I'am new to carving. I picked up a blank at the local carvers show and now I am hooked. I started out carving a donkey.
I like working on animals alot. But the diffrent views they gave me don't show much detail like the eyes or mouth area.
Would like to finish. But think I need something diffrent to help me with this area. Any suggestions to help me along?.

Jay ???

Learning how and when to put in details takes time. Eyes especially can be very difficult for carvers. The size of the carving has much to do with determining the type or style of eye.
On a large carving you must create a realistic eye, you can not apply that much detail to a very small carving. Mainly because most woods will not hold the detail. If you apply a certain level of detail to any one feature, it must be applied to the remaining carving.

It is important to remember that most carvings are 'six foot carvings', that is to say; they are normally viewed from six feet away. So the critical view is from that distance.
I always tell my students: 'If it doesn't look great from a distance, no amount of detail will improve it'.

Where you find details like eyes, color, and shape is in books; lots of them. Carvers refer to this as reference material; non-carvers call it a library. If you are serious about carving, you will eventually have one in your house.

[Nancy_G]

You can also go to http://www.google.com , click on images and type in donkey in the 'Search' space. You'll get many thousand pictures of donkeys ...... a few will be useful to you

thanks so much for the help and the tips. I do have alot to learn. I will look for some good books. Again thanks

Jeanine

Jay,
There are lots of carving books available on animals. Â*When doing the first few, I think I'd try one of the step-by-step books (check Fox Chapel Publishing or Wood Carving Illustrated magazine). Â*After you have tried a few carvings, you can get more adventuresome and original--unless you are one of those rare, natural talents. Â*Most of us aren't--we just keep learning from each other and experience. Â*Mostly we seem to learn what doesn't work!

Good luck. Â*Sounds like you are hooked like the rest of us. Â*Ditto on the reference library. Â*I never carve something new without lots of pictures. Â*And proportion also is important in all carvings--even caricatures.
Donna T

I wish I did have one of those rare talents but don't think so. But like the way it takes me away for awhile. I wish I had more time to work on carving. I work alot so when I do have the chance I try to spend it creating. I wanted to try it years ago and put it off. I am glade I went to that show. I talked with the carvers and they all seamed to say they where just happy that there first carving looked like something. I am glade it looks like a donkey, but part of me is where it wants to learn everything I can. Plan to spend alot of time at the library in the next few days.

Jeanine

Welcome to the gang, Jeanine. All I can add to the already-great advice you've gotten here is to just take it slowly and enjoy yourself. Don't think you have to get every detail right your first time out. That'll only frustrate you and you won't enjoy yourself so much. If your first attempt LOOKS like a donkey, then you've already won that battle.

Relax and enjoy :-)

Teri

To add my two cents worth, look at a real donkey if possible. I find that just watching a subject that I want to carve helps put things in perspective. The way the hair lays(lies?) the angle of the ears , creases ....
What I'm trying to say is OBSERVATION is the best tool you can develope, whether it is from pictures or life form.
Hope this helps

I know a horse and donkey are different : but i have some close up pictures of a carousel horse on my website that may give you some ideas. Its at ;
http://www.geocities.com/wwdusty2000...rouselpics.htm

Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Good luck! Â* ol fred

[Callynne]

Â* Â* Hmmm, whittle him up there at the mall, Old Fred? Â* Â* Callynne