I've been messing around carving a striper or 2 in the last few years. This is the first one I put scales on and need some opinions. Do the scales make it look too "busy" ? Or should I stick to just smooth sides with the lines? The scales were a PIA and took 3 hrs alone.

Thanks for any opinions. Be honest as I can take it.

That's still amazing but I like the other one I had see before a little better. Like I said, still freiken nice.

Here's a better shot

Nice work Dave! Don't change a thing! Anything that beautiful is going to take time...well worth it!:)

that looks awesome:claps:

Nice work! Wish I had that talent!

Dave,

The scales dont make the piece look busy at all. The piece looks perfect! You may be thinking it is busy because you've spent so much time up close and tight to the piece. Just set it down about 5 to 7 feet away and you wont be so focused on the scales and you'll see it doesnt look very busy at all. (end RISD nerd comments)


Looks PERFECT DUDE!!!

Pretty impressive, looks like a lot of time and effort and fun! I'm in the antique business and you might investigate a guy by the name of Leander Plummer who worked out of New Bedford around the turn of the century and began as a furniture carver but eventually learned that his passion was "carvings after nature" specifically local fish, he studied the local species and tidal pools and produced some amazing carvings, the glazes that he developed to reproduce the finishes that made them come to life. There are books on his work, I sold one of his carvings years ago that included a blackfish and lobster...he was the best and his much sought after work still shows up occasionally at auction. Scott

Killer work,Dave.I like the scales.

I just mentioned him because you you might find some techniques or inspiration that you can incorporate into your own work, which is pretty cool...keep up the good work!...Scott

Make a mold with plaster then make some out of ceramic, my mom can paint or glaze them with the green you need to add and fire it.:wavey:

that looks impressive Mac, maybe you can get the same effect by painting the scales on or are you just simply trying to keep with natural wood tones and stain it?

I like them both, the scales adds more to look at

very nice work Mac

I think they look great!

MAC - Make one side scaled and the other scaleless. Ship it to me and I'll let you know what I think after looking at the problem long term...

very nice. i'd lose the scales (or make them stand out less somehow), they take away from the stripes IMO

Both are very nice Dave.
You have the Midas touch when it comes to working with wood.

MAC - Make one side scaled and the other scaleless. Ship it to me and I'll let you know what I think after looking at the problem long term...


LOL, Actually I'll have one for ya at TFTCN....... Not sure if it will be scales or smooth though. My wife already claimed the smooth one I did a few weeks ago. :spin:

To me, the scales look too busy.

That's a nice piece of work! I like the scales but I wonder how it would look with just stripes.

Thanks for sharing.

a bit busy....takes away from the stripes..
still is great though Dave...

too busy. you want the stripes to speak out- If you were to use a technique that gave you a more subtle scale pattern, but do a heavier scale line for the stripes, you will have a stronger surface design... its not a scaled bass- its a striped bass :hee:

Post a pic of the one your wife claimed w/out the scales, Dave. :)

I like the ones without the scales and just the dashed lines/dots like you did last time.

Regardless - they are nicely done. I lack the patience to do something like that. Easier for me to pay some one to do it - hang it on the wall and enjoy it. :)

Down side is if I could do it well, my wife would volunteer me to make ones for other people .... LOL. :P

Leed's Farm which is about 1 mile west of me on Rt 9 east bound side - the daughter there does wood burning. She makes it look too easy. She just freehands everything w/out laying out it. Now and then they have an open house and she sits out there for a bit and entertains the kids that stop in while the parents poke around. They use to sell native honey that was awesome - unfortunately the bee populations locally have been hurt so they barely had enough for themselves so they didn't sell any this fall. :(

Dave ... Thats a nice piece of work .. If your talking Striper and I'm being 100% honest I like the other better .. Being the proud owner of a learning curve piece .. I wouldn't trade you for that one .. I think the scales are out of scale also .. If the scales were smaller and you could just pec a few in like Ryans blue fish plug maybe that would work .. If your hell bent on scales..

how much for the plug hanging out of its yap ...?

That's a beautiful job, do post the other one with the scales (I haven't seen it).

I added a picture of the other one my wife claimed. She had me burn her name into it so I wouldn't trade it.

Yes! The one with just the stripes is beautiful. Nice work.

There both amazing but the one with out scales looks better to me.

Nice job Mac.

I like both but what if you made the scales easier, lighter not so heavy handed - ghost like...

Idea - Make the scales on a practice wood then sand'm good see what they look like:wiggle:

NO SCALES for sure. Ya wife knows best! :D

Looks very good. IMO a little lighter on the scales so they don't standout quite so much but I like them on the fish.

stripes, no scales.

I like the no scales better.

Maybe less pronounced scales would work? I think the scales on the one pictured here break up the lines too much so it does not look like a striper.

Nice work on both though!

edited to read "does not".

LOL, Actually I'll have one for ya at TFTCN....... Not sure if it will be scales or smooth though. My wife already claimed the smooth one I did a few weeks ago. :spin:


First off - your bride has a good eye

Sencondly, I'm honored - thank you!

