6600 lbs of stone

[tobias]

I really do like the way basalt carves but I know my self well enough to say that I will continue to carve other stones as well. As far as finish I will polish or hone to some degree the flat areas on that sculpture. I am leaving the fret cuts you see and the skin of the stone will stay as well. I like the esthetic of some polish some not. The texture is seeming very important to me with these pieces. Here is a pic of two big ones and a pic of last weeks work.


If you want to see me in action I posted some video links on my blog. A bit too long maybe but I just started talking about what I was doing and thinking.

[tobias]

Originally Posted by Robson Valley

Carving? Sculpting? Do I need to care?

Thank you for the two videos that you put up in your blog. As I know so little about stone work, they are fascinating, noisy, filthy. dirty and muddy, not to mention the fog of stone dust. I learned a lot. Better than anything I can find in YouTube.

Is it the stone that rings or is it your hammer and chisel? I'm afraid that I was distracted by the humor of the stone chips flying through the air and hitting other things in your studio. Wood sure isn't as dramatic except for when I peel the sapwood off western red cedar log pieces (2" x 4" x 3/4" grid with a Skilsaw) with a mallet and big chisel.
Thanks again. Seems possible in the Sculpture Community that nobody was ever a beginner.
Brian/Robson Valley

Robson valley PM ed this to me today and I wanted to share it with you guys. The quality of work that gets played on this forum is quite high but never fear we all started some where. Thanks for your interest and comments.
It is mostly the stone that rings. You can hear a little clack when the hammer meets chisel and not much more. Basalt is very dense and rings very nicely.

[chris 71]

looking good man all of them.
this last one hear of the female fig looks like a rendition of you wood figure? there is something real good about it. sometimes when i start a carving i get this feeling like ya this one is coming alive so good.. like a groove, everything is working out perfectly. i love that feeling. when i see this last one i feel that in it. looks great i would like to see this one all polished up. keep it up man. great work!

[obseq]

I watched the videos you posted on your blog and the ring from the stone is unreal!!!

Also meant to ask if your supplier for the basalt deals in minimum orders.
After seeing it in your thread here, I'm pretty set on using it for the base to my gharial piece.

[tobias]

Thanks Chris. The whole body of work stems from the idea of that one wood piece. Or I guess from the wood carving I did last year. That feelin where it's all working out is in all of this work for me. I'm really grooving with this stone at this place and time. Much to the dismay of my tools. This basalt has eaten two 8 inch diamond blades so far. On my third right now.
Obseq thanks for watching the videos. I tried another one last week and I got about three min of work in before all you could see is the dust. Ha. The company is coverall stone out of Seattle Washington. http://www.coverallstone.com/
Not sure if they have min orders. Shipping might kill you for a small order. Good news they have any size piece you could want and I'm pretty sure they would cut to dimension and polish for you. If they won't do a small order these guys might
http://www.marenakos.com/
Most of the supply of this stuff comes from the NW US. Let me know how it goes. I might be able to hook you up if I dont carve all this stuff.

[suburbanartists]

Sounds just like an Anvil.

[obseq]

Awesome, Tobias, thanks.
Really enjoying the rigid articulation, muscular forms and hammer-like fists in these.
How are you approaching these in comparison to the similar pieces you made in wood some time ago?

[tobias]

I'm not really doing anything that differently Obseq. I guess with the wood I've been cutting the log in half length wise to ease the stress (less cracking while it dries). So in that sence I am working a bigger and full round for the same diameter starting point. But I'm still pretty much cutting the silouette then cutting the profile then joining the two.
I think the key in this for me is the speed. Not letting myself get caught up in the small stuff and not stopping till I'm happy with it. Having said that stone is far more difficult to work than wood is. Cuts take longer break out takes more strength splits are very tricky. Not to mention the weight and having to do something with the bits. Funny how stone doesn't burn!
I guess I'm really just letting myself get lost in the process. Im also not stopping cause it might break (cutting thinner than i have in the past)I don't know that I carve the same way most stone carvers do. It seems that every one I meet has something to say about the way I do it.
Who knows man. I hope this long winded reply answered your question.

[tobias]

Ready to be polished.

I'm a little bit rusty with the pneumatic hammer but the face turned out pretty well

[rika]

It is beautiful, Tobias, in the best sense of the word. I absolutely love it! Congrats!

[tobias]

Thank you Rika

[tobias]

new Blog post gets me up to date as of last night.
http://www.tobiasluttmer.com/basalt-...roject-update/

[chris 71]

did you get her polished up yet tobias? post some more pics if you can. checked out your blog looks like you got another good one on the go. i like the tool marks espeiacialy the step looking cuts in the stone

[tobias]

She is as polished as she is getting Chris. I will be posting some more pics after I get some better shots of her. I am almost done the newest piece at this point. I have 2 more big ones to carve then a bunch of little ones. I am really thinking about carving a Medusa for this show as well. I think i have time.

[chris 71]

i guess maybe what i mean is waxed or oiled. i really want to see what she looks like then. do you do any kind of surface treatment like this with this kind of stone?

[tobias]

Chris. No wax no oil just polish her up to around 10 000 in places and the stone has a really nice shine. I use the polish as part of the texture o it doesn't receive the same level of shine everywhere. Some places are only brought up to 400 grit some 800 some 3000 and some buff (10 000)
I don't rely on wax or oils to bring out the stones shine or color. For me it's got to be polish and last forever. That's why I carve hard stone.

[obseq]

I saw this latest update of this female figure, and said "wow" out loud.
Man alive, she's beautiful!

[Robson Valley]

For me it's got to be polish and last forever. That's why I carve hard stone.

Thanks Tobias. Words to live by.

[tobias]

Thanks Obseq I think she will be the poster child for the show. Your welcome Robson.

[rika]

Fantastic piece, Tobias! I like it polished as it is, and your argument is very compelling, but I also like what Chris suggested. It never hurts to experiment with a smaller piece.

[suburbanartists]

You've got something really good going on with this one!

[tobias]

Thanks Rika. I have experimented with wax and oil finishes I just don't like it. I could do a high complete polish on everything but I am not worried about perfect. I also find that I loose some of the momentum if the finish is too perfect.
Sub thanks I really think this stone is for me.
Here is the face from the last column. 5 ft by 14 inch diameter. When I put this sucker on the bench I couldn't even roll it over. Now I can put it up right by lifting from one side.
I've got to clean my studio today havin some friends over to see what 2 months of carving looks like. 6 stone sculptures and 3 bronze from wax to installation.

[tobias]

A new pic

And a detail shot

[tobias]

Polished


The newest one

[chris 71]

real nice t. thats what i ment i wanted to see. wow looks great and this second girl she is looking awesome too hope your gonna take her a little bit further though real nice!