Tobacco Art

[aaronc]

Hey gents, thought I would share my carving I finished up a few months back. Next time I do a tobacco themed barn I'll throw an antler pipe in with it.

Best, Aaron

 

[ericthered]

Very interesting! I have not seen any artwork of this style before. I don't know if I would want it on my mantle, but I applaud the creativity!

 

[johnnyreb]

That looks great! The tree looks like a lot of time & delicate work! How many hours would you estimate you have in the piece? Any other pieces you can post?
I do some antler carving as well but just small stuff with broken tines. I just finished a bear head for a necklace. Maybe I'll photograph and post it.

 

[aaronc]

I have absolutely no idea as far as how many hours,.. just do it to relax and don't keep up with it..............but yes it did take a long time. Don't have many finished pieces under my belt really. My interest vary but my projects are always centered around some sort of carving. Here is another antler carving and also a work in progress pic of my current piece, it is a giraffe shoulder blade.

 

[johnnyreb]

You do have talent! That tree & fence are phenomenal! I can't even look at a piece that large and envision the scene. All my carving has been small Native American fetish size carvings. But I love working with elk Ivory. I just finished this bear head and plan to use it as the center piece for a bear claw necklace. There is too much glare in my pics so you can't really see the golden tobacco brown color throughout the piece:

 

[crazypipe]

Wow outstanding , great art work :clap:

 

[aaronc]

Hey man that is a super job on that bear head. Great detail on something that small. Thanks for sharing,
-Aaron

 

[johnnyreb]

Thanks Aaron! I have a coiled rattle snake I carved out of bone. When I did it I had nothing in mind for it. Now I would like to drill out the ID and use it as a collar on a cane or walking stick but even if I could figure out a way to hold it straight on a drill press I'm not sure the ID would drill out big enough.
This antler pipe was for sale a while back on Etsy. The owner said he bought it in the 1970's as a work of art. I'd like to make something similar with some carving to it. I don't have any antler near big enough in diameter so I've been looking around for an interesting piece. Haven't found anything yet.

 

[aaronc]

I can't tell for sure what that is from the pic but from the looks of that back tine shooting off if it I think it is elk. You can find some elk sheds online for not too much $$$, I have gotten some myself. That is what I use for legs to hold my moose antler carvings up. Elk is very porous and relatively large so it would be my first choice to try a pipe out of having not ever tried it before. The candle holder on my barn carving is made of an elk base also.

 

[johnnyreb]

Yes, it's definitely elk. I first got started carving by making knife handles from elk antler. I have lots of tines with good bark on them that are 4-6" long. I would like for a pipemaker to be able to design a pipe for me using some shank rings and maybe a bowl rim ring and not have to turn down the OD of the antler and lose the bark.