LATEST PROGRESS

It's taken me quite a while to get this phase of the project working. In earlier posts I captured the progress of the "cameo" I had started...however much to my pain, I ended up going a little to far and ended up breaking thru version 1. So having invested many hours into the first one, I started all over. The pictures are out of sync, but you can see I started out with my line drawing, then started working. I had learned alot from my previous attempt, so on this one I took everything slowly and deliberately. Once I got started on version 2 of the cameo, I ended up also remaking the broken heart section that will go on the back side of the memorial. Also visible in this post is a basic mechanical drawing for my vision of the headstone. This weekend I finished sketching the dogwood tree which will adorn the hinder part of the work. I intend to get to forming on this portion next. All that I lack for the cameo is some planishing and a little more work on the bead frame. I ordered a fantastic book on chasing and repousse' that I wish I had read prior to this 2nd attempt, but what fun is a project if you know everything going into it? I got a copy of Adolph Steines "Moving Metal" from www.kirstenskiles.com and it has been extremely informative. I should state too, that since my wife passed, I've converted a portion of my kitchen into an impromptu chasing studio....now if I can just keep my kids from playing with my hammers I will claim a small victory. Till next post!