And Now For Something Completely Different

Ok, not COMPLETELY different, but this sign is going to be in a style I haven't tried before. 

The lines you see in the middle of each letter will be a peak, and I'll have flat surfaces at about a 30 degree angle down from that. It's an interesting idea, but I've seen it done once, and I think I can make it work. If it works out, it's going to be excellent, and I might try this style again in the future.

I know some of you were waiting on some pictures of 'Killpack' once it was done, but I was never able to get those taken. I was really rushed to get it finished and delivered, and in the process it just slipped my mind to get some photos taken.

I'm going to see if the recipients (It was ordered as a gift for someone else.) would be willing to take a few shots for me and the site, but I won't hold my breath.

I have one other project coming up very soon, a BIG project too. I'll get some teaser photos of what I'll be working with to give you an idea. ;) 

Forgot

I forgot to take a picture of this earlier, but this is a sign I'm doing as a favor for a family member. It was originally intended as a Christmas present, but that didn't work out. 

It shouldn't take much to finish this one up, so give me a week or so and it should be done.

Back in Action

I know it's been a while since I've been able to do anything, but I've finally been able to get in contact with the local wood supplier and someone with a saw. I've got another order from Europe that needs to be finished fairly quickly so the pressure is on. 


The wood that I got from the guy up here is great. Carving with this stuff is such a breeze compared to some of the wood that I've had to deal with down in Utah. Maybe Oregon is the place to be after all? Either way, just watch out for some more updates on progress, this one should be done quicker than usual.

Sisters: Tana

I've had somewhat of a mental block the last bit on how I should design Gracin's sign. So instead of wasting time, I went ahead and started on Tana's. I took some of the design from TerBo that I did last December, and I'm really happy with how it looks. Enjoy!

The Start of the Sisters: Ella

Now that things are rolling again, I've one big project coming up. It will be signs for three sisters, and thankfully they have relatively short names. 

I've got one drafted and some great ideas for the others. I'll start out with Ella, and Gracin and Tana will be following soon!

The Long Hiatus..........is OVER!

Many of you have noticed that I've been rather absent for the last two months. It is true that I've had to put my carving on hold due to the many school related obligations that I've had this semester. Thankfully the semester is winding down and I'm finally finding myself with enough free time to start new projects!


For those of you who are curious, I've been working with a team of fellow engineers to develop special lighted suits for the BYU Ballroom Dance team. The suits use a special wire called EL (Electro Luminescent) wire which glows when a voltage is applied to it. 

The different sections of the suits can be turned on and off independently to create the light patterns used in the performance.

We've made 4 suits in total and all are controlled wirelessly from a computer offstage. The team will be taking these suits on tour across the country in the coming months. 

(We have some video from a few practice runs that I will post once we get it back from the photographer.)

When you thought there couldn't be more!

I guess I should get this out first, I'm doing this one for myself. (If you hadn't noticed already) It isn't anywhere near a high priority, I just had spare time at work and used it to finish cutting this one out. This is more or less me trying to stay on top of my "content related" posts every-other-day thing. 

Fear not, I do have some big plans for this weekend, which should lead to something interesting to look at.

Long awaited opening

To be honest I've been working on this sign for days, I just haven't been able to get it in the posting rotation. At least now you know to keep looking for the progress updates. I'm not sure, but I may mix updates from different projects in the same posts. That way I won't have a million different updates to write each time I do something different.

Now for Something Completely Different

Since we are in the middle of the Thanksgiving Holiday, I took a break to try something a little new. Sometimes I get so caught up in the signs that I forget that there is so much more to carving. I hope to incorporate this into my product lineup in the near future, but we'll see how the reception is. Let me know what you think!

-Click to enlarge-

            

             

Sorry about the pictures, I'm away from home and don't have my normal gear with me.

Stocking up & New Beginnings

Things are going great with the new projects! A lot of headway has been made, and a lot of new wood has come in as well. I'll let the pictures do the talking this time.

Made a few adjustments before I made the cuts.

Christmas orders in full swing

I've been working hard lately to catch up on orders that have fallen behind since my accident, which thus far has been going fairly well. I don't think I will be able to complete all the orders that were placed, but a majority can be done in time. As I said before, I can still carve with a broken wrist, the process is just a lot slower than it usually is. I finished up 'Logan' this morning and have sent it out to be sprayed, but I won't be painting it per request of the customer. I won't have a finish shot on account that the customer will be picking it up directly from the spray booth.

 I'm currently working on 'Grandma' but will begin some drafting on the other Christmas orders before the carving is finished. With so many orders to complete, it's becoming more and more apparent that there will be overlapping in the production process.

 Other great news: I will be receiving the first order of business cards in the coming week. The design has been finalized and printing should be happening today or tomorrow. Once they come I'll do a small showcase so everyone can get a glimpse. I'll be including one with every order, just to get the word out.

The Christmas Rush has Begun

Christmas is on the way, which means only one thing. LOTS OF ORDERS! The only downside to that is that I'll have to really pick things up to get all of them done in time. I'm currently starting on two new pieces simultaneously to see if that if I can get them done quicker this way. 'Logan' is more or less something I'm used to, but I've never done something as generic as 'Grandma.' 

It isn't a bad thing, it's just something different, which might appeal to more people as something they can get for anyone. The updates will continue, but some pieces may be excluded to keep them secret from those who are receiving them. Either way, they will all be showcased sometime after the holiday.

Townsend Begins

Since I'm waiting on H&I to finish the spray process, I took the time to begin carving on Townsend. This shouldn't take too long considering the design is on the simpler side. Updates will continue as everything moves forward, and keep your eyes out for the unveiling of H&I in the next few days!

Beginning and End

I don't know what I like doing more, finishing a project or having a new one to start. They both have their ups and downs, but it's a good feeling either way. I'll admit that starting a project can be infinitely more frustrating than finishing. The fact that I've got to find out how to get whatever someone wants into a block of wood lying on my table. On top of that I've got to make it look different than anything I've done, or give it some extra zest.

But nothing is better than being done, because (most of the time) I know I did it right and there aren't any more chances for me to make a mistake. During the whole process I have this image in my mind about what I want it to look like when I'm done. Sometimes it turns out just like I thought, other times not so much. No matter how it ends up looking, I've always been happy with the final result. At this point, the only thing I have to worry about is if others fall in love with it as much as I have.