# The Scrimshaw Process...



## HuntinTom (Dec 22, 2005)

People always ask me how the scrimshaw thing works -- Here's the process on a recent piece:

First - I begin with a polished piece of material that will be the medium for the piece - In this case it's a piece of polished ivory about 2.5"x1.5"  Other tools-of-the-trade are a #2 pencil, a magnifying glass, a good light, and an exacto knife with a #10/15 needle...


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## HuntinTom (Dec 22, 2005)

Then I draw the outline of the subject on the ivory (In this piece it's a tiger that will be done in only black ink...)  I then etch VERY lightly over the outline with the needle...


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## HuntinTom (Dec 22, 2005)

Then I ink over that with black India Ink and wait for it to dry throughly...


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## HuntinTom (Dec 22, 2005)

Then I find something good to spend my time on while I wait on the ink to dry...


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## HuntinTom (Dec 22, 2005)

I wipe the ink off to reveal the beginning of the tiger -- I like to start on the more detailed parts like the eyes while I'm the most fresh...  (If I were using multiple colors, I would start with the darkest colors and work my way to the lightest)


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## HuntinTom (Dec 22, 2005)

I keep repeating this process as the piece develops...


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## Branchminnow (Dec 22, 2005)




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## HuntinTom (Dec 22, 2005)

Here, the piece is about 80% complete (I just have a few more steps toward the open space on the left side of the ivory till it's completed)...  I have about 8 hours in the piece right now, and will probably end up with around 10 hours in just the etching...  (There are probably 5,500 - 6,000 individual dots on this piece to make the indentions for the ink...)  All total hours when I factor in cutting and polishing the ivory and the eventual mounting on a hardwood base will be around 12 - 14 hours -- But, hey, I think that's about the average time someone spends watching television each week, and I get much more relaxation from this than I would doing something else...


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## Nicodemus (Dec 22, 2005)

That`s interestin` Tom, and mighty purty work too. I`d be perfectly willin` to trade my skills for yours anytime!


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## LJay (Dec 22, 2005)

Well Tom, that leaves me out. I can't draw a circle, must less a tiger or duck.


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## Auchumpkee Creek Assassin (Dec 22, 2005)

good job!!!!!!  Nice work!!!!!!!!!


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## CAL (Dec 22, 2005)

Many thanks Bro.Tom for the explanation of the process.I find it really interesting and wish I could do half as well as you.Thanks for posting!


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## Handgunner (Dec 22, 2005)

Looks good, Tom!  Eye'd be cross-I'd, if Eye done 'dat...... 

Nice work!


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## dutchman (Dec 23, 2005)

I can barely draw water. 

I'm glad we got arteests in the world like HT and Nic who can produce such nice stuff.


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## Nugefan (Dec 23, 2005)

dutchman said:
			
		

> I can barely draw water.




Good one Dutch ........

Tom that is cool ....very cool .......


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## HuntinTom (Dec 23, 2005)

And now, my favorite part - Inking the eye and it'll be finished!


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## HuntinTom (Dec 23, 2005)

And the finished product as far as the actual scrimshawing goes -- I still have some polishing to do on the back side of the ivory, and I'll mount it on a nice hardwood base to finish it off...  All total, I ended up with about 12 hours in the etching and inking process - But, again, I could have spent that time watching television or something else that would not have given me anywhere near as much relaxation and satisfaction


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## QuakerBoy (Dec 23, 2005)

very interesting stuff Tom  

beautiful work


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## HuntinTom (Dec 23, 2005)

One more showing the progress on one picture...


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## Nicodemus (Dec 23, 2005)

I enjoyed that Tom. Remarkable.


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## arrow4u (Dec 24, 2005)

hey Tom what does something like that sell for


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## HuntinTom (Dec 28, 2005)

*And What Does a Fellow Do When He Finishes a Piece?*

Well - Like an addict, he picks up another and starts all over...  This piece is on a cross-section cut of an ivory tusk...


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## HuntinTom (Dec 28, 2005)

And the finished piece (The yellow ink in the eye is still wet


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## HuntinTom (Dec 28, 2005)

The two pieces side-by-side...


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## LJay (Dec 28, 2005)

Tom, do you freehand the pictures or are they a pattern of some sort?


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## HuntinTom (Dec 28, 2005)

I find either a photo, or maybe a painting I like and use it as a guide for whatever the piece will be...  Once I do a piece, and do another of the same thing, I usually use the last piece as something to look at while I etch...  Sometimes I'll size the picture to my base material (ivory in this case), and I'll cut it out and sort of trace around the outline with a pencil just to give me some reference as I fill in the middles...  I've always drawn since I was a kid - Pencil, ink, chalk -- Anything I could find and would draw what I was looking at on a piece of paper or drawing pad of some sort...  So - I basically just scale what I'm seeing to the piece I'm working on and draw what I see...


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## Handgunner (Dec 28, 2005)

Lookin' good, Tommy!


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## HuntinTom (Jan 18, 2006)

Another moved to the new Crafts/Homebrew forum...


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## Branchminnow (Jan 18, 2006)

Looks good Tom, man we are getting some kind of diversified around here arent we?


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## broadhead (Jan 18, 2006)

Thanks for sharing you fine work!


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## GeauxLSU (Jan 18, 2006)

*I knew you were a man of superior tastes!*

Very kewl Tom and I must admit, I'm very impressed by your subject matter!   
So is this guy....


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