Framed

Hi all,
In my last post I showed you the reclaimed picture frame that I'd done some pyrography work on and I also showed you the watercolour painting I'd done for the centre.

I said at the time that I didn't like very much but my wife went a step further and declared it to be a load of crap. Not one to mince her words, she couldn't find a good word to say for it. "It will ruin all the beautiful pyrography work you've done on the frame," she said.

I guess I must of looked a bit crest fallen because she offer her services free of charge and said she'd do me something more fitting.

I don't think it is so much greater than mine, but here it is in the finished frame.

You will notice that I have also added a little white and red paint to the butterfly pyrography. Again we are at loggerheads over that. My wife liked them better without the  paint, but I think it gives them a bit of a lift.

I'd love to know what you think. Please let me have your comments, they will be very welcome.

Reclaimed Frame

Hi all,
I have managed to finish the pyrography work on the photo frame that I bought from a charity shop for 50p. The design was based on one that I'd done previously on a bowl; I just modified it and added a few more leaves here and there to suit the frame.

The theme is one that comes from late summer and features red admiral butterflies and brambles.
Here is a picture of the frame now that the pyrography work is complete.

I am very pleased with it so far and, to be honest, it is a lot easier than it looks. The beauty of doing something that is organic is that as long as the basic shapes are right mistakes aren't noticed. Buildings need to have the correct perspective otherwise they look like they've been built by drunks and likewise animals need to be spot on to convince the viewer that they shouldn't be spending more time with a vet.

By the way, please feel free to take a copy of my design and have a go yourself. My main tip would be to look for areas of dark and light when shading in the leaves and, where possible, put one next to another. Likewise, where a leaf is going behind a dark piece of butterfly wing, make that edge of the leaf light and visa versa.

I used a spoon tip to do this pyrography work and a medium heat setting. the last thing you need when doing this type of image is over burn because that will take away the whole essence of the picture, which is the crispness of the edges.

I said the pyrography element of the image was complete and so it is, but I intend to paint a little colour onto the butterflies just to make them pop out a bit. I have done a watercolour painting for the centre, which I'm not sure about yet because I've used the wrong background colour.

In fact, none of the colours may not work with the frame but we will see. It is less than 3 inches square so it won't take long to do another one and I am looking forward to seeing the whole thing complete.

I will show you that in my next post.

Pyrograpy design

Hi all,
We don't give much money directly to charity but we do donate enough items to keep a shop open for 6 months of the year. This is mostly due to my wife I hasten to had because she buys often and sometimes she does it whilst lacking due care and attention. In fact, if she drove the car the same way that she shops she would have been banned many handbags ago.

Anyway, whilst we were donating a few more items that had gone through our house like a dose of salts, I saw a small picture frame that had a wide border.

The price tag was only 50p so I purchased it with a view to doing some pyrography on it. It was of course coated with varnish but I soon had that off with my belt sander.

I spent a few minutes thinking about a design and I imagined some butterflies would look great. so I went through my files to see if I had anything that I could convert. I always keep a copy of all my designs and sketches on my computer because they often come in handy again and again.  In this case I found a picture of a bowl that I'd previously done some pyrography on.

Eventually, I found the original drawing and set about modifying it on my computer so that it would fit the frame. I use Photoshop Elements for all my image manipulation work and I think it is brilliant.
To draw what I finished up with, from scratch, would have taken me ages but on the computer it took about 10 minutes.

Here is the drawing that I will be using on the frame.

 I will join up the brambles that are missing when I transfer the image to the wood prior to doing the pyrography and I might even paint a butterfly to go inside the frame to set it off nicely.

All will be revealed in my next post. Meanwhile, if you want to see any more of my work please visit my website to see my gallery and info on my books.

Bossyboots

Hi all,
Just a quick one. I have made one of my books, "Bossyboots" free on amazon for 2 days, 3rd and 4th of May. If you want a free copy to cheer you up on another damp bank holiday week-end, please download it and have a laugh. To go straight to the amazon page please click here.

I hope you enjoy it, if you do a review would be great, thanks.