Distilling dragonfly wings.

I spent a few days this week drawing, and redrawing, countless times, the veins that make up the very characteristic patterns on dragonfly wings. What I was trying to do was create a slightly simplified pattern which still retained enough detail so as to appear natural. So by studying them in such close detail I wanted to understand the logic to their structure. At this point I reckon I could draw convincing wings from memory!



My problem was basically, "how do I engrave this crazy and complex arrangement" and still keep some sort of order without it becoming too contrived. I am rather happy with my "solution" but you'll have to wait until the whole project is done before you get to see the full effect. So will I for that matter...but there are a few hints in the images.

The tools I've used thus far...and a close up.

If you click on the top image you will see a really close up view.

Inlaying the abdomen

The abdomen has now been inlaid, in shakudo. The rest of the body, thorax and mouth part, will be done tomorrow.

an explanation.

The image above is just of some pure gold, in the various forms I use it.

I thought I'd better make some sort of effort to post something here,( and every one appreciates gold, or shiny things ;-) ) it has been a while now. To be honest I've got a few ideas rumbling round in my mind, things I'd like to express clearly in words, as much for myself as part of this ongoing communique. I don't seem to be able to summon the enthusiasm though, the well seems dry...so I await the rain, I apologise if you've been waiting impatiently, although I hardly expect that there has been any overwhelming sense of disappointment at my lack of diatribe...;-)

Work proceeds slowly on my dragonfly project, I'll post some updates this week,...and the forum stumbles forward.

If I'm honest, it's probably the forum that is leaving me feeling so unenthusiastic right now. I don't know what I expected from it, probably far too much, and too soon. I can't see how we can really make it work in the way I'd hoped, as a focal point for an emerging, revivalist ethos in relation to working on a small scale, and specifically ( though not exclusively ) with metal as the primary medium.

I'll keep thinking, feeling...trying, but there doesn't appear to be any easy solution or direction ...yet.

My dragonfly on a rock...so far

The "rock" is 13cm long ( a bit longer than 5 inches ) and is made from a single sheet of 1mm thick mild steel. The lower images shows the underside and the hollow filled with pitch. I'll now secure it on my pitch bowl to make the next stages possible.

The image at the top shows the wings of the dragonfly in roughly the position I'm happiest with. The material is reasonably thick but the golden colour is only in the top 1.5mm. The tricky part now is to shape the wings underside to follow the contour of the iron. Then I'll inlay them. If It's possible I intend to cut most of the ground in the recess away so that the wings will effectively be like stained glass windows; or plique a jour enamel. The veins will be engraved directly into the MOP and filled with urushi. The eyes are black lip mother of pearl.

The original concept has evolved somewhat. I will be adding some grasses on and over the front, sloping edge of the stone ( in 2 alloys of brass with pale gold tips ), and the whole thing will rest in a turquoise patinated silver, uchidashi formed, rippling "water"

The larger rock I was forming is put aside for now. The basic shaping is completed and that piece will develop the theme and concepts of the smaller one even further. In a sense this is a series of stepping stones...I wonder how far I can take the concept.

Goat boy lives!

This is a rather special Meiji period carving in wood. I don't have much to say about it right now, perhaps I'm just feeling a little "goatish" myself, of late ;-). This is a handsome chap though and the artist has captured that slight snootiness that I admire in these fellows. The hair is beautifully rendered too, with so much gentleness...The artist, Ishikawa Komei, lived from 1851 until 1913 and was designated a Japanese Imperial Court Artist ( Teishitsu gigeiin ).

The carving is about 12 inches long and the wood is left with the "as carved" surface. I think the subtle effect of the almost invisible chisel cuts really adds a certain vitality to the form, it seems to me to bring the surface alive.

I've been a bit distracted from my blog for a few days now but I can feel a couple of late night rambles building up so who knows what might bubble out...I can hardly wait, it's always a surprise to me!

Dragonfly menuki

These don't belong to me but they are a lovely example of dragonfly menuki. The image was sent to me by my teachers good friend, a sword polisher by the name of Ikeda Nagamasa San. His late father was a great collector of sword fittings and had a particularly impressive collection of works by Kano Natsuo.

