# MOREL MUSHROOM FLASHLIGHT



## RGRAY (Feb 27, 2016)

Hello,
I am having a flashlight made with carved Morel mushrooms on it.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...s-%96-Yu-%28Sold-Out%29&p=4848377#post4848377
This is going to be a present to my wife and her 75 year old mother who still mushroom hunts. 
I would like to no if you're interested in one or have any ideas?


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## hombreluhrs (Feb 27, 2016)

I haven't found any morels yet but maybe a little light like this would help  I'm in!


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## RGRAY (Feb 27, 2016)

This is our starting point.



Some suggestions are:
no greenery
less greenery
more proportionate greenery
slightly more elongated mushrooms
*M M *on the bottom near the tritium vial
Morels written on the bottom side above the picture
Something like this.


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## RGRAY (Feb 27, 2016)

These lights will be deeply carved and beautiful.
You will be able to get them with patina in the carving or not,copper or brass, with or without a tritium vial so there will be some options too.
Maybe even two letter initials on the bottom.


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## muhaha (Feb 28, 2016)

Here are a couple of simple drafts with different layouts; horizontal and fill up. There will be more editing if you choose one of the layouts.


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## mcbrat (Feb 28, 2016)

I like the top one...


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## Tejasandre (Feb 28, 2016)

Me too


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## RGRAY (Feb 28, 2016)

OK, I think we are very close.
This is what I have come up with so far.
1. 3 Morels with grass
2. Morels written on bottom piece above the 3 mushrooms
3. Tritium vial (optional)
4. Initials (optional)
WHAT DO YOU THINK?


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## muhaha (Feb 28, 2016)

RGRAY said:


> OK, I think we are very close.
> This is what I have come up with so far.
> 1. 3 Morels with grass
> 2. Morels written on bottom piece above the 3 mushrooms
> ...


Any design has to fit into an area of 5 x 2.75; horizontal x vertical. If you eliminate one of the morels, it would leave the design close to a square shape, and by adding letters on top, it becomes vertical and won't fit into the area of etching. 
Let me work a couple of more layouts, based on the first one, with "morels" writing or a place for initials.


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## mcbrat (Feb 29, 2016)

if "Morel" is on the tail piece below the trit, does that help leave the head open for just the design?


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## Kestrel (Feb 29, 2016)

I like the idea but a had few suggestions. The one that really jumped out at me; there shouldn't really be any of the associated/adjacent green sprouts etc.
Morels of this particular type are found in what I call, 'needle-y duff' under Ponderosa pine etc. So a fluffy bed of long Ponderosa pine needles would be perfect.

Also, perhaps the Latin name for morels instead? The picture will be self-evident, so the proper name for them would be a nice touch IMO.
Best of luck,


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## mcbrat (Feb 29, 2016)

all depends on location. I rarely find them under pines in the midwest. usually looks like this...
http://media2.fdncms.com/pitch/imag...he-woods-for-th/u/original/5135097/morels.jpg


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## Kestrel (Feb 29, 2016)

mcbrat said:


> all depends on location. I rarely find them under pines in the midwest. usually looks like this...
> http://media2.fdncms.com/pitch/imag...he-woods-for-th/u/original/5135097/morels.jpg


Ah yes we do have that variant as well, at considerably lower elevation - under deciduous trees and such.
The evergreen-forest variant has a darker cap & is much more common here; it's the one I always first think of.

Probably will depend on where the OP resides etc.


