Picture to Wood Proposal Portrait Carving - Wondering if this is a first.

[floridacarver]

Ma Cherie, Will you Marry Me!!! I've done wedding pictures in the past but this is a first for me. Recently I had a request to create portrait carving to be used as a wedding proposal. Here's a copy of the original picture and a copy the the finished portrait. A follow up call a week later to see if he liked the carving and guess what, she accepted.

[badbert]

That came out really nice! Care to share a few details?

[floridacarver]

Are you planning a wedding proposal in the near future?

A few details, each picture is evaluated for tone, color and background features. Based on that evaluation moved into the paint program or photo shop and altered slightly then imported into the designer software.

Will you be at the CW Conference this year?

[Capt Bruce]

Our congratulations both to you as the creator and to the happy Couple. Great to see the project as developed and to know it lead to a Happy beginning for them. I too would be interested in your process of "evaluating the tone, color and background features." and then how you deal with these in paint or Photoshop. Oh and welcome to the Forum. Thanks

[Alan Malmstrom]

That Photo actually lends itself very well to becoming a good carveable image. I used njob on it: http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=68860 and then brought it into gimp and set it up as an grain merge layer over a grey layer that I very quickley airbrushed a bump for the grain merge layer to project over. And it came up like this.

61615

[fwharris]

Will you be at the CW Conference this year?

No the real question is "Are you going to be there?" Hope so and I think your process would be a great conference topic!!!

[floridacarver]

Not sure if I'll be attending at this point.

Agreed, portraits would be a great topic, a new way to capture a memorable moment.

[michaeldove]

I've been working with this idea for a while myself. Here are a few samples I have done for people. I feel like I'm getting pretty close to putting out a good product. The problem is the carvewright is so versatile I'm always working on the newest idea instead of trying to perfect one.
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[easybuilt]

Floridacarver, that is awesome and a great idea! I never though to add the names too! Thanks for sharing. Michaeldove nice job in carving your first portraits, I think you got it figured out.

[floridacarver]

You can also add a polymer finish that really make them stand out.

[floridacarver]

Hello Capt. Bruce, glad you like the project. I was amazed to see the gentlemen use the carving as a way to propose marriage and happy I was able to assist in his proposal. He actually wanted to drive from Tallahassee to Tampa to pick it up.

[floridacarver]

Thanks for your reply, the ptn image looks good. I usually only gimp to remove the background if it's very busy. Otherwise I just use the photo as is.

[michaeldove]

Floridacarver, that is awesome and a great idea! I never though to add the names too! Thanks for sharing. Michaeldove nice job in carving your first portraits, I think you got it figured out.

Thanks for the reply. Hopefully I can get more machine time to continue the process.

[floridacarver]

61641 Easybuilt, have you thought about using the texture feature as part of a portrait offer. Here's one that incorporates the names, horizontal texture an oval carving region topped off with a photo from the 60's. Here's the actual photo's used to produce the attached carving.
6164261643

[floridacarver]

Here's a logo carving with the polymer finish, just completed.61961

[mtylerfl]

Here's a logo carving with the polymer finish, just completed.

That is really purty! Good work!

[fwharris]

Just like glass!! Looks great!

[floridacarver]

Thank you, it's a fairly simple process to pour the polymer. I've found it to be a great way to add alittle pazzaz to a project and a bit more profit.

[chebytrk]

So about how much did it take to cover that area? Do you just mix it and pour it on?



Thank you, it's a fairly simple process to pour the polymer. I've found it to be a great way to add alittle pazzaz to a project and a bit more profit.

[floridacarver]

It took about 8 - 10 oz. to cover the area. This product can be purchased at home depot, Parks, Super Glaze, it's an epoxy two part mix. While it is a simple process it's also a risky process and here's why. You have a completed project ready to ship now you decide to pour the epoxy on the project. Any mistake and you may have to start over. Just be careful and take your time.

[kcc2012]

This looks great. Have you found a species of wood which works best for carving portraits?

[lynnfrwd]

Joe is going to tell us all about it as a guest speaker at the conference in June.

[floridacarver]

I've found that the hard wood captures the detail in the photo and not easily sanded away. Will you be attending the conference this year?