Colin Ventura

Work in progress. Tiny tree of life in a heart. Carved from boxwood.

#woodcarving #carving #treeoflife #miniature #woodworking

Feb 5 at 11:07amMastodon for Android
Show threadAbhijit Menon-SenFeb 5
@ColinWoodArt How lovely! How do you hold something delicate like this while working on it? Or do you do the initial carving on a clamp-able block and cut out the heart afterwards? 🤔
Show threadColin VenturaFeb 5
@amenonsen No, I cut out the heart first, and then drill lots of little holes in the places where there will be gaps. And then just carve away, holding it in my hand.
Show threadBlurredPixelsFeb 5
@ColinWoodArt @amenonsen
yup really nice works!
could you show some of the tools you use?
thankyou
Show threadColin VenturaFeb 6
@BlurredPixels @amenonsen Thanks, here's a quick snap of the most common tools I use.
Show threadBlurredPixelsFeb 9

@ColinWoodArt @amenonsen

Great ! thankyou !!

Show threadSimon BrookeFeb 6
@ColinWoodArt @amenonsen That's astonishingly fine work! I had assumed that you worked on a larger piece of wood which could be held in a vice or on a bench, and then cut the heart free when all the internal carving was complete.
Show threadAbhijit Menon-SenFeb 6
@simon_brooke @ColinWoodArt Yes! I know boxwood is supposed to be quite strong, but I'm fairly sure that if I tried this, I would promptly crush the piece and also poke holes in my fingers.
Show threadColin VenturaFeb 6
@amenonsen @simon_brooke I do occasionally break things, and poke my fingers too. It's par for the course with something this small!
Show threadAbhijit Menon-SenFeb 6

@ColinWoodArt @simon_brooke If you don't mind continuing in this vein (heh heh)… is it easy to obtain your supply of boxwood? Are there any other native species that are good for your carvings?

I planted both boxwood and hornbeam here on our land in the Himalayas. I'm not even sure of the exact species, but I guess they were relatives of the european ones (there are native species here in the same genera for both).

Alas, both had promising starts, but neither one survived.

Show threadColin VenturaFeb 6
@amenonsen @simon_brooke Yes, I've brought from several UK timber merchants over the years, and even on eBay. I've never considered growing it myself, probably because it's such a slow growing tree, I don't want to wait. Sorry that yours didn't survive.
Show threadColin VenturaFeb 6
@simon_brooke @amenonsen I do occasionally carve this way, but because of the size and intricacy of the cuts, I find it easier to have it in my hand so I can constantly keep turning it. But that's just the way I've learned to carve.
Show threadMaruFeb 5
@ColinWoodArt Yggdrasil
Show threadColin VenturaFeb 5
@maru Yes!
Show threadНышFeb 6
@ColinWoodArt Прелестно! 🥰
Show threadColin VenturaFeb 6
@Nysh 🙏🙂
Show threadSky-haired Miranda 💙🐙Feb 6
@ColinWoodArt this is beautiful 💜
Show threadColin VenturaFeb 6
@miranda_blue Thank you!
Show threadF4GRX SébastienFeb 6
@ColinWoodArt beautiful work! What do you tools look like?
Show threadColin VenturaFeb 6
@f4grx thanks! Here's a quick snap of my most common tools.
Show threadinfryqFeb 6
@ColinWoodArt love it! with a little bit of bird skull vibes, as a treat?
Show threadColin VenturaFeb 6
@infryq Thanks! Do you mean added to this one?
Show threadinfryqFeb 6

@ColinWoodArt no, I’m getting it from the length of the heart and the negative space around the tree trunk. À la

https://www.tragicbeautiful.com/en-us/products/real-crow-skulls

Real Carrion Crow and Corvid Skulls

Show threadColin VenturaFeb 6
@infryq Oh right, I see. It wasn't intentional!
Show threadinfryqFeb 6
@ColinWoodArt serendipity!