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## RGRAY (Feb 29, 2016)

Kestrel said:


> I like the idea but a had few suggestions. The one that really jumped out at me; there shouldn't really be any of the associated/adjacent green sprouts etc.
> Morels of this particular type are found in what I call, 'needle-y duff' under Ponderosa pine etc. So a fluffy bed of long Ponderosa pine needles would be perfect.
> Also, perhaps the Latin name for morels instead? The picture will be self-evident, so the proper name for them would be a nice touch IMO.
> Best of luck,



I really like the idea of the Latin name, thank you. 



mcbrat said:


> all depends on location. I rarely find them under pines in the midwest. usually looks like this...
> http://media2.fdncms.com/pitch/imag...he-woods-for-th/u/original/5135097/morels.jpg



In Maryland, we find them from early to mid May and their color does vary (see picture above).
Here we find them in the grass in apple orchards and in woodlands under packed leaves near May Apples and Fiddler Ferns.
I've never seen them near pine needles.
They look like this.










Kestrel said:


> Ah yes we do have that variant as well, at considerably lower elevation - under deciduous trees and such.
> The evergreen-forest variant has a darker cap & is much more common here; it's the one I always first think of.
> Probably will depend on where the OP resides etc.



Here the best way to hunt them is at farmer markets. 
Some times you can find them for around $100 a gallon.
I have a connection who gets them in Pennsylvania.

Did you know they freeze well?

We had them for New Year's dinner.


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## RGRAY (Feb 29, 2016)

Morchella!


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## RGRAY (Feb 29, 2016)

*So who likes Morchella?*

Here's another picture of how we find them.




Does this look like how you would find them in pine needles?


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## RGRAY (Feb 29, 2016)

mcbrat said:


> if "Morel"(*Morchella*) is on the tail piece below the trit, does that help leave the head open for just the design?


Yes, that's what I'm thinking, only the design on the head.
Do we need more background or more Morels?


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## RGRAY (Feb 29, 2016)

Should the letters be script or block?


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## RGRAY (Feb 29, 2016)

I kind a like this type of greenery?


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## nbp (Feb 29, 2016)

Around here they are often found under dead elm trees, where the bark falls off and piles up. You could put some bark around them. Lol.


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## muhaha (Mar 1, 2016)

I placed a couple of decorative items. Not sure if they are appropriate. Let me know a consensus scene and I will edit accordingly. 
I also have to prepare a presentation coming in China in a couple of weeks and forgive me if I do not reply in a timely fashion.


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## RGRAY (Mar 1, 2016)

muhaha said:


> I placed a couple of decorative items. Not sure if they are appropriate. Let me know a consensus scene and I will edit accordingly.
> I also have to prepare a presentation coming in China in a couple of weeks and forgive me if I do not reply in a timely fashion.



That's cute but not what we're looking for. 
No snail or mini mushrooms.
I think the mushrooms are looking better but the dimples are a little large.
The ground cover should be more and look more like my last two pictures.
No rush, we have a ways to go. 

Let's see what the other people think?


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## Kestrel (Mar 1, 2016)

RGRAY said:


> Does this look like how you would find them in pine needles?


Oh man, now you're getting me excited for spring morel hunting up in the Cascades, lol. 
BTW, if you could edit some of those pics for 800x800 max dimensions, thanks.


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## mcbrat (Mar 1, 2016)

agreed.



RGRAY said:


> That's cute but not what we're looking for.
> No snail or mini mushrooms.
> I think the mushrooms are looking better but the dimples are a little large.
> The ground cover should be more and look more like my last two pictures.
> ...


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## RGRAY (Mar 1, 2016)

Kestrel said:


> Oh man, now you're getting me excited for spring morel hunting up in the Cascades, lol.
> BTW, if you could edit some of those pics for 800x800 max dimensions, thanks.


Very sorry about the picture size.
I will have my wife show me how to reduce the picture size.
The pictures where very large from my laptop and Photobucket reduced them to this size.


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## muhaha (Mar 3, 2016)

Here I added some leaves and a couple of clover leaves. If this layout looks ok, I can add other stuff. The dimples are smaller here but they will have to be edited for etching. Etching is not as simple as tattooing. A design might look great on paper but they are just bad for etching.

There are limitations in etching on what can be etched and what can't. The finer details might not show during masking process. Thin protruding lines get etched away from below during deep etching. All those have to take into consideration when editing a design.


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