First attempt at Pete Leclairs charactures

[Gear Dog]

I was doing ok until I got to the eyes because some of the cuts. It wasn't until I got a few pages past the initial cuts that I realized I was doing the brows and eyes.
I think I'm going to practice just the eyes again before working on another head. Excuse the picture quality but it was taken with my phone.

[aulddiy]

Maybe you should look at what you've done right. Give yourself a pat on the back. Can anyone carving everything right? I doubt it.

[brent]

Finish the piece. It looks fine at this point.

[Gear Dog]

Yes well we are our worst critics right. In the study sticks thread Thomp posted a link to a study stick on eyes. I happen to have some wood here at my desk and I'm going to practice a few eyes.

[Canopener]

Looks OK to me, and you have lots of wood left.
Also you are not the first to make a boo boo and have to correct it.
It's all part of learning.
Jim

[Claude]

I would suggest not worrying about the eyes, as such, until you've carved more on the head. You're at what I'd call a "rough rough-out", and you need to proceed to a "smooth rough-out" - meaning the shape needs to get closer to the final, not sanded! For example, if you look at the mouth/teeth. They are currently in a straight line (as I see the photo). Now go look at Pete's photo/drawing: the teeth and mouth are curved. This is one place to work on. Another place is/are (?) the ears. Shape them to generic ear shapes without the detail so you can get a better idea of how the whole thing looks. Carve in the smile lines and cheeks with a bit more detail. The eye mounds need to be set back a bit more so he has eye brows...you can do the final detailing of the eyes later.

I guess what I'm trying to say is take off a little bit here and a little bit there until it looks like what you are trying to achieve, without trying to do the final version of any part until other parts have caught up...

Anyhow, that's how I'd do it. I'm sure others will have other opinions. I think your basic shape is fine so far. Don't get discouraged!

Claude

[Terry Vance]

If you don't like the eyes ... carve them off. There is another set right behind those. Looks like you have enough wood. Then just move everything back some or let him have a really big schnoz.

Don't give up.

[Dan S]

Just a thought. Finish the carving as best you can. You still have plenty of wood to play with. It will probably turn out better than you think. Save the final product so you can watch your improvement. You will be surprised how fast it goes.

Dan

[Gear Dog]

Thanks for all of the advice and encouragement. I guess I just get discouraged when I can't follow along with the pictures. Normally the first attempt helps me understand how the cuts bring out the features. I have plenty of wood to practice on so I'm just going to keep going. It's funny just the other night while I was shaping the head my wife was looking at my first carving. It was an old guy that I found a step by step on here. She told me I had come a long way. Little comments like that and when she asks if she can keep one of the carvings are what make want to carve more. That and when my kids see me with a fresh block and they ask what's inside that one.
Again thanks for the kind words I will post up some more progress pic's soon.

Ken

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

looks like you "boxed" his ears LOL...just kidding, have fun!