Carved face - first carving

[Toffeeliz]

i did this is one afternoon with the almost blunt tools that my college had for carving. I used gouges mostly and a flat chisel on the sides I think, its been a few weeks since I made this. I found the wood, pine, kept splitting a lot, but was nice and soft to use. If theres anything in this piece that would help indicate my strengths/weaknesses please say so

sorry that it looks so rough heh...

[tucker1931]

Toffeeliz, it's show promise, but needs a lot of work, but hey, it's your first one and definitely a start. What ever you do, don't get rid of it, because six months from now you'll look at it snd have a good laugh. Your basic structure is there, the nose is pretty good and I like the curve of the mouth (sort of a sneer). The eyes really don't exist yet but that will come. There are several eye tutorials under the tutorial heading, have a go at some of them, that will definitley be a big help to you.
Cliff

[Toffeeliz]

yeah, the eyes were gouged out, just making them shadows; the whole thing is 11.5cm tall so the gouges are as big as the tips of my thumbs. I'll go and check out those tutorials thank you very much! Happy

[Ashbys]

Pine is a fun media to use. But has unique propetries that can make it difficulte to work.

It does show the tools were dull, which resulted in the pulling of the wood. It also shows that your cuts were not always cuts. The second thing that causes the fibering of the wood.

Things you did right in my opinion, your gave a good form of the head, , location of the eye sockets in perspective looks good. Excellent brow line. The cheeks and the jaw line have a good realtionship.

You have a good general perspective of the human head, you formed it well for a first piece , it shows promise. I hope you contintue.

Ash

[Toffeeliz]

Originally Posted by Ashbys

It also shows that your cuts were not always cuts. The second thing that causes the fibering of the wood.

What do you mean by this? do you mean when i've stabbed in deeply and taken a lot off in one chunk?　becuase I think thats how most of the damage was caused.

[sbirkes]

What I find most encouraging about the carving is that you didn't go for the straight slit of a mouth. You decided to go with an attitude. You also supported the mouth with a change in the smile line on his right cheek. When the corner of the mouth goes up the smile line changes. You knew this and were able to carve it that way.

In a first (or 50th) carving you certainly showed a lot of understanding. Now all you need is to sharpen those tools.

You said the tools were "college" tools. Art School ?

[Dean Dickerson]

Help! I'm attempting to expand my wood carving interests. I've carved many
wood spirts with palm knives, but now I'm interested in carving figures using dremmel tools. I don't even know what all the carving bits are used for that came with my dremmel! Where can I learn how to identify and use these things, internet? Thanks, Dean

[Ashbys]

Stabbed is a good word. When you stab the wood it doesn't cut, it tears or rips. Cutting is a smooth action, that doesn't press or break the wood fibers.

With a knife or a chisel your looking to slice the wood. If the wood is tearing , your not cutting.

Your chisel will cut and push at the same time. As it cuts to one side it pushes the other , when you stab that act is not one of allowing the cutter to work , as you are forcing the wood, so the increased pressure causes the wood to splinter to make room for the chisel. That splintering results in the wood breaking.

It is normal for that to happen, it is part of the learning process. As is prying , as you learn you will not stab or pry, and your finish cuts will become cleaner when you cut across the grain. Also sharper tools will reduce the effect.

Ash

[Toffeeliz]

Originally Posted by sbirkes

What I find most encouraging about the carving is that you didn't go for the straight slit of a mouth. You decided to go with an attitude. You also supported the mouth with a change in the smile line on his right cheek. When the corner of the mouth goes up the smile line changes. You knew this and were able to carve it that way.

In a first (or 50th) carving you certainly showed a lot of understanding. Now all you need is to sharpen those tools.

You said the tools were "college" tools. Art School ?

I draw a lot, faces/imagined portraits/characters especially, so I know a lot about the muscles in the face. I think maybe I should have opened the mouth a bit but by then I'd carved the upper lip just as I wanted I think. Originally it was a scowl but scowls aren't fun

And yep, art college/school. I travel an hour there and an hour back each day on the train to get there, but its worth it (the tools were sharpened the next time I used them).

Originally Posted by Ashbys

Stabbed is a good word. When you stab the wood it doesn't cut, it tears or rips. Cutting is a smooth action, that doesn't press or break the wood fibers.

With a knife or a chisel your looking to slice the wood. If the wood is tearing , your not cutting.

Your chisel will cut and push at the same time. As it cuts to one side it pushes the other , when you stab that act is not one of allowing the cutter to work , as you are forcing the wood, so the increased pressure causes the wood to splinter to make room for the chisel. That splintering results in the wood breaking.

It is normal for that to happen, it is part of the learning process. As is prying , as you learn you will not stab or pry, and your finish cuts will become cleaner when you cut across the grain. Also sharper tools will reduce the effect.

Ash

This is really helpful thanks! I do go for big chunks at a time, but I think I've learnt now to take it bit by bit

[wacky1]

time for all and sharp tools. Keep it up more you do the better you get