First Sign

[pyrodenis]

My first ShopBot sign:
Memorial Garden Sign of an actual Weeping Hemlock, within the grounds. Made of redwood w/ cedar posts (spliced to treated posts, in ground) Tree motif is .5" relief from grayscale image; (67 hrs+/- of 3d carving with 1/8" ballnose
All branches retouched with chisels.

http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/album.php?albumid=17&pictureid=98

[zeykr]

Very nice, love the tree.

[Big-Tex]

Yeah tree came out sweet.
Congrats nice job. I have one question, say for example be black border above carved tree be possible? Cause tree and trees in the background blend in, some separation could help. But I guess in fall that will change.

Thanks for sharing, nice job.

[joe]

Beautiful.

And the first sign too. I think we've got some talent here.

[bleeth]

That is just super hot. I love the play between the relief of the trunk and the 2-d of the leaves. A teriffic approach to making something special and not overdoing it.

[dakers]

i like it because it is a design i have never seen before. kind of thinking out of the box design. it is easy to get trapped into standard design shapes which we can see everywhere. Nice.

[joe]

Dennis,

Would please forward me your email address. I have a couple of questions to ask about your latest sign.

Joe Crumley
jcrumley1@cox.net

[blackhawk]

Denis - Beautiful sign!. Would you mind sharing some details?

Did you model the tree yourself? Aspire?

Is the tree and letter boards carved from one solid piece of redwood or joined together?

Again, very nice.

[pyrodenis]

THNX.
It's an actual Weeping Hemlock, just inside the garden entrance.
The boards are separate and epoxy glued; strongbacks, vertically, on the tree part. Ends are mortise and tenon, no fasteners.
The posts are taper cut and bolted to posts in the ground, so, if needed for retouching (when the redwood goes dark), I can pull it for horizontal painting.
I photographed the tree from the same position, both daylight and night. Then, played with photoshop....contrast, many layers, colors, then grayscale...then, created a heightfield import to Rhino, and played with definition. It couldn't give you an estimate of time in all that, because it was my 1st time learning Rhino/heightfield, etc. Even the work in photoshop was a steep learning curve, considering the object was so varigated in colors. I'm sure on this 1st experience, I could have carved the tree by hand in less time. But, it was an opportunity to learn where the dead ends are, when the goal is heightfield.
I did hand carve the trunks, rather than sand.
Although I'm pressed for time with the 4th approaching, I do have another, different, sign already vcarved and ready for vines on the edges. I'm going to take the opportunity to use the digi probe. I'm going to assemble some actual vines and let the machine create the file. That'll be another steep climb I guess.
thnx for the outreach.
If you play with fireworks for the 4th, be careful!
Peace and Pyro

[curtiss]

Very very nice,

How long did it take to cut the tree portion of the sign ?

Paints used ?

[pyrodenis]

about 63 hours. BUT, I'm novice at 3D; so, although I used a .25" to rough out, I'm thinking that there were lost economies that will become apparent with experience.......maybe not too much. Dunno

[pyrodenis]

WAIT ....aixelsyd STRIKES AGAIN!
THAT WAS 36 HOURS.
YRROS

[marysvillesign]

I like the visual interest the design creates. I'm certain you have a happy sign customer.