The legs are done, I think,,,,

[Mark Yundt]

Well the legs are "finished" but I know I'll find something else to do to them before they get shipped out. Fuss a bit here,, sand a bit there. You know how it goes. Then the second guessing comes into play. "Maybe I should do this,,,or that,, what if I did it this way,,," I only really call it done when they're out of the shop and out of my sight.
Anyway, here they are. Just some quick shots but you can see the results. The small heads mounted to the brackets will be stained, along with the top molding section ( both walnut) and the light colored wood will be painted that will offer a nice contrast and make them stand out as brackets for the range hood.
The large heads will also be stained or finished natural and attached to the island unit which will be painted as well with a natural walnut top. The contrasts should prove interesting and make the carvings Pop.
Hope you enjoy them,
Mark

[Dick Sylvan]

Very well done! These are for a kitchen? Whose.... the descendants of Ernest Hemingway?

[Roger Newby]

Impressive is not a good enough word. It would be fun to see a video of you doing your carvings.

[Russell Johnson]

Holy cow. That is awesome work.

[Mark Yundt]

Thanks guys, you know how to make my day! Like every "artist" you wonder how they'll be received. You satisfied my curiosity.
Roger, a video of me working,, well you must be an insomniac as I'm sure it'd put you to sleep! Carving as you know , especially on something like this, is a long, slow process. But I appreciate the sentiment.
I sent the photos out and they were well received. Once the whole kitchen is complete they promised me some professional shots of the finished product. That is something I'd like to see as I generally don't get to see my work finished and in it's final place.

[Roger Newby]

Hope you will post those photos after you get them.

[Mark Yundt]

Oh Roger, I certainly will. I believe it may take some time though as the kitchen is just being worked on as we speak. A few weeks for cabinets, installation, finishing, trim etc.So I may be looking at late Nov. early Dec. if I get them at all. But if I do, I'll post them.

[David Keller NC]

Mark - Really neat concept - was it yours, or the customers?

A non-sequitor comment: After looking at your post here, I looked at your public profile and went to your website. It's very well done, and the work itself is very impressive, but the format of the pictures in the gallery is too small. I run my monitor at 1280X1024, which is pretty low resolution by today's standards (lower resolutions make a given picture larger, higher resolutions make a given picture look smaller).

Even at 1280X1024, your photos of your architectural carvings come out as about 3X4", which makes seeing the actual carved details in the photos difficult. You might consider changing that (or having it changed, if you use a web designer) so that the photos will display at about 8"X10" on a monitor running at 720p (720X1280 pixels). Even better, ask the web designer to include a user-selectable blow-up feature.

Nice work!

[Mark Yundt]

Hello David,
Thanks for the input and your willingness to dig a bit deeper into my work. I appreciate it very much. I will take your input into consideration as I plan on some modifications to my site. Unfortunately many of those shots were done with an old 35mm camera, scanned and then posted. The clarity may not be ideal but I will check it out to see if something can't be done.
As far as this idea, I've used it many times before in a variety of settings. It may have been that, or the clients designer thought it up and asked if I would be able to refine the idea into what it has become. Fortunately for me there are people around with ideas, but have no way, or source to put them into reality. I just take ideas and run with them.
Thanks again,
Mark

[Ron Hartl]

Wow!!! Very impressive!

[Mark Yundt]

Thanks Ron!

[Jon McElwain]

I am curious if you know what the final wood finishing details will include. I assume some stain and finish coat, but will the tusks or eyes be painted or stained in some way to give an even more lifelike appearance? Excellent work - I hope to see the final installed photos to see the whole thing put together. If the work and talent put into these legs is indicative of the rest of the work in the kitchen, it will certainly be impressive! Thank you for sharing.

[Mark Yundt]

From what has been told to me, it's just going to be a clear finish. Walnut looks great just as it is. With the finish it just become rich and warm looking with great grain patterns.
Painting something like this I believe would only diminish the effect and essentially ruin the piece as well as the entire kitchen.
Consider the pieces done by Gibbons etc. where everything was left natural. They are just stunning.
Or the other kitchen I've done recently where I carved trees. Paint wouldn't have worked well in that case either.

[Roger Strautman]

From what has been told to me, it's just going to be a clear finish. Walnut looks great just as it is. With the finish it just become rich and warm looking with great grain patterns.
Painting something like this I believe would only diminish the effect and essentially ruin the piece as well as the entire kitchen.
Consider the pieces done by Gibbons etc. where everything was left natural. They are just stunning.
Or the other kitchen I've done recently where I carved trees. Paint wouldn't have worked well in that case either.

I'm with you on leaving the natural wood show it's beauty. While in Europe I got to see three of Tillman Riemmenschneider's carved alters that were left natural and can attest that they are pure beauty. Painted work, unless it's water color that shows the grain, to me looks fake or like plastic.
Did you just bolt the two side trees to the valance? How did you achieve a color contrast between the leaves, background and tree trunk? Another pristine piece and thanks for sharing.

[Mike Cruz]

Mark, you are truely an artist. Your carvings are beautiful. Those with your pieces should be more than impressed, if they are anything less than proud, it would be a shame.

I think I am a little late to the party on the Elephants...what are they made of? Did I get you right that they are walnut?