Dragonfly's are called tombo, in Japanese, and were a popular design motif with the warrior class. I imagine the swift and erratic flight of these insects could be seen as an inspiration to swordsmen and their precision attacks on their prey would have drawn much admiration. It's interesting to note how such humble, almost unassuming, creatures caught the attention of fighting men in this way, and how the beauty of nature was so sensitively appreciated.

The samurai called it katsumushi; "Invincible insect" and it can frequently be seen adorning the front of kabuto, Japanese warriors helmets.

An ancient Japanese name for dragonfly is akitsu. According to legend the first emperor, Jinmu, was once bitten by a mosquito which was then promptly eaten by a passing dragonfly. This apparently led to the land being known as Akitsushima; The Island of the Dragonfly.

I know Richard Turner likes them too...so these images are especially for you, Rich.
but you can't have them ;-)

back at the anvil...

I've been taking a bit of a break lately, from the steel rocks. I've been instead working out how best to render dragonfly wings in a convincing way. I don't mean hyper realistic...just convincing. There is a difference. Today, however, I need to get back to some hammering. Here's where the larger stone is, nearly there...maybe tomorrow. This image is just to mess with Simon ;-) and to leave him wondering how you actually hammer metal, which normally spreads and thins it, in a way that contacts the outer circumference. I'll reveal all soon...it's actually the basis of all real raising and the principle still amazes me. Intrigued?

Tagane Arts

In November of 2005, a week after returning from a month in Japan I was joined for 3 weeks, in my studio, by Patrick Hastings. Many of you will know him and his work but for those of you who don't, here's a link to his site.

I'd noticed him on-line, on various fora, and was impressed by his efforts to make some headway into the world of classical Japanese metalwork. I, somewhat presumptuously, contacted him with an offer of support in terms of technique and whatever else I might be able to add.

After many lengthy emails and phone calls I invited Patrick to visit us in England so that he could get more of a taste of what I was doing. He jumped at the chance and a short while later my family and I found ourselves at Bristol airport greeting a ridiculously large Californian ( he’s 6 foot 7, I think ) and wondering how we were going to squeeze him into my tiny studio.

Our very dear friend and neighbour Karen Todd ( a sophisticated collector of fine Kagamibuta ;-) ) had offered to put Patrick up for the duration of his stay, and so with him trapped nearby I was able to impose a gruelling training program that I'd devised. I hoped this would provide a solid grounding from which he could develop his already impressive skills.

He kept his complaining about the hardness of my stools and the lack of space to a minimum and applied himself the tasks I'd set him. We managed to cover a massive amount of material in those short, but intense, weeks. We kept at it 7 days a week and when not actually in the studio I kept the poor bloke up late into the night talking about all sorts of nonsense, some of it even related to Japanese art metalwork.

Patrick has written a very generous, and kind, account of this time we spent together and posted it on his website, and although I feel a little embarrassed to direct you there because of that, I never the less would like to continue to support his efforts by doing so.

If you have a look in his archive of past work you’ll be able to see the 3 tsuba he made in my studio. He arrived with blanks already prepared to my specifications so we were able to make the best use of the time we had. I think he did remarkably well to put up with my demanding ways and I’m very pleased to see how he has developed his art.

My own teacher, Izumi Koshiro Sensei

I have been very fortunate in my own journey to this point and have had the benefit of many talented and generous teachers. My own sensei in Japan, Izumi Koshiro quite literally changed my life by allowing me into this tradition and all but adopting me. It is almost entirely due to his generosity and friendship that I have anything at all to offer you.

I have never paid for the teaching I have been given, by Izumi Sensei, or any of his friends who added various aspects to my training. All that was ever asked of me was my commitment. I continue to devote myself to developing my own skills, and art, and in this small way hope to be able to repay the faith my teacher placed in me.

This photo was taken from a newspaper article at the time of my first visit in 1993. We're both a bit younger here ;-) I think I was working on a shibuichi tsuba with a number of muti-metal leaves in taka-zogan iroe.

My life has been enriched immeasurably though my involvement in this tradition and my “adoption” by Izumi Sensei and his family. I doubt that I’ll ever be able to adequately express my gratitude to all those who have given me so much.