MAC,

Looks great! If you need a mantle to display it on let me know. It would look awesome on mine.:claps::btu:

scales or not,
Very cool Mac :kewl:

Both are buetiful works of art Dave.As to your question i prefer the one without the scales.

Mac, I prefer the bass without scales, I also prefer the stripes from the bass with scales more than the unscaled basses stripes, a little more realistic, because we all know the stripes are actually a row of dots. hope this wasn't too confusing. Beautiful work.

Nice work! IMO I would add the scales but lighten them so that the stripes stand out more.

Less scales - Beautiful work as usual Dave, but the scales seem to stand out too much.

both are beautiful works, definitely a great talent, nice job on both :cheers:
when do you start to sell them????

mac good work!

but i think i like the one with out stripes better. IMO

mac good work!

but i think i like the one with out stripes better. IMO

i think u meant without the scales steve :laugha: and i think i agree too. either lighten down the scales like chris had mentioned or just stick with the stripes. either way, ure work is always awesome to look at. u sure have a talent.

WOW!!:claps::claps:

That is some fine craftsmanship, Dave. Well done!! You have a true gift and talent, there..............................

As most have said, I feel that the secondary scales take away from the stripes, however the scales make for a better overall work. The scales doan seem busy to me as they make for a fine transition from the stripes to the body of your striper, and more texture is always a good thing when working with wood as it adds definition and tonal depth to your piece. Is there a way to make the "secondary" scales a little less pronounced than the "stripes" scales?

IMHO, keep the scales as they add depth, tone, and realistic detail to yer striper. Also, verrrry nice work on the dorsal, the head, the tail, and the rest of the fins. When can we start buying them, bro :bl:? I like the added bonus of the lure, as well.

She's very life-like, MAC, and looks like she just swam out of one of my honey holes, up Cape Ann way :btu::btu:.

sweet mac!!!

like the one w/o scales better

Nice job Dave!! :kewl:

Honest opinion, I'd sand down the scales to lighten-em up and then re-introduce the stripes lightly as not to overpower the other details. If they came in heavy, I'd sand those down as well. SAnding does wonders as I'm sure you know. BUT...GREAT job none-the-less.

Are you still doing Rock therapy?? :boots:

too busy. you want the stripes to speak out- If you were to use a technique that gave you a more subtle scale pattern, but do a heavier scale line for the stripes, you will have a stronger surface design... its not a scaled bass- its a striped bass :hee:

I agree with Nebe. There are too many scales and they are too dark. Scales should fade away from head to tail, and from back to belly. Also it would look better if you could blend in the hard lines such at fins and gill plate. There should be less contrast at the head also. I hope I don,t sound too critical but I,m just offering constuctive criticism. You might want to try another carving technique to highlight the scales and gill plate, rather than painting them in. Good luck and keep posting them. I'm sure we all like seeing a budding artist. :claps: :D

I say both look good but given a chance to compare the two... I would say no scales....sometimes less is better!

Dave they are both great wooks.
I must say I'm drawn to the carving without scales. It may be the dark contrast with the scales and fins and the lateral lines are to faint on the scaled one. Also the mouth looks nicer on the one with out the scales, maybe cause it's not open as much and the fishs shape that way. The wife has a good eye !

That is very good work.You obviously take a lot of pride in your carving.You should master your craft. Take some scrap wood and
practice carving scales so that they overlap and cast shadows exactly the way you want.Experiment and master it and make it your signature.I had to do a pen & ink drawing of a viking ship one time and I took 4 or 5 days to learn how to draw waves. Totally worth it.Do your best,why show the world anything less?
Good Luck!

Like the stripes better Dave but that one is nice to. Maybe lighter on scales and a mixed version. All Nice :kewl:.

I like the scales but would do it with a finer woodburning edge.
Thinner lines on the scales is what I'm trying to say.

Whats the scale of these fish?

Seriously, no pun intended


Personally, I like the scales better than the dotted line. I think they would be killer if there was some way to lay out the scaled design with more pattern. or to get a curved wood burning tip ... Nice work

I agree with striperknight about having a finer edged tool also...

I like them both , lighter on the scales would be nice to see the stripes better . but your the artist your choice . My buddy made a beutiful rainbow trout on the perfect shaded piece of black walnut with a burner . just awesome ability

great job dave,i liked the no scales a little better but both are great works.keep it up.

Both are nice but I like the one w/o the scales better.

both great, but i like the one w/out scales a little better

awesome mac. i like the one without scales better. no scales. let me know when they are up for sale. :btu: i'd buy 3 or 4 of them. great gift idea as well.

Both are art forms:btu: Personaly... no scales

As you probably assumed (why else for the post ;)) the scale pattern is a bit heavy and busy IMHO.

I'd shoot for something inbetween. Instead of individual scales perhaps use some "scale like" marks to add character or motion. Take a look at fish pictures to see what features you may want to incorporate as accents so they add interest but don't dominate.

Still great stuff though :humpty:

-spence

I'm going to have to vote against the scales. Sorry Mac.....Stewie

I'm In..


:hihi:

sweetness, but in my opinion, it looks better w/o scales.


still they are both awesome, great work

Looks more lifelike with the scales. The other is freiken good also but the scales give it more 3D look. Great job on both Mac!