


How about this . After almost 70 years of backing non runners I've hit upon an idea that works. The answer to several problems a chemenaue. A simple clay fire with a chimney. Waste wood, and I mean waste was beginning to create a problem. My friend Roberta likes sitting outside when she can. The problem of course is its too bloody cold for her, given our climate thats most of the time.
So the fire is a heater as well.
The caricature; I 'm the off spring of generations of Seaforths Highlanders. The British used us and other Highlanders to complete their version of Fatwas. I caused a major family fight when I preferred going to sea. Glad I did the tradition is ended as are the Seaforths. No need for the Ladies from Hell it seems. Well thats for now, but the historonic ties and traditions are gone, thanks to English Whitehall.

Wednesday 18 March 2009

Jimee's leads


Decided that the frustration level caused by tangles dog leads needed a solution. Nothing complicated but it seems to do the job.


The block of lime than was going nowhere became more carvable. Great what a lay off can bring. Just the tiding up to do on the resulting head. This is the second of two decent days weather wise.
Had a tallying up in the wood, we agreed there is enough fallen limbs to keep the clay fire going a long time, Jimee dutifully took one home with him.

Tuesday 17 March 2009

stuck in it


Got a nice piece of limewood and got started to carve it. I do n't know where or how but it 's not working out. It may be that this is a larger carving than I normally do. However, not to worry, its gooing on the shelf till I can decided what to do witrh it.

One possibility maybe at hand. We bought a clay fire for the garden. Because there are no open fires in the neighbour hood the small wood is littered with fallen branches. A handy source. Unfortunately this stove does not burn charcoal.
A friend, Knut was recently made a grandfather, this is a birthday plate i made for the occasion.

Sunday 15 March 2009

Gamble


Never been fond of gambling, money that is. After the results of yesterdays football followed by the boxing I'm glad.
Manchester United beaten by Liverpool, would have lost me a heap. Then I went through the Man boxing card and picked the loser in five fights. So Am I glad or am I glad?

This is an idea I put together for a tea pot. A friend wanted something for her sister' Xmas, the sister collects tea pots. Strangely I liked the end result. They must have liked it as they want another for her birthday.

Saturday 14 March 2009

Jester.


After Happy Harry I thought I'd try the same approach on the next carving, a jester. The position of the arms I found difficult to marry to the torso. I used some filler and tried that.
He is 6 inches tall with a acrylic paint job.

Tuesday 10 March 2009


Two blogs in one day, is this addictive? However this is an ancestor of mine Mad Mac. He was regarded as the village fool this was confirmed when he asked the local smith to make him a sword he could n't lift. When the battle summons came, in the form of a fiery cross all the village men set off for Culloden. The handicap of the sword made Mad Mac a day late for the fight.. He drooped his sword among the dead and run home. He ran into the arms of newly widowed Jean, dead Hamish's wife .
Its said that the main spt of our clan has produced Scottish politicians from his union with Jean.
True? Would I lie?

Crieffe


The cottage dates to directly after the Napoleonic Wars, not too bad but the small rooms with two house dogs created, conjestion. We'e returned from a week in a cottage in Crieffe (near Gleneagles)
Our pal Roberta gave us a visit, she really came for a feed and to see the dogs. Learned a bit about life from this lady. The weather was not what we'de hopd for, but then in Scotland thats par for the course.
Got stuck into a another cryptic crossword boook and feel the penny is beginning to fall. Did the rough work in a lead hager for the dogs and a door number plate.