Scrimshaw in progress #1: Hamster Portrait on Tagua Nut

Thought I'd share a little in-progress work. This is a tagua nut - also known as vegetable ivory. I'm attempting a scrimshaw design of a hamster portrait on the nut.


I have outlined the figure, and darkened shadow spots with black. There's already hundreds of tiny black dots and etch marks on this pendant, and they have been filled with black. I'm getting ready to start the colored parts next. I'm working from dark to light as far as color is concerned. It's going to be a pendant, framed in sculpted silver solder when complete...and hopefully it will turn out good! I'm relatively new to scrimshaw work. This will be the 4th pendant I've made so far in this technique. The process is excruciatingly LONG...but I love challenges and need to work on my patience anyway :) , so I'm going for it!