Course details
Learn to scrimshaw, even if you can't draw!
The Whalemen of the 19th century were not artists on a pleasure cruise, they were sailors and laborers on rolling seas in harsh conditions, far from home often for years. When they weren't swabbing the decks or mending sails, they would spend their idle time with primitive tools and supplies creating useful devices from pie crimpers to complex swifts, then sell them when they reached home or a port.
The captains of the ships… + Read More
Course details
Learn to scrimshaw, even if you can't draw!
The Whalemen of the 19th century were not artists on a pleasure cruise, they were sailors and laborers on rolling seas in harsh conditions, far from home often for years. When they weren't swabbing the decks or mending sails, they would spend their idle time with primitive tools and supplies creating useful devices from pie crimpers to complex swifts, then sell them when they reached home or a port.
The captains of the ships would often have a barrel or two of whale teeth and would hand them out to sailors so they'd occupy their time with something other than fighting or gambling. Using the skin of sharks to sand and polish the teeth, then using their knives or sailing needles, they would set about creating their works of art, rubbing in lamp black to reveal their work.
Today, the art of scrimshaw is carried on by dedicated artists and craftspersons using 21st century tools and materials: iron needles replaced by tungsten scribes, whale teeth replaced by natural and man-made substances, and the catalogs replaced by images from the internet.
From the start of these lessons, you will learn how the whalemen fashioned their timeless scrimshaw. Thanks to modern tools and materials available, you'll also learn:
- The best ways to sand your material to achieve a mirror-like finish
- How to fashion and sharpen your own scribing tool
- How to seal your material so ink won't go where you don't want it
- Where to find your tools and materials (many are local!)
- How to draw stylized subjects freehand
- Shading using stippling and scribed lines
- A list of possible scrimshaw projects for gifts, keepsakes and more
Learn to scrimshaw as the whalemen did using eco-friendly materials and 21st century tools to create your own timeless art.
Updated on 22 March, 2018 - Read Less
