Blue Bird Pierced Medallion #555
Piece #555 – Walnut with Calcite Inlay Blue Bird – 8.5″ by 3″
Faux Copper Vase #545
Piece #545 – Sycamore, Copper, Calcite – 5.5″ by 9.5″
This vase is made from sycamore, copper leaf and calcite crystals. The vase was turned on the lathe with a wall thickness of 3/8″. The ivy leaves and stems were cut about 1/8″ deep into the wood using a high speed dental drill. Once all of the wood inside the stems and leaves was removed the calcite crystal was inlaid, sanded and polished thru 4000 grit sandpaper. Next I removed all of the wood from the vase all around the stems and ivy down 1/16″ deep. This left the stems and leaves inlay 1/16″ proud (above) the entire surface of the vase. I sanded the vase to 180 grit. Using my Dremel and a carbide Steel, ball shaped bit I cut in the dimples on the surface of the vase around the stems and ivy. This is called stippling.
I then sealed the entire surface of the vase with dewaxed shellac and let that cure for a couple of days. Next I painted the stippled wood around the stems and ivy with flat black spray paint and let that cure overnight. On top of that I put down a coat of hard table varnish and let that dry several days.
Following the proper procedures I gilded the stippled surface around the stems and ivy leaves using copper leaf. See my YouTube video on the gilding process. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKY2Rj1snJs
I let the copper leaf cure about a week. Next I caused the copper to tarnish using David Mark’s chemical technique leaving a colorful patina on the copper. After curing the copper leaf several days I applied 6 coats of Gloss Spray Lacquer covering the entire vase, stems, ivy and copper leaf all. Lastly I buffed the entire vase with tripoli and white diamond jewelers polish bringing it to a nice luster. Beeswax was then buffed on using a Beal polishing wheel on my lathe.
The separate base stand is a piece of oak burl. I carved it to look like tight, twisted, ivy vines. I then air brushed it with transparent latex paint. It also received the gloss spray on lacquer finish.
Monarchs and Dogwoods #540
Piece #540 – Ash & Calcite – 4.5″ by 8.5″
This is my intro to Multimedia 3D art. Composed of wood, stone, and acrylic paint. This piece has been in the works for about a year. The Monarch Butterfly near the top is made of yellow calcite crystals inlaid into the wood. The wood on the backside of the calcite was removed so the butterfly wings are transparent. The small Monarch below and to the right is made of wood and acrylic. It sets proud of the vase. The other Monarchs are relief carved and air brushed with acrylic paint. All of the Dogwood blossoms are relief carved and painted with acrylics. The base is a separate piece and supports and gives balance to the vase.
transparent calcite crystals
Red Dragon Fire #535
Piece #535 – Camphor & Calcite – 6″ by 10″ – $800
Red Dragon Fire is finally completed. I have been working on this piece off and on for over two years. It started out as a simple vase. However, it never seemed to want to be a simple vase. Sooooo, I put an inlaid Eastern Dragon on the simple vase. Not satisfied. Sooo, the flames were carved and air brushed onto the top. Still not satisfied. Ahhhhhh, the final touch – The base; a separate piece, carved then air brushed, then gold leaf applied. Now – Red DragonFire #535 is satisfied. Almost —- He is looking for a home.
Roger Dale Scott
Woodpops
Smoldering Leaves # 490
Piece #490 – Oak – 6″ by 12″ – SOLD
This vessel has many layers. First a one pound cut of dewaxed shellac was applied as a sanding sealer. after curing I sprayed a coat of flat black acrylic paint next. When that cured I applied an even coat of Behlen’s Rock Hard Table Varnish. Two days later I applied the copper leaf and let that cure 5 days. To see the application of copper leaf click here.
A chemical patina was created on the copper by using a Sodium Sulfide wash. (Click here to see how.) Once that cured another coat of Behlen’s was applied and left to cure. The leaves were applied individually using silver leaf, copper leaf and faux gold leaf. Each with a different chemical patina to create different colors and effects. There are a total of five layers of leaves applied. After each leaf layer was tarnished another coat of Behlen’s was applied and then another layer of leaves and patina, and so on. Once all of the leaves were complete I carved the smoldering embers using my high speed dental drill. I then masked off the area around them. Using transparent paint in my air brush I added the ember effect. This took sever layers of transparent paint. The veins were added last using a fine line black Sharpie. The final finish is four layers of spray on gloss lacquer. It was then buffed and waxed.
Roger Scott, Woodpops
Silver leaf
Eastern Closed Form # 455
Piece #455 – Sycamore with Calcite, Howlite Inlay – 5″ by 7″
A Sycamore Urn turned on the lath. At the transition of top and sides is a red Calcite bead. After the piece came off of the lath it was sanded to 400 grit sandpaper. A one pound cut of dewaxed shellac sealed the vessel. Next it was spray painted with black latex. When that cured it was brushed over with Behlen’s Rock Hard Varnish.
After curing several days it was ready to apply the fake Gold Leaf. To see this process go to http://youtu.be/BKY2Rj1snJs.
