The Scrimshaw Process...

[HuntinTom]

People always ask me how the scrimshaw thing works -- Here's the process on a recent piece:

First - I begin with a polished piece of material that will be the medium for the piece - In this case it's a piece of polished ivory about 2.5"x1.5" Other tools-of-the-trade are a #2 pencil, a magnifying glass, a good light, and an exacto knife with a #10/15 needle...

[HuntinTom]

Then I draw the outline of the subject on the ivory (In this piece it's a tiger that will be done in only black ink...) I then etch VERY lightly over the outline with the needle...

[HuntinTom]

Then I ink over that with black India Ink and wait for it to dry throughly...

[HuntinTom]

Then I find something good to spend my time on while I wait on the ink to dry... ;) :)

[HuntinTom]

I wipe the ink off to reveal the beginning of the tiger -- I like to start on the more detailed parts like the eyes while I'm the most fresh... (If I were using multiple colors, I would start with the darkest colors and work my way to the lightest)

[HuntinTom]

I keep repeating this process as the piece develops...

[Branchminnow]

:pop: :pop: :pop: :pop:

[HuntinTom]

Here, the piece is about 80% complete (I just have a few more steps toward the open space on the left side of the ivory till it's completed)... I have about 8 hours in the piece right now, and will probably end up with around 10 hours in just the etching... (There are probably 5,500 - 6,000 individual dots on this piece to make the indentions for the ink...) All total hours when I factor in cutting and polishing the ivory and the eventual mounting on a hardwood base will be around 12 - 14 hours -- But, hey, I think that's about the average time someone spends watching television each week, and I get much more relaxation from this than I would doing something else... :)

[Nicodemus]

That`s interestin` Tom, and mighty purty work too. I`d be perfectly willin` to trade my skills for yours anytime! :D

[LJay]

Well Tom, that leaves me out. I can't draw a circle, must less a tiger or duck. :huh: :huh:

[Auchumpkee Creek Assassin]

good job!!!!!! :banana: Nice work!!!!!!!!! :fine:

[CAL]

Many thanks Bro.Tom for the explanation of the process.I find it really interesting and wish I could do half as well as you.Thanks for posting!

[Handgunner]

Looks good, Tom! Eye'd be cross-I'd, if Eye done 'dat...... :rofl:

Nice work!

[dutchman]

I can barely draw water.

I'm glad we got arteests in the world like HT and Nic who can produce such nice stuff.

[Nugefan]

I can barely draw water.


Good one Dutch ........

Tom that is cool ....very cool .......

[HuntinTom]

And now, my favorite part - Inking the eye and it'll be finished! :clap:

[HuntinTom]

And the finished product as far as the actual scrimshawing goes -- I still have some polishing to do on the back side of the ivory, and I'll mount it on a nice hardwood base to finish it off... All total, I ended up with about 12 hours in the etching and inking process - But, again, I could have spent that time watching television or something else that would not have given me anywhere near as much relaxation and satisfaction :)

[QuakerBoy]

very interesting stuff Tom :)

beautiful work

[HuntinTom]

One more showing the progress on one picture...

[Nicodemus]

I enjoyed that Tom. Remarkable.

[arrow4u]

hey Tom what does something like that sell for

[HuntinTom]

Well - Like an addict, he picks up another and starts all over... This piece is on a cross-section cut of an ivory tusk...

[HuntinTom]

And the finished piece (The yellow ink in the eye is still wet :)

[HuntinTom]

The two pieces side-by-side...

[LJay]

Tom, do you freehand the pictures or are they a pattern of some sort?

[HuntinTom]

I find either a photo, or maybe a painting I like and use it as a guide for whatever the piece will be... Once I do a piece, and do another of the same thing, I usually use the last piece as something to look at while I etch... Sometimes I'll size the picture to my base material (ivory in this case), and I'll cut it out and sort of trace around the outline with a pencil just to give me some reference as I fill in the middles... I've always drawn since I was a kid - Pencil, ink, chalk -- Anything I could find and would draw what I was looking at on a piece of paper or drawing pad of some sort... So - I basically just scale what I'm seeing to the piece I'm working on and draw what I see...

[Handgunner]

Lookin' good, Tommy!

[HuntinTom]

Another moved to the new Crafts/Homebrew forum...

[Branchminnow]

Looks good Tom, man we are getting some kind of diversified around here arent we?

[broadhead]

Thanks for sharing you fine work!

[GeauxLSU]

Very kewl Tom and I must admit, I'm very impressed by your subject matter! :cool:
So is this guy.... ;) http://bergoiata.org/fe/animaux02/Bengal%20Tiger,%20Bangladesh,%20Nepal,%20India.jpg