This piglet will be one of my entries to Finnish turning competition / exhibition this year. It will have its grand entree November. I hope jurors doesn't see this yet so that they won't guess who's work this is...
One of the rules in this competition is that piece has to be created using domestic wood. No precious hardwoods are allowed. So main body and hair on the lid, as well as tip of the tail, are from oak root. Snout and tail are from birch burl and top of the head is from masur birch. Handle is made from rose bush sprouts (I even asked first...) which I bent to form and let them dry before fixing them to the body. And then there is some acrylics just to make sure this isn't SO brown
and round...
Body was first turned, then carved with Arbortech and textured probably quite similarly as Ed Kelle's fabulous "hairy" pieces are. Well I'm not sure if the method is same, small diamond disc in flexi-shaft, but Ed's inspiration is obvious anyway. Body was oiled with danish oil once outside and perhaps 15 times inside, buffed inside and wirebrushed lightly outside. Snout was turned and little further carved, coated with cellulose lacquer which was buffed. Top of the head, masur birch, was treated similarly. Tail was turned and carved, finally textured with small round diamond burr and coated with cellulose again. Eyes are birch burl too, lacquered and buffed again.
Top of the head is made from two pieces and so it was natural target for little something. So I made it hollow and put little something inside so that when you shake or tilt the lid there is nice sound too...
It is about 12" high and about 14" from tip to tip.
