Wapsi Square Forum

My dad's life was woodturning and woodworking and generally being a creative pain in the tushie.

Would one of you artsy types doodle up something simple for me? Looking for a cup or bowl where the only lines are the lines of wood grain. Simple wood grain. I'd like to get a tattoo to... memorialize him. Something that means so much to the both of us, but isn't blatantly obvious to everyone and their brothers.

Hmmm... could always scan in the side of my wooden mug and apply a couple of filters and see what comes of it. If it's worth bothering with, I'll post it.

Thanks :3

I turned a bowl last year from a piece of ornamental cherry tree wood I salvaged from a neighbor's yard... I'll post a few snapshots for you to look at. I turned it from greenwood, and as expected it flexed a lot when it dried... in its final form it's shaped like a traditional Egyptian papyrus boat

Taking a stab at it -- will post when done.

Dave wrote:I turned a bowl last year from a piece of ornamental cherry tree wood I salvaged from a neighbor's yard... I'll post a few snapshots for you to look at. I turned it from greenwood, and as expected it flexed a lot when it dried... in its final form it's shaped like a traditional Egyptian papyrus boat

Oh, that sounds beautiful.

I'll find a few pics of the pieces my dad made and post them up later as well.

chibichibi01 wrote:Oh, that sounds beautiful.

I'll find a few pics of the pieces my dad made and post them up later as well.

Please do! Wood is such a wonderful element to be working in... there's all sorts of beauty tucked away inside, and if you're very fortunate the wood will "talk to you" and let you unlock it.

I'm only just starting in getting back into woodwork, after many decades away from it. Both of my grandfathers were good at it (one made a small post-retirement business out of buying abused antiques and restoring and refinishing them) and as I'm now approaching grandfather-age myself I've found my interest awakening again. I can definitely appreciate how your dad got hooked by it!

Here's a gallery of a few photos of the bowl. I used my current-favorite finish for artistic woodwork - a couple of light coats of diluted tung oil to bring out the grain and fire, and then a "French polish" of numerous very thin coats of hand-wiped clear shellac. It's not stained or dyed... the color and pattern are just the wood, with a slight amber cast from the oil and shellac. The shape is what the wood "wanted to have" after it dried out... it was perfectly circular and flat when it came off the lathe, and it moved into this shape as it slowly dried over the period of several weeks.

I am constantly impressed by the breadth and depth of artistic skills among the Forum members here. A lovely piece of work.

Ok sir, how about this?

It's simple line art based on the Indiana Jones Holy Grail. I tried to keep the grain pattern simple, but keep the Grail outline. If this suits you, your tatooist can use and shade as appropriate.

> edited to update image -- did some cleanup <

That... is perfect.

I... wow. Maybe i can get the artist to put the date on one of the lines too.

Ohman. This is... you win.

You just... win. Everything.

Happy you're happy!

When I get it done, it probably won't look exactly the same. I want to get an artist that's comfortable with wood grain and has other ideas to make it... more special. I'll post a picture here after i get it done. Will probably be a month or two.

Looking forward to it. At least you have something to start with!

chibichibi01 wrote:That... is perfect.

I... wow. Maybe i can get the artist to put the date on one of the lines too.

Ohman. This is... you win.

You just... win. Everything.

Yeah, that's really nicely done... looks like everything you asked for!

I wish I could draw. It's one skill that I've never picked up successfully... my eye/hand coordination with pencils and pens and brushes isn't very good.

It'd be really nice to draw a grail as nice as that one.

Yeah, I'm feeling very chalice today.

(*deposits a yellow Crayola in the Pun Jar*)

Dave wrote:I wish I could draw. It's one skill that I've never picked up successfully... my eye/hand coordination with pencils and pens and brushes isn't very good.

See my avatar? Can you do that? Yes or no, just start.

Get a piece of paper and draw 5 stick figures in a line. Come back later and draw 5 more. Lather, rinse, repeat until you have 20 or 25 on a page.

Do it again the next day.

Make them walk. Make them jump. Make them fall down. Make them run. Just make them. Sit in a chair. Climb a tree. Ride a horse. Make them.

Make them angry. Make them laugh. Make them frightened. Make them sad. Make them.

Try it for a week and see what happens. Next week, try drawing anything -- stars, circles, trees, apples, squares, whatever -- but draw THREE of them. Butterflies, houses, horses, hoses. Whatever. Try to make them pretty much the same. And draw 5 different things. Then do it again later that day.

