Flameball and other baroque carved pearls

[ericw]

Hi!
I hope I don't bore anyone with my posts about my work... Today, these are baroque and flameball pearls I have carved since the last photos.
I don't advise you to try, nacre is so thin around nucleus that it's more difficult than to jump from a plane without parachute!
Moreother, I messed up several times.

 

[Luvglitz]

Ericw, they are beautiful.

 

[ericw]

Thank you, Luvglitz... I have taken a dangerous way, to carve flameballs, and luckily, the little I succeed is worth for other I miss.

 

[asurazzy]

This one is better! Looked more neat. Ure getting good at it! Possible to carve deeper than that? Show more contrast.

 

[ericw]

Yes, the one is better. It's not possible to carve this kind of pearl deeper, and it's a pity to see how farmers don't let nacre to become thicker around nucleus. So, I loose many pearls to work these shapes. To carve deeper, I must work keshi, WSSP or tahitian pearls, wich have really thick nacre.

 

[BWeaves]

They're beautiful.

 

[la_corsetiere]

Gorgeous work, Eric!

 

[battah]

Those are lovely, Eric.

 

[ericw]

BWeaves, La_corsetiere, Battah, Thank's a lot, indeed.

 

[CathyKeshi]

I finally decided, Ericw, that the top photo, middle pearl is my favorite Good experiments, do often result in some failures, but also lead to great success ... keep up the good work.

 

[ericw]

Good choise, Cathy! It's not a AAA grade, of course, but this pearls have a kind of sweet brightness wich is well done with carving.
I go to work again the first on left, to give more smoothness to the carved parts. At last, it will be right, I think.
About failures... well... Nobody can make an omelette without to break eggs, as we say in frensh... But at last, it seems that flameball shapes are decidedly too much brittle eggs to do!

 

[amti]

I love how the iridescent colors really show through on these carved pearls!

 

[ericw]

Yes, Amti, the interest to carve freshwater pearls, so I do it, is to reveal different colours nacre layers. For exemple, pearl on the right of first photo is all blue, as it's looked at a particular angle. It seems a little as oil effect seen on water.
In fact, nobody knows what is happening in a pearl, during growth. We just see final result, but in this time, pearl build several different layers. Somes are better than other, and my work is also to search these best parts, without to be sure, first, if I'll find something more interesting than area appearence. Now, experiment allows me to know what I'll go to find inside some coloured pearls... But when I do, it's a question of great patience and careful to keep the right carving deep. The lesser wrong gesture, and my work is lost. Saltwater pearls are easier to carve, but don't give so nice surprises.

 

[Katbran]

Well done Eric ! They are gorgeous ! You have put a lot of work into these pieces and I'm sure they will continue to surprise us !

 

[ericw]

Thanks, Katbran! I am just working other, and I'll be the first surprised. A little tahitian pearl wait... to rest me from flameballs incertitudes.

 

[Marianne]

Beautiful work, eric!

 

[ericw]

Thank you Marianne. To share pleasure I have to carve pearls is my first and most important reward.

 

[ericw]

And then, other works on baroque shapes...
Baroque ? Did you say baroque... As the result to carve this pale green (low grade) tahitian pearl. It's surprising, it looks like a piece of jade.

 

[CathyKeshi]

So interesting, Ericw ... in the first photo, the flameball pearl on the right now resembles a beautiful goldfish!

 

[KaySD]

I love the flameball pearl on the far right. It would make a beautiful pendant.