Sgian Dubh, times two.

I've started working on the Edinburgh tomatoes with the two vintage sgian dubhs (pronounced see-ann doo). They are small, singled-edged knives, worn tucked into the top of the kilt hose, and belonged to my host's family. Beautiful pieces.
This handle looked like wrapped and woven leather, with an amber-colored stone (perhaps a Cairngorm stone?) on the hilt and silver work on the scabbard. Added in the reds and did a bit of texture on the wooden table.  This was set up in a little stone courtyard filled with potted plants and plenty of light. I may make the background very hazy or I may not. Jury is still out.


For the second sgian dubh painting, the tomatoes and knife are balanced on a ledge outside my B&B bedroom door. This dirk handle appears to be made of antlers or horn. I picked up a bit of vine that was growing in one of the garden pots, and held in the corner for the shot. It's a variety of honeysuckle, obviously much hardier than its southern American cousins. I liked the leaf shapes and the curve of the red violet stem, the contrast of organic with stone. And then there's that great red/green thing.

Today I placed the stone, mortar and stucco colors. Love the stonework and stucco textures. The canvas is 14x18, bigger than my usual 10x10 for these. I wanted it to be as close to life-sized as I could make it.

After wrestling with that self portrait, this is pure pleasure.