The Lark Rise sign is coming along nicely. With a little texture carved into the post it instantly was transformed from plastic and machine made to look it's part and age in the design. The painting process will complete the story.
-grampa dan
Posted by DianeBalch (Member # 1301) on February 20, 2012 08:25 AM:
You are amazing. Dan just raised the bar again.
Diane
Posted by Frank Smith (Member # 146) on February 20, 2012 08:53 AM:
First class!
Posted by bill riedel (Member # 607) on February 20, 2012 09:06 AM:
There just is no end to this man's ability.
Posted by Craig Sjoquist (Member # 4684) on February 20, 2012 10:06 AM:
Amazing indeed, always enjoy seeing what you do Dan thank you for sharing
Posted by Sonny Franks (Member # 588) on February 20, 2012 11:42 AM:
Amazing, as always. What did you use to do the carving?
Posted by Dan Sawatzky (Member # 88) on February 20, 2012 04:03 PM:
The 30 lb Precision Board we are using is pretty tough stuff - a lot tougher than the 15-18-20 lb most folks use. This means carving it with a chisel or knife would be a lot of work. I could have the router do a lot of the work but routing textures over large surfaces takes a fair amount of time... then there is the issue of joining the various panels and having to match the grain. With the four axis router there is no joining as we can glue it up before hand and then let the machine do the work. But with a turned post to get the grain I want it would require a lot of time building the bitmap to make it do what I want. That would be time consuming and practical for multiples but not singles.
We are talking with the folks at EnRoute about somehow using parametric textures that would wrap around a 3D piece perfectly which would be idea for just such a task, but to incorporate it into the software is still down the road a ways.
In the meantime doing it by hand is lots of fun and very quick with the right tool. That tool is an air powered die grinder. To put woodgrain on this entire post and a hand hewn (adz) type of look to the sign sides and back in total took just over an hour.
-grampa dan
[ February 21, 2012, 12:25 PM: Message edited by: Dan Sawatzky ]
Posted by Dan Sawatzky (Member # 88) on February 20, 2012 04:05 PM:
I should note that all the woodgrains on the recessed panels (behind the numbers and letters) were done on the MultiCam in EnRoute using bitmap textures.
-grampa dan
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on February 20, 2012 06:57 PM:
Adding texture adds so much personality. It turns the neat exact work of the router into something organic and "alive".
I recall the first time I went all out on texture on one of our Coal Vines signs. The router had cut things out perfectly and it was precise and beautiful but i felt it needed more. I'd been to Dan's and thought of his textures and decided to go for broke. When I grabbed the ball-peen hammer, I knew I was committed and there was no turning back. The texture turned the sign from identification into an identity and it became many times the sign it would have been otherwise. We've done several more for them and the texture is what differentiates their signs from the competition.
Posted by Raymond Chapman (Member # 361) on February 21, 2012 09:15 AM:
Dan, do you have any idea where I can get some of those bitmap textures? Posted by Diane Malesky (Member # 687) on February 21, 2012 02:35 PM:
Awesome! I want our front sign post to look like this!
Very inspiring!!
Posted by Joe Cieslowski (Member # 2429) on February 21, 2012 05:37 PM:
Over the top as usual Dan!!!
A reciprocating carving tool might give the novice a little more control on the texturing tho......just a thought.
Love the whole project......and yes, the glazes will be the icing on the cake,
Joe,
Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!
Posted by Alicia B. Jennings (Member # 1272) on February 21, 2012 06:34 PM:
I predict new customers at the local chiroprator's office. Many complaing of neck pain, because, of having to twist their necks for so long just to admire your sign.
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