Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is presented with the Pocahontas Cameo created by the Cameo Artist Gareth Eckley.
Cameos Old & New 4th Edition. The definitive guide to the History of Cameos. Gareth Eckley is featured inside.
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Unusual materials or creative approaches to the outline shape are a feature of the modern approach to cameo carving. Carvers challenge accepted conventions and look for ways to create drama and excitement in their work.
The cameo featured here is carved into a solid color slab of black onyx. Interesting effects can also be created by carving into transparent materials
Many modern cameos are carved into layered agates. The layers are dyed to create strong color contrasts. The most usual colors used for two layer stones are white on black, white on blue, and white on red-brown. Three layer stones are sometimes made. The colors are usually black on white on black.
The layers are translucent, this allows the artist to create shading effects by removing material to allow the background layer to show through. This way a very realistic, life-like quality to a figure can be achieved.
For example thinning the top black layer on a three layer stone changes its color to shades of brown. Removing material from the white layer creates shades of blue or grey depending on the color of the base.
These cameos are carved by hand usually working from photographs of the subject. The fact that there is usually only one copy made means that the tooling costs involved rule out the ultrasonic carving process.
There are very few people working in this field as this is one of the hardest challenges for any gemstone carver. The combination of a highly developed artistic ability, craft skill and many years of experience are needed to be able to create life-like portraits.
It is quite rare, these days, for subjects other than portraits to be carved by hand as agate cameos. The traditional themes of classical scenes from mythology or a standard image of a young lady, are more likely to be made with the help of the ultrasonic carving machine as a limited collection of typically 50 to 200 pieces.
These are mass produced reproductions of a hand carved cameo.
A mold is taken from the original cameo. This is used to crest a die which is placed in a vertical milling machine. Diamond slurry is placed between the tool and the stone and in seconds a cameo is produced.
Up to 10 cameos can be produced before the die becomes worn and needs to be replaced.
These agate cameos sell for under $100 and can be viewed as similar in value to a print taken from an original painting.
Creating Unique Custom Jewelry for 29 years. Portrait Cameos © Copyright 2010 Gareth Eckley.
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© Gareth Eckley
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