Featured Bear In Stone - Not Tribal

Hi All,
I wasn't sure where to put this so thought this would be a good spot. How is this done? It is a real stone/rock, no jagged edges around the design, looks almost set/pressed into the stone. Maybe a laser? The stone is 3 1/2" x 4 1/2"
any ideas or information appreciated.
thanks for looking

 

Could be done by grinding, like any intaglio.

 

thank-you Bronwen So grinding and then polishing the edges when done? I'm not someone that does stuff like this, I imagine grinding stone would have been a lot of work.

 

I've seen these at craft shows; not this artist, but the same technique; they are sand-blasted (technically not sand, but a similar medium); placing a pattern over the stone, then the abrasive is "blasted" - blown at it until the desired depth is achieved.
Not really a lot of work, and a bunch of rocks can be masked and then all sand-blasted at the same time; and if the pattern is made from thin metal or rubber, it can be used over and over again.

 

excellent, thank-you all_fakes the sand-blasting part makes sense to me, I can see them doing several at once.

 

thanks Dave

 

I am also attracted to rocks and wood in combination, and this seems to be a nice pairing despite its ease of creation.

 

Grave headstones are done with the same technique ...

 

Looks a bit deep for sandblasting,more like a CNC carving.

 

While it is possible the thing could have been cut with a CNC, I doubt whether the average artist would have access to one - however, a compressor and a bag of sand ...maybe.

And dealing with the curved surface of the rock with the CNC cutter ..don't think so. Curved edges are also typical of a rubber mask sandblasting stencil.

 

what does that mean

 

I didn't realize that

 

Well, all_fakes seems to think it "Not really a lot of work" to create the bear. I thought the smooth rock shape and the complex wood shape were a nice juxtaposition of hard and soft; black and tan; water worn and textural growth, old and new; etc.

 

not a lot of HAND work......is i think what he was getting at..!
Some call them spirit stones.....I prefer the 2nd coming of the pet rock ! !!

 

You know they are now doing this with NWC designed wall plaques !?

 

In the 1970's and 80's in BC, sign writers made loads of wooden sandblasted signs,
e.g."Welcome to Blah-Blah-Blah Estates, your gated golf community"

and I guess they still do ..stencils are usually rubber as the sand just bounces off ..

 

doesn't sell well in southern Ireland...