What Is Micro-Scrimshaw?

Definition and History
Scrimshaw is usually defined as the carving or embellishment of ivory or bone. A person who works in this medium is called a scrimshander. Today's definition of scrimshaw would more likely be thought of as the intricate incising of ivory to produce images of great detail. Traditionally scrimshaw is recognized as beginning with the New England whalers, however we should also credit the Inuit, as well as the artisans of India and China. Interestingly, the oldest artwork in the world might be considered scrimshaw. Mammoth carvings found in the caves of Lascaux, France, date from as far back as 25,000 B.C. We are fortunate today to be able to work on the very same materials that ancient artists have used for many thousands of years.

Tools and Techniques
There are two main techniques to apply the marks or scratches into the surface of the ivory, incising and stippling. Incising can also be described as engraving or the use of line to develop an image. Incising requires a sharp scribe to cut a line in the ivory. I personally prefer using a fine surgical scalpel or ex-acto to create these extremely fine lines. Stippling is the employing of dots or individual points to create the fine shading. Tools used for stippling may consist of a fine steel pin, or, in my case I use an ex-acto blade that has been modified by sharpening the tip to a round point. The detail that can be seen in my work may consist of 2,000 to 5,000 individual marks over an area the size of a thumbnail. Working in such detail requires the use of specialized optics, hence the term "Micro-Scrimshaw".

Commissioned Scrimshaw Work The pricing of my scrimshaw is generally based on its size. I am charging approximately one hundred fifty dollars per square inch of scrim. However, similar sized pieces may vary in price due to detail and complexity of the piece being commissioned. The price for the ivory is a seperate charge. I am able to aquire some very nice ivory: elephant, mammoth, Wild boar, alligator teeth, etc., but it is fairly expensive. Piano keys; recycling old, broken, and chipped keys is a fairly inexpensive source for my smaller pieces. Contact me to commission a piece.