Scrimshaw Demonstration By Adams - Humpback Whales

This is a scrimshaw demo of mother and child humpback whales etched on fossil walrus ivory.

[@philliphill4763]

Thank you for sharing your experience & knowledge! It means so much.

[@yamabiru4553]

Fascinating

[@Elmlock]

so beatiful how you had the baby whale cerest the mother

[@ronhateley7754]

Your art work is very appealing and like all skilled craftsmen you make it look so easy. The detailed knowledge you have about these whales also adds to the piece. Love your work!

[@adamsalive]

Thank you for the kind words Ron.

[@whisperingeaglelanders2339]

Amazing!! I am amazed that you show everyone "how" your work is done, what tools you use and you can ask any questions at all and you don't seem to mind at all! You are such a kind and wonderfully talented young man!!

[@adamsalive]

Thank you for the kind words. The tools I use are very simply basic. I want others to realize that one can create beautiful art with the minimal of tools at hand.

[@whisperingeaglelanders2339]

David Adams ArtWorks where do you get your pieces of bone? I know you can't buy them and if you could they would probably be outrageous! LOL!

[@adamsalive]

When I buy Ivory (not bone), I purchase it from these two companies: www.scrimshop.com/ www.boonetrading.com/collections/mammoth-ivory-bone

[@whisperingeaglelanders2339]

David Adams ArtWorks wow it's hard to believe that there are antique pieces of Manstooth (so?) left. Oh don't worry, I won't be doing scrimshaw. I have my hands in so many other mediums that it is pitiful! LOL! I guess I thought people gave you the ivory! 😊

[@Glitch-Gremlin]

Thats Good Scrimshaw.

[@robertearle8050]

Beautiful and amazing. Thank you for sharing with us.

[@adamsalive]

Thanks for watching. David

[@whisperingeaglelanders2339]

You as a "True Artist", with as few tools that you use, you are extremely talented, from one Artist to another.... you are the Best!!

[@adamsalive]

Thank you for the flattering comment. I always attempt to do my best. Learning from past mistakes is what really honed my creative self expression.

[@whisperingeaglelanders2339]

David Adams ArtWorks I understand....being an Artist also.

[@adamsalive]

Yes, being an artist, either visually or vocally is expressed to others via our passion/mastery of the art-form. The key word here is passion which is the catalyst to achieving mastery. When excitement is inserted into your art, magical things will happen. Spirit is there to assist your endeavors, ie your Muse.

[@bradeedwards2505]

David this is gorgeous and talented work! I just started researching scrimshaw and the problem I am having is that there is nowhere I can find that sells the tools (scribes) like what you use. I have found scribes easily but don't know what would be best to purchase.

[@djchris4771]

That’s good scrimshaw.

[@tigrankhashmanyan1894]

Great!

[@Elmlock]

its so cool, i remember pen and ink, it remeinds me of such. are all your tools manuel?

[@Old52Guy]

Wow!

[@adamsalive]

Thank you! David

[@JoshuaFinancialPL]

is your scriber a rotary tool? in pictures it looks manual but theres a background noise that might be rotary motor, and it looks like you're barely touching the material - i would have expected more effort required if manual.

[@engraveryink]

Your touch is so light, would it be strong enough to hold up on a gun grip?

[@Zoch]

When you are scribing, are you using alot of pressure ? It looks like you are barely touching the ivory....

[@adamsalive]

No, not too much pressure is used. The pressure varies depending on the value of an area; light scrimshaw for lighter areas of a subject and heavier pressure for darker values.

[@crittercatcher8671]

Hi David. My friends and I are very new to scrimshaw, but we have no shortage of bones, ivory, tools and artists as we do taxidermy. I was wondering if you had any advice for etching and pigmentation of woolly mammoth Ivory. We have some nice pieces and really don't want to mess them up, and we would be grateful for any advice of doing scrimshaw on fossil and mineralized bone as opposed to regular fresh bone.

[@adamsalive]

Hi Critter Catcher - Nice to meet you. The procedure I use for scrimming mammoth ivory is the same as demonstrated in my walrus ivory videos. Just be sure the ivory is sanded to at least 400 grit and polished very smooth. Any little scratches will hold ink and interfere with the design. Regarding bone, fresh or mineralized, it's a very porous material, so, when inked, all of the tiny pours will hold ink and may turn the surface grayish. I suggest the bone be inked prior to etching it, then you will see if the material is suitable for scrimshaw.

[@crittercatcher8671]

Thanks. I'll be sure to ink it first. I found this very old cow bone in the bottom of a steelhead creek while fishing. It has a beautiful smooth brown bark that we will leave as a kind of natural outline. If it works, we'll post a picture. I spent a few hours sanding the mammoth. 220 320 400 and then 600. I want to make sure we get the best results from mammoth. Anything that old deserves it.

[@adamsalive]

Critter Catcher Indeed! I would like to see your results.

[@crittercatcher8671]

Couple of weeks and I'll get some pictures up.

[@Elmlock]

do you dot the outline so the lines connect, i really like how you give information about the craft, juxtapose to covet trade secrects

[@Elmlock]

is non vibratory the scriber?

[@Elmlock]

just trying to learn from a aparant master, a very beuatiful piece

[@KieuPho]

Hi David. Is it possible to use laser to outline the art works? And detail of the art work later with scriber? Thank you.

[@adamsalive]

Hi! I don't know. I never considered it. Sounds like it may work. However, if there's heat involved, I wouldn't do it. Thanks for the comment... David

[@user-mq6zx2xx6s]

Do you/can you use an electric engraver?

[@Elmlock]

do you never sand after scribing?

[@Zoch]

Would be nice with a "shop-tour" and tools show etc. :)

[@adamsalive]

I do show the tools I use in a couple of my older videos. I will do an update video.

[@Elmlock]

is it speed up?

[@JTD19881369]

Wait is this time lapse?

[@adamsalive]

None of my videos are time lapse. Thank you for asking.

[@JTD19881369]

Wow thanks for a quick response. I'm thinking about starting a project for some knife handles I've made out of beef femur. I always thought these things took hours and hours because sailors had tons of time to kill

[@adamsalive]

As a matter of fact, it does take a lot of hours to do scrimshaw. Some of the large pieces I've done took me hundreds of hours to accomplish. Some of the large pieces requires a great deal of thought and planning prior to execution of the design. Regarding the femur; bone is very porous. The material will have to be coated with something such as Renaissance Wax or super glue or something. Then, sanded smooth and polished to a high shine. Otherwise, the bone will turn a disappointing gray with the first inking.

[@JTD19881369]

+David Adams ArtWorks thanks for the tips.

[@fordfan3179]

Man, you need an apprentice or an intern or something, lol