Featured CAMEOS: Show & Tell or Ask & Answer

LOL

 

I nearly sent you that link, but didn't want to bombard you with suggestions until I had a better idea of what you were envisioning. The 2 pieces they show as examples of their custom work are nice cameo renderings of the photos. Ideally would like to see how well they do a portrait where the head/face is a more important part than it is with the babies.

Glad to see they ask for a profile photo. Front facing cameo portraits have never been common and I have not seen any modern ones I like. Have seen smiling children who look ready to eat you. Getting a pleasing cameo is partly going to be a function of being able to supply a photo that is within their skills to translate well to shell. Just for comparison:

https://www.pinterest.com/cameotimescom/cameo-portraits-of-victorian-ladies/

I like shell too. The overwhelming part of my collection is helmet shell. I would not discourage you from staying with that choice. Just wanted to let you know there was an alternative. The Cameo Collection seems to be sort of a broker. They explain a little here:

https://www.thecameocollection.com/our-carvers/

I have the impression CASCO does something similar:

https://www.cascocameos.com/about-our-company.html

 

And it's signed! It's actually pretty well done. I'm not sure what techniques are available to modern shell cameists. I suspect it is no longer as simple as eyes, hands & some very simple tools. The blue agate ones are cut ultrasonically:

 

This is the photo of my daughter that I would like to use. It is from approximately 12 years ago and therefore I cannot re-pose her. It is just a bit off of a full profile and can be cropped closer. I would also like to have the hands NOT included in the cameo. Unfortunately it is on a dark background and I do not have any photo editing software to change that. What do you think?

 

She's beautiful & the pose is perfect. If you looked at the Pinterest board with the portraits of women, you'll see some of the nicest are those where the sitter is partially turned to the viewer. The only place I can see that might be an issue is where just a little of her left cheek shows behind her nose. If they leave that out, her face won't be the right shape They are now able to leave a really thin layer of white over the brown in a way that earlier carvers could not, so they should be able to differentiate nose from cheek.

Shouldn't be an issue to leave the hands out. It would be something like this, sans hands:



Wish I could advise you more decisively. Let us know what you learn, and, of course, if you have the cameo made, show, show, show!

 

@Bronwen

Thanks so much for all your advice, and for starting/maintaining this great thread!
I'll let you know of my progress.

 

Remember that they do not need the picture to be accurate for color, just for lines. That's why I took the photo down to B&W, to give a little idea of what a cameo could be like. Such a gorgeous subject, I can imagine cutters vying for who gets to do her. Good luck.

 

Thank you!
I sent both photos to The Cameo Collection and to Casco Cameos asking for price quotes. As I said, I expect to pay for quality. This is a one-time big treat to myself, something I've always wanted.
Here is my Emma, all grown up:

Edit: I also sent a request to Bimonte Sorrento (who did the Donald Duck cameo shown in a previous post). Their website doesn't state that they do custom cameos but it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

@Bronwen
Sorry, one more question. If you had your choice between carnelian shell and sardonyx shell, what would be your choice and why?

 

Strictly personal preference. There are no differences in things like durability. For myself, I think I would go with sardonyx shell, which produces a darker brown background. You don't see it as much, & carnelian shell can be quite a glaring shade of orange, you don't know what you might get.

This may give you a feel for the difference in effect (ignore that the first photo is not a good one):






The darker ground feels more serious to me, more the way cameos looked before the Victorian era. This is utterly subjective, of course. It's an aesthetic choice. The first cameo I ever bought has sort of a taupe background.

BTW, that divine little girl grew into a knockout of a woman.

 

I think the word I really wanted was formal, like the difference between a photography studio portrait & a snapshot.

 

I see what you mean, thank you!

 

@Bronwen just bought what I think is a nice ivory cameo of a lady wearing oak leaves and acorns crown, for 20€ 4cm high, and... very dirty

Very excited too as I'm going to New York from October 31th to November 4th

 

Definitely ivory & in need of a bath. You can clean it, just don't soak. Show her to us once her face has been washed. I've got just the guy for her:

 

Ha! An Autumn/fall couple
Of course, I'll clean and dry her carefully, before posting the Fall Dryade
I feel interesting it isn't one of the numerous Flora with flowers

 

They would make a very nice couple. Enjoy your visit to New York, @kyratango ! Have you visited the U.S. before?

 

Thanks Figtree!
No... First time to the States 4 days will be too short

 

Oh, Kyra, YES IT WILL be too short! Are you spending your few days just in NYC - and what do you plan to see there?

 

Yes, SBSVC, just in New York, I bet we will go to the usual places for tourists to see, with the city pass
I booked for the dinner cruise on Hudson river, want to go to Chinatown, The Met, Central Park, some Antique Mall won't hurt too

 

Yes, 4 days seems very short for such a big city. But at least you will make the trip, and should be very busy. I hope you have fun!

And after you get back home, make a post in the general discussion board if you want to tell us about anything!