Entry Pipe Scroll

[SBachner]

Should I continue removing wood around the outside of the scroll in the counterclockwise direction?




Also, do I widen the gouge lines?

Thanks,
SteveB.

[J. Talbert]

It’s up to you.  Carving often transitions from relief to incised.  You can decide where that transition happens.  if you wish to extend the raised portion you will still have to transition to incised eventually near the tip.

As far as the width, it doesn’t look bad as is but a little more probably wouldn’t hurt.  Staining and finishing may tend to fill the cut and diminish the appearance of the incised portion.
The raised portion of your scroll looks nice but may be on the high side.  It’s difficult to tell from the photo.

Either way… looks pretty nice,
Jeff

[rich pierce]

Whatever you do, the background must flow unaffected by the carving. So the forestock from lock to entry thimble must flow into the fore-end toward the muzzle as though the carving didn’t affect it.

[Goo]

I think the relief is too deep most carving on originals is extremely shallow 32ndfaning deep at the most

[SBachner]

Thanks for the advice. The depth is about 1/16". This is the first "carving" I've done after many years of woodworking, and I got excited and carried away. 😁

[J. Talbert]

The lower area here appears that it may be a little proud of the brass.  If so bringing that down would allow you to smooth out the upper circled portion, eliminating the little shoulder effect there.

Hard to tell from just one photo.

Good luck with it…
Jeff

[ettoreR]

I would continue the relife on the outside, the outside of the semicircle will be the deepest/tallest relief, which transitions to the interior to nearly incised carving