Top Hand Rancher

That is a great carving. Carving like that is a skill I hope to develop one day. Thanks for sharing your work.

-- Peter, Woodbridge, Ontario

Thanks for your kind words Peter. I to Peter am constantly learning all I can to carve correctly. I have a very long way to go but enjoy the adventure!

-- The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. "Helen Keller"

Your carving are always top notch,Michael.

-- Lidiya,Russia," I use wood to translate my mood".

Hi! Lidiya always great to hear from another carver. I have got to check out what I’ve missed out on projects here on lumberjocks as I have been busy on a large remodel of a house. Thanks again and when do I get to read the stories of your wonderful caricatures.

-- The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. "Helen Keller"

michael, good to see a new carving….looks great! personally I’m not very good with the clay .I couldn’t carve something to look the same twice if I tried.

-- steve...e-mail-themantelshop@hotmail.com........remember,the best teacher is repetition.

Thanks Steve. Been busy playing carpenter. Just need to spend more time carving.

-- The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. "Helen Keller"

Great to see anther piece of your art Michael. I always enjoy your human subjects because they always show character, emotion and the rough edge that hard living has given them. This one looks a little like the Duke to me.

-- Paul M ..............If God wanted us to have fiberglass boats he would have given us fiberglass trees. http://prmdesigns.com/

Paul, nice to hear from you. Iam embarrassed to say the Duke was the personality I tried to carve but failed to make happen. This was my first attempt at a technical carving. Trying to force the wood to make a image that I didn’t see in the wood. I believe it’s very hard to be a technical carver. So maybe I will get lucky and find the Duke hidden among some old tree trunks!

-- The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. "Helen Keller"

michael, very nice work. usually, I carve according a photo from front and a photo frome side of the midel (if I have)
When you made the clay, did you have some photos in front of you?

-- Eli Adamit, Israel

Perfect. Congratulations.

-- Jiri

That’s a great carving and I also see the similarities to the Duke. Perhaps a younger brother? I like his expression. Your model looks like he’s not happy about something. Perhaps he wanted to be the art rather then the model. Well done!

-- Dan - Valparaiso, Indiana, "A smart man changes his mind, a fool never does."

Hi Eli, Yes I did have photos in black and white of front side and 45 degree when I did the clay. Its very relaxing to carve forms already in the wood. You just remove what you don’t see. To be a technical carver and learn how to carve any form not seen in wood is very challenging. With peolple like you and many other professional woodworkers who have given me excellent advice. I will keep on trying to get it right. In the mean time I will keep up the search for already forms in wood. Well back to the library for more research!!!! Thanks Jiri I liked your pagan god Perun. Shop Tinker thanks for the comment. That clay model is getting ready to turn into Clint Eastwood. That’s the nice thing about platicine, never dries out and you can use it over and over.

-- The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. "Helen Keller"

Ya, Mike. That’s very good. Puts me in mind of John Wayne. Nice job!

Great job on The Duke!

I tried the clay model before and found it very helpful, but I’m usually too excited to start the real thing to take the time. That is probably my loss more than not….................I do make sketches first though….....

-- mtnwild (Jack), It's not what you see, it's how you see it.

Thanks Slabon kind of you. Jack I know exactly where your coming from. I know I should of took more time on my clay model but like you I couldn’t wait. Yes my carving suffered for my inpatient’s. I do believe the clay to be a valuable tool and will work on self control.Thanks for your input very valuable!!!!

-- The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. "Helen Keller"