Craftsmen- woodworkers, metalworkers, artists

Shawn@PRS

yogi
Joined
Aug 23, 1985
Messages
6,871
Location
Stevensville, MD
Today I saw a guy making art from hammered copper and other metals. I love to see the act of creating art, as well as the finished creation. Anyone here do any sort of art/craftsmanship?
 
You would have liked a contest the school my daughter got her fine arts degree from. They had a 'make art this weekend' thing where the students created in the studios from Friday night to Sunday night. Some individuals, but mostly teams tossed together for the project. Sculpting, wood working, weaving, painting, movies on the walls.
Wild.
 
I don't see this as artsy or craftsy so much as another hobby, but I work with wood. Usually, I make small wooden boxes and vases. Here's one in spalted maple...

il_fullxfull.238392028.jpg


And these might have come from that same piece of wood...
SDC12451.jpg
 
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I'm a jeweler, I make custom designed stuff regularly. I work in gold, platinum, sterling silver, and my new favorite palladium. I've been tempted to do a miniature gold and sterling silver PRS guitar. I worry I might be violating a copyright if I do though......
 
I also would LOVE to do some diamond bird inlays!!!!!!! Have they ever been done?
 
Can you imagine the price tag?????
When I get a chance this week I'll bring one of my PRSi to work and figure out what it would take just for fun. If I ever do a Private stock , I want diamond inlays! I think string wear might be an issue though, it wouldn't be one you would want to play much. Although a gold and diamond truss cover would be nice.......... I think one would look good on my CU22 goldtop. I think I know what to make myself for my birthday now....
 
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I did a quick estimate on what it would take to do diamond birds this morning. I based it on using 2 mm. diamonds, looks like approximately 150 stones, weighing roughly 4-5 carats. Of course we would be using high quality diamonds, VS clarity, E-F color. Diamonds are going to cost $1500 per carat, labor would be crazy expensive. I would guess I would charge roughly $1500 or more to set them. After thinking more about it, it would be REALLY difficult to set them. The inlays would have to be put into the neck first to level them( I assume) meaning diamonds would have to be set after. Holding the neck while setting them would be a big challenge, darn near impossible. I think the bigger issue would be wear on the settings and on strings. The strings over time would grind down the prongs holding the diamonds, and the diamonds would reek havoc on the strings. It would have to be a looker, not a player. I'm going to start laying out a truss cover today, I'm trying to figure out what design to use first.........
 
In my thinking, the diamonds inlaid into a fretboard would need to be embedded into epoxy or hard surface that could create something hard and flat. If the diamonds were set as if in a ring, the jagged edges of the stone would make it very difficlut to play the guitar.

The second issue would be light. If the diamonds are inlaid into the fretboard, how would light get under the stone to allow them to shine? I'm in no way a jewler, so I may be way off on my assumptions.
 
In my thinking, the diamonds inlaid into a fretboard would need to be embedded into epoxy or hard surface that could create something hard and flat. If the diamonds were set as if in a ring, the jagged edges of the stone would make it very difficlut to play the guitar.

The second issue would be light. If the diamonds are inlaid into the fretboard, how would light get under the stone to allow them to shine? I'm in no way a jewler, so I may be way off on my assumptions.
Diamonds don't require an opening behind them for dispersion of light. In fact this is why the cut is so important. A perfect cut allows light to reflect and return out the top of the stone. A poorly cut diamond will appear dark because light is "leaking" out the sides and bottom of the stone, instead of returning to the eye. Openings are made in rings and such behind them to allow for ease of cleaning, and to reduce metal weight.
The edges of the diamonds are below the surface of the metal so they wouldn't snag, but you would have an uneven surface, which would be problematic. Years ago there was a company that put diamonds in lucite, they looked like they were floating in it.
 
I don't see this as artsy or craftsy so much as another hobby, but I work with wood. Usually, I make small wooden boxes and vases. Here's one in spalted maple...

il_fullxfull.238392028.jpg


And these might have come from that same piece of wood...
SDC12451.jpg

I agree with Shawn, this is cool...
 
This is kind of what I was talking about for diamond birds
images.jpg
 
Diamonds don't require an opening behind them for dispersion of light. In fact this is why the cut is so important. A perfect cut allows light to reflect and return out the top of the stone. A poorly cut diamond will appear dark because light is "leaking" out the sides and bottom of the stone, instead of returning to the eye. Openings are made in rings and such behind them to allow for ease of cleaning, and to reduce metal weight.
The edges of the diamonds are below the surface of the metal so they wouldn't snag, but you would have an uneven surface, which would be problematic. Years ago there was a company that put diamonds in lucite, they looked like they were floating in it.

Good info Goldfixer, thanks for clarifying that!

^^^those inlays would look good with a lot of different colors^^^
 
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I hack stuff about. I recently turned this:

P1080597.jpg


Into this:

P1090086.jpg


It's for my eldest daughter.

P1090071.jpg
 
Besides a Bachelors in Music Performance, I have a Bachelors in Fine Arts. I juggle both careers full time. I have been painting for a longer time, though.

577228_10150973102986129_1089808862_n.jpg


Since Shawn wanted to see the act of a piece of art coming together, here's a link to see how this painting came to life, from start to finish: CLICK HERE!
You can follow my art page if you wish!

I also filmed one of my quicker painting sessions and uploaded it on YouTube, synced to an arrangement I wrote of an Aaron Copland piano piece:



I have been considering painting some close up details of my Custom 22. Perhaps more people would like a painting of their favorite axe gracing their walls(?). It's an idea I have been tinkering with for a while. Perhaps this is the way I'll fund my next PRS ;)

Lastly, a shameless plug. My contemporary art is being represented by the Laguna Gallery of Contemporary Art (LGOCA), CHECK IT OUT!
 
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Wow Aron, this is really impressive stuff! I love the time lapse video which shows the creative process and your palm trees on display at LGOCA are beautiful. I particularly like Marine layer 5.

Thanks for sharing!

Besides a Bachelors in Music Performance, I have a Bachelors in Fine Arts. I juggle both careers full time. I have been painting for a longer time, though.

577228_10150973102986129_1089808862_n.jpg


Since Shawn wanted to see the act of a piece of art coming together, here's a link to see how this painting came to life, from start to finish: CLICK HERE!
You can follow my art page if you wish!

I also filmed one of my quicker painting sessions and uploaded it on YouTube, synced to an arrangement I wrote of an Aaron Copland piano piece:



I have been considering painting some close up details of my Custom 22. Perhaps more people would like a painting of their favorite axe gracing their walls(?). It's an idea I have been tinkering with for a while. Perhaps this is the way I'll fund my next PRS ;)

Lastly, a shameless plug. My contemporary art is being represented by the Laguna Gallery of Contemporary Art (LGOCA), CHECK IT OUT!
 
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