Hummingbird Art
This hummingbird art is a piece based on Naturalistic Art set as a relief carving. In this way the art is raised from the surface allowing more definition in the design to be seen and contrast of colors. The wood used is Maple and has the right mix of color from the natural grain to accent the wood art.
This work is one of my favorite pieces where several elements that required past experimentation came together. Unlike other works this piece is carved for the artwork to be displayed on multiple levels of the same piece of wood. Material is removed from the center creating a second wood canvas for the Humming Bird to be displayed.
Doing this allowed for the frame to be a part of the same piece of lumber as it was carved out from the outer edges. There is no paint used in this work. The color differences are created from different stains. The one feature I like the most is the Humming Bird itself.
Hummingbird Design and Wood Grain
The bird has within it designs of various kinds. As an example a clock can be found within the bird as part of the design. These different elements actually create a composite which shape the humming bird bringing it to life.
The Maple used has nice grain features within its color and texture. The tree was clearly stressed at some point to add enough color in order to separate it from its generic species. Yet with this added color it is not so overpowering that it takes away from the art carving.
Where I can apply beautiful work to wood of this nature I always want it to have added meaning. I do not use the carved framework on all pieces yet for many it really adds to the design. Others that carry this same similar technique are the trees I have made and a ship that also are set within a frame. The added time this requires in creation is significant. With this the difficulty level certainly rises. The end result is worth it in cases such as this work.
In order to get the level of detail needed within the hummingbird accurate the multilevel design was needed. A top surfacing helped to level the wood so that a vbit could be used much like an artist would use a pencil. Yet the bit removes material from around the design leaving the art relief behind as compared to how a pencil would draw the design onto paper.
The intricate details left within the work allowed for a beautiful contrast with the background color. This was definitely a fun piece to make.
Currently Only One Design
At the present moment there is only this single creation of hummingbird art in its design as compared to others having multiple like or similar kinds made. In future iterations there may be minor changes that I make yet I am pleased with the overall outcome.
One possible change would be the outer frame design allowing for something which has more detail in the frame carving. I wish I could achieve the level of detail within a smaller work for use in box art yet no blade can do this. Any work that this design is used on would have to be a wall panel of some kind with decent size.
I may at some point alter the design so that parts of the inner detail of the bird can still be captured within a smaller work.
Finish and Use
The piece comes ready to hang on a wall but the hardware is simple to remove if the work was desired to be used for other purposes. It is finished with a uv protective coating but still take care to minimize any exposure to sunlight if at all possible. Sunlight breaks down anything and everything with time without exception.
It weighs in at just under 10 pounds which gives it some nice heft and durability. It definitely could serve as a centerpiece over a mantle or main focal point to a part of a wall. It could be used as an inlay with some work. The best application would perhaps be on a shiplap wall that it would rest and sit within.