Author Topic: Bag #24 - James Rogers' Challenge - Outside the Box (Read 3666 times)

Marcruger · « **on:** March 13, 2020, 09:44:58 PM »

Hi Folks,

James posted this in response to my last bag...…
"Marc, Now is your chance to make an OWL art nouveau belt bag to compliment the Don Getz Fox bag!!!! Waiting To see it pop up on here next my friend!!!"

Well I thought that was a fine idea. I decided to go with a regular bag versus a belt bag, but owl it is. :-) Not Historically Correct, so I am expecting the PCP (Period Correct Police) at my door any second. It sure was fun making it though. You could say it was.....wait for it......a HOOT. We had two or three Barred Owls in our backyard last night.....sounded like a bunch of drunk noisy teenagers.

That's a tooling leather cowhide flap about 5 ounce. The body is 3-4 ounce bridle leather. The scalloped welt is buckskin, as is the rolled edge inside. I used my stiffener/pocket idea again. The buckle is from the ever talented Richard Lanni.

I am posting a photo of the fox-face bag below. I am also posting how I created the owl. First is the sketch, then the design transferred to leather, then the design scribed, and then after the dye work.

Hope y'all enjoy it. Thank you for the motivation James. BTW, yes, this one turned inside-out much easier after a good soaking.

God Bless, Marc

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #1 on:** March 13, 2020, 10:24:15 PM »

Marc,
That's a very nice looking bag. Well done.
Dennis

Oil Derek · « **Reply #2 on:** March 13, 2020, 10:27:25 PM »

Spooky charming Marc! I like it quite a bit. Did you consider cutting the flap edge around the feathers?

Robert Wolfe · « **Reply #3 on:** March 13, 2020, 10:46:56 PM »

Well done. Nice to see something different. As soon as I saw it I thought of the Getz bag.

old george · « **Reply #4 on:** March 13, 2020, 11:10:54 PM »

Fantastic!!!! A true artist..

geo

James Rogers · « **Reply #5 on:** March 13, 2020, 11:52:40 PM »

I'm in! Good work Marc!

Tim Crosby · « **Reply #6 on:** March 14, 2020, 12:27:09 AM »

Great work Marc, the design is well thought out and executed.

Tim

Mike Lyons · « **Reply #7 on:** March 14, 2020, 12:37:09 AM »

That turned out beautiful Marc!!!

Bob McBride · « **Reply #8 on:** March 14, 2020, 01:14:00 AM »

I swear, I’ve never been part of a community that caused me to want to spend so much money.... Awesome work. Wow.

Mike from OK · « **Reply #9 on:** March 14, 2020, 01:31:40 AM »

My youngest boy thinks owls are creepy as all get out... But I showed him this and he was majorly impressed by it. So you impressed the toughest critic I know.

Phenomenal work.

Mike

Greg Pennell · « **Reply #10 on:** March 14, 2020, 03:20:49 AM »

Well, I’ll just say this about that...Hooty Hoot! Marc, you nailed it! Well done, my friend!

Greg

BOB HILL · « **Reply #11 on:** March 14, 2020, 03:21:33 AM »

I knew you would pull that one off with flying colors, Marc. You did a great job again. A work of art.
Bob

Brokennock · « **Reply #12 on:** March 14, 2020, 04:35:33 AM »

Fabulous work. Very impressive.

John SMOthermon · « **Reply #13 on:** March 14, 2020, 04:40:28 PM »

Fantastic Creativity and Well Executed!

Marcruger · « **Reply #14 on:** March 14, 2020, 05:29:54 PM »

Gee guys, I don't know what to say but thank you. I am humbled that this bag is getting such a reaction. My goal 100% was for James to get a big laugh when he saw it.

"Did you consider cutting the flap edge around the feathers?"

Derek, Like minds - I was actually initially planning that. After I got underway, I rethought it. I kind of hope each of my bags get taken out and used (thanks Steve and Dennis for the field photos). I decided that a heavily scalloped edge would make it harder to use, and that it might catch on things. So I went with a smooth rounded edge. Had I planned that ahead, it probably would have had a border around the edge, and a lined flap.

"My youngest boy thinks owls are creepy as all get out... But I showed him this and he was majorly impressed by it. So you impressed the toughest critic I know."

Mike, thank you so much for that.

I actually did not intend the owl to be spooky, menacing, or creepy. I just sat down with a French curve and looked at a photo. I guess I put too much "serious" in this bird. I got a smile when Bob told me it looks like something a Viking might be carrying. I think he is right.

God Bless, Marc

Oil Derek · « **Reply #15 on:** March 14, 2020, 06:59:42 PM »

Quote from: Marcruger on March 14, 2020, 05:29:54 PM

I guess I put too much "serious" in this bird.

God Bless, Marc

Nope, not at all Marc. I wouldn't dare suggest you change it ... conveys that "mysteriously right" blackpowder vibe to me. It is splendid as is.

EricEwing · « **Reply #16 on:** March 14, 2020, 07:22:15 PM »

I am down with this. Love the art & creativity

James Rogers · « **Reply #17 on:** March 14, 2020, 07:52:45 PM »

Quote from: Marcruger on March 14, 2020, 05:29:54 PM

Gee guys, I don't know what to say but thank you. I am humbled that this bag is getting such a reaction. My goal 100% was for James to get a big laugh when he saw it.

No laughs at all. I was serious in my suggestion and you came thru with a very interesting piece. Well done!

Jerry · « **Reply #18 on:** March 16, 2020, 05:56:32 AM »

Fantastic work James. Your amazing attention to detail is inspiring. Love it. Jerry

scottmc · « **Reply #19 on:** March 18, 2020, 05:00:21 AM »

Very cool and great art work. You must have a steady hand!

Mike from OK · « **Reply #20 on:** March 19, 2020, 01:48:40 AM »

Marc, is that some kind of stippling I see in the "pupil" of the eye or is it just the texture playing with my eyes?

Mike

Marcruger · « **Reply #21 on:** March 19, 2020, 02:57:42 AM »

Yes Mike. I stippled the pupils to make the bird seem a bit more focused. I can’t believe you studied it that hard. 🙂 God bless, Marc

RoaringBull · « **Reply #22 on:** March 19, 2020, 04:13:10 AM »

Marc could you post a picture of the tools that you use in creating these designs in the leather please?

Marcruger · « **Reply #23 on:** March 19, 2020, 04:31:54 AM »

Sure thing Spotted Bull. No magic at all to this. 95% was done with the smaller double ended ball scribe. It's really just like drafting, except using a scribe instead of a pen, and leather instead of paper.

I wouldn't dare call this carving, I'd call it scribing. My dad could carve, like fine deep Mexican floral carving. That would be inappropriate to the eras we are portraying, but I believe that scribing could have easily been accomplished by leather workers in the day. I pushed things a little bit by using a beveling stamp to relieve around some edges on the owl, most prominently the eyebrows. The stippling Mike asked about was just done with the tip of the scribe.

So mainly, French curve, circle template, scribes, and beveling stamp on this one. I guess my advantage on this was being a draftsman by trade in the '80s that put me through engineering school.

I hope this helps, and many thanks for your interest. God Bless, Marc

bmw 328i 2012 0 to 60

Mike from OK · « **Reply #24 on:** March 19, 2020, 05:23:11 AM »

Quote from: Marcruger on March 19, 2020, 02:57:42 AM

Yes Mike. I stippled the pupils to make the bird seem a bit more focused. I can’t believe you studied it that hard. 🙂 God bless, Marc

Mike

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Author Topic: Bag #24 - James Rogers' Challenge - Outside the Box (Read 3666 times)

RoaringBull