Pen, pencil, crayon, marker, lipstick, eye liner -- it doesn't matter. Just draw. I dare you.

And whatever it looks like at the end of two weeks, post it. I double dare you.

You can draw.

Atomic wrote:

Dave wrote:I wish I could draw. It's one skill that I've never picked up successfully... my eye/hand coordination with pencils and pens and brushes isn't very good.

Pen, pencil, crayon, marker, lipstick, eye liner -- it doesn't matter. Just draw. I dare you.

And whatever it looks like at the end of two weeks, post it. I double dare you.

You can draw.

Y'know, I just might take you up on that dare! As the hetaera said to the hierophant, "Maybe you can teach an old trick new dogmas!"

If I get fatal hand-cramps, though, I want you to know that it'll be All Your Fault!

Dave wrote:

Atomic wrote:

Dave wrote:I wish I could draw. It's one skill that I've never picked up successfully... my eye/hand coordination with pencils and pens and brushes isn't very good.

Pen, pencil, crayon, marker, lipstick, eye liner -- it doesn't matter. Just draw. I dare you.

And whatever it looks like at the end of two weeks, post it. I double dare you.

You can draw.

Y'know, I just might take you up on that dare! As the hetaera said to the hierophant, "Maybe you can teach an old trick new dogmas!"

If I get fatal hand-cramps, though, I want you to know that it'll be All Your Fault!

Aaand that's why I will never be an artist. I have bi-lateral writer's cramp (meaning it's affecting both forearms/wrists/hands) that is treated with Botox injections that seriously weaken my hands and wrists and reduces my muscle control...but it at least stops the pain...unless I over-stress the muscles by doing something silly...like a lot of handwriting...or drawing. I can't even overdo the computer mouse usage because that has caused cramping before. I are is borked (which is why I prefer writing as a form of creative output).

But I will always enjoy the art that you guys provide!!! That bowl Dave posted pics of is GORGEOUS!

Julie -- Oh dear and condolences! May you find a suitable creative outlet, and good luck!

Atomic wrote:

Dave wrote:I wish I could draw. It's one skill that I've never picked up successfully... my eye/hand coordination with pencils and pens and brushes isn't very good.

See my avatar? Can you do that? Yes or no, just start.

Get a piece of paper and draw 5 stick figures in a line. Come back later and draw 5 more. Lather, rinse, repeat until you have 20 or 25 on a page.

Do it again the next day.

Make them walk. Make them jump. Make them fall down. Make them run. Just make them. Sit in a chair. Climb a tree. Ride a horse. Make them.

Make them angry. Make them laugh. Make them frightened. Make them sad. Make them.

Try it for a week and see what happens. Next week, try drawing anything -- stars, circles, trees, apples, squares, whatever -- but draw THREE of them. Butterflies, houses, horses, hoses. Whatever. Try to make them pretty much the same. And draw 5 different things. Then do it again later that day.

Pen, pencil, crayon, marker, lipstick, eye liner -- it doesn't matter. Just draw. I dare you.

And whatever it looks like at the end of two weeks, post it. I double dare you.

You can draw.

Agreed. I have been drawing and painting and artsy stuffs for 33 years now, and my wee one came across my eyeball book the other day(nothing gross, silly!). In order to capture expressions, I tackle my weakest points and sketch them until I am happy with them. Eyes being the window to the soul they are, I have a sketchbook dedicated to them.

I also have sketchbooks on trees, animals, landscaping, architecture, fashion, and basic posing.

It is not lack of skill, but desire. Anyone can draw, but it is the raw desire to do so and the tenacity to work at it that makes one great. Just look at Paul for example. I seem to remember on the really old InkTank boards learning about his hobby while he had a photography studio. Many factors in his life made it possible to do this as a job. His earlier works and the things he does now are a timeline of how everything comes together.

I have seen so many artists redo their earlier works, and to me, that is cheating. It is the progression of art and story that made the fans. Why not let new readers see what older fans grew to love?

Returning to the original topic, I would also add that asking the tattoo artist about shading techniques might help with making the woodgrain "pop". Research the artist by his clientele's ink(I have often asked random folk with cool ink on the artist and how old the ink is. The great ones stand the test of time-- provided the owner of said ink takes proper care of their skin.).

Just my 2cp.

Been a while since I've poked my head around. I just wanted to share the tattoo I got. This was done shortly after getting it. I'll post a newer one when I can get someone to take a picture of it