Scrimshaw? But I Can't Draw! How to Scrimshaw
(The How to Scrimshaw series, Volume 1)
Andrew Perkins
Amazon Digital Services
Nonfiction, Art
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: Scrimshaw - the art of incising images into ivory or bone, a common hobby for sailors - looks beautiful, a classical art form hearkening back to the golden age of sail. Perhaps you've always wanted to try your hand at it, but it just looks too hard. You can't even draw a straight line; how are you ever going to produce anything like the intricate artwork you've seen on display in art galleries or museums?
Many of those long-ago scrimshanders, however detailed their works, couldn't draw, either; they were sailors, not artists. Yet there is no denying that they produced art.
Andrew Perkins, a professional scrimshander, explains how to create beautiful, surprisingly detailed scrimshaw art. All you need are the right tools, a little time, and some patience... no drawing skills required!
REVIEW: Whaling and ivory trade associations aside, I've always thought scrimshaw looked interesting, so I downloaded this one on my Kindle during a freebie promotion window. Perkins gathers years of information in this guide, covering everything from materials (including ivory substitutes) to image sources, plus some practical exercises and projects. Almost everything comes with links for more information - clickable, in the Kindle version. Lacking money and materials, I can't try the projects (yet), but the instructions seem reasonably complete, with several pictures. If you've ever considered scrimshaw, or just wondered how the process was done, this is a good place to find some helpful answers.
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