Dumb Bird!

[Irish]

But fun!!!! Lots of fun!!!!


Needing to unwind after dinner last night I grabbed up my carving kit and found a 1"x1"12" basswood practice stick on which I had started carving a wood spirit. The wood spirit went very, very wrong.

I cut off about 3 1/4" of the unworked end of the stick and started whittlin' a little bird. It was just something to do with my hands while we watched TV.

He only took an hour as I stuck with a simple, primitive carving style. The carving went well, my joints were nice a clean, the wood cut very smooth .... but when finished he looked like a little dumb bird worked from the scrap end of a practice stick!

So this morning I was about to throw him away ... but then had second thoughts. The carving isn't 'bad', the bird just had no personality. Figuring there was no way to ruin him I decided to go ahead and add some color.

I used watercolors directly to the raw, unsealed wood. If the painting didn't work I could always wash it off in the sink.

burnt umber to the enitre bird
yellow ochre to the belly area
peach to the belly directly under the wings at to the point under his tail.
yellow ochre to the back half of the wings
white to the throat area on the belly about one half way back towards the tail
black, dry brushed to the top of his head, shoulder area of the wings, beak, eyes , and the tip of the tail feathers
white added with a pencil point drop to the eyes

Then I gave him several ight coats of matte spray sealer.

OK ... the coloring only made him into a "Plain Jane" sparrow ... I really needed something to spruce this litte guy up.

I've been doing some bent-wire jewelry lately and my jewelry kit was right next to my carving kit. I grabbed some 18-gauge copper wire, my flush-wire cutters, and my bent-nose pliers.

I cut two 16" lengths of wire. 6" from one end I bent the wire into a tight u-bend, gripped both wires from the U, and tightly twisted the wires together using my bent-nose pliers for 1" - first toe done! 1" from this toe I made a second tight U-bend and twisted the second toe. I made a total of four toes. Bending the toes into the foot profile brought my two long un-worked wires back together at the center point. So I twisted those two wires together.

Now I have two very, very long legs with four toes each. I cut the two legs to measure 6" tall then made two holes in the bottom of my bird using my tight U-gouge (veining gouge) and with a little Gorilla glue quickly had them set into place.

OK! Now he's getting somewhere.

I decided the bright copper was a little too much so I added a quick coat of black acrylic paint over the wire. It did not cover all of the copper look ... which I really like.

But I was not quite there yet .... thinking .... still thinking ....

A scarf!!! This little dumb bird needed a winter scarf to keep him warm. So grabbing a little burgundy red fabric I cut a 1/2" wide by 12" long strip, ironed it flat, folded it over at the center and tied it around his neck. I trimmed the ends about 1" from the table ... so that he wouldn't trip over it when he decides to take a walk.

Walking!!!! I think my dumb little bird should be walking ... so I bent one leg!

So now, he is still a dumb little bird BUT he has 6" long copper walking legs and a lovely little winter scarf .... and a touch of personality.

I just might try this one again using a 2" square practice stick for a fatter body and perhaps 12-gague wire to hold the extra weight ... I just might be dangerously close to being creative now that I have a plan!

If you do try this "dumb little bird" or even make it into a "dumb little snowman" ... please post your carvings here!!!!

If you have gotten into a 'how do I save this' situation with one of your carvings please share what you had and what you did to rescue the carving!!!

Susan
(Lora S. Irish)

[Thor]

Love it, love it, love it! It is one of those dear little things that I couldn't just walk past, but would have to stop and smile at.
thanks for showing it to us Susan.
Christina

[Irish]

Christina! I can't decide whether I want to get out my double point 00 knitting needles and a little fingering yarn and make him a stocking cap ... or ... go to the craft store, get a couple of 1'2" pom-poms and with some more copper wire make him ear muffs .... Heh, heh, heh!

Susan

[Thor]

I vote for the stocking cap....maybe with a pom pom on the end of a long cap.
You're too much. Getting into the season for cold weather aren't you?
Good to see you're having fun.
C

[Just Carving]

Quick and Cute Susan! Add a 3/8" gold bell for the Holidays too! LOL

Bob L

[Paul_Guraedy]

As I looked through the new posts I thought, "Dumb Bird, Susan, Wood Carving for Beginners"? No way could I keep from looking at this.

I took a look along the thumbnails and thought, "What the hell? Started laughing. With those feet....got to be a snowbird!"

Wonderful Susan. But even more enjoyable than the carving is the journey you took us on as your artistic thought process developed.

Enjoyable, educational and thought provoking. Thank You!

[kdispoto]

Scrap wood never looked better!

[Irish]

Thanks Ken!

Paul, My beloved Michael has put his two cents into the project. Once I finish knitting Thor's pom-pom stocking cap I am to carve an 8" high snow shovel for my little 'dumb bird" ...

Grin!!!

Susan

[Irish]

Bob! The bells worked great. I just tucked the ends of the scarf into the holes and glued them on.

I decided that my "dumb bird" needed a little more color so I added some red to the sides of the wings and head. Then I used titanium white to the tops of the cheeks, sides of the belly and tipped the tail.

I think the pom-pom ear muffs are a bit too much. Luckily they are removable.

Now ... my son ... wants me to paint the whole thing bright pink and name it Marylandania Flamingois ... sigh!

Susan

[Grayhorn]

That cute little bird just keeps getting better and better. Can't wait till it's done!! We all need a spark in our lives and you just gave me one. Thnaks so much.