Have you started out carving something

Kenny_S · #1 02-09-2004, 07:39 PM

But really did not have in your mind what it would finish up to be. Say, You started out carving a dog and it ended up a cat.
I found myself with a piece of wood today and trying to figure out what it was that was in it. A duck, a horse, a cow, whatever and just started carving and I have a mallard drake roughed out now. I guess the piece of wood was telling me it was a mallard. Why not a 'wood duck'?
Did my mind wander? Hmmmmmmm!My little bride would say,' What mind'.
Strange day.
Am I the only one that has this or had that problem?

#2 02-10-2004, 08:18 AM

hey Kenny I do that all the time
usually I might have an idea of what I am trying to acomplish but I usually change it about half way through.

I try to use patterns, that way it keeps me on track an sorta keeps me from changing what I started out to do. Just finished a dog head handle for a cane. Pattern was for a german shepard with pointed ears but I changed the pattern to look more like my dog. I carve mostly wood spirits in walking sticks. Start them all the same. Can never get them to resemble each other.

#3 02-10-2004, 08:24 AM

I certainly hope that it is not a 'problem' because it happens to me all the time. Even when I start out with a picture or pattern out of a book or magazine about three minutes in I'm off doing something completely different. I don't think I've ever completely finished something I was trying to copy from an instruction article or pattern. I think it probably has something to do with subconsciously I really didn't want to carve whatever it was anyway. I seem to do best with some picture the wife cuts out of a magazine and puts on my desk. After it lays there for awhile, with umpteen others, one of them will kind of jump out at me.

Kenny_S · #4 02-10-2004, 10:56 AM

Wayne, I carve a lot of walking staffs for Eagle Scouts in Boy Scouts. It is an honor as I have done many for our local troop here in Caney,Ka. Just had one to recieve the honor of Eagle Scout but he did not want a staff, which surprised me but His loss. Anyway, I am starting a Mallard Duck nead cane handel for my brother-in-law. Overall legth will be 40 inches as he has a cane now but nothing on it and was wanted a carved one.
I usually use patterns but sometimes they just don't come out the way the pattern is.
Ed, I have found myself in starting a carving that I thought I wanted to do but then, grew tired of it and put it up. Mostly my carvings go to family members or other relatives. Thos eto relatives usually are setting on their bath room shelves. Maybe they are trying to tell me something :

Thanks for the replies.

#5 02-10-2004, 11:07 AM

I've started carving MANY things that turned out to be something else.........usually firewood! Oh, Well........firs I figger 'maybe', den I tink 'Oh!'

Al

Kenny_S · #6 02-10-2004, 01:26 PM

ALA,
I understand totally.

You see, I have this 'duck' that has a head of a Mallard Drake and the tail of a pentail. However, since it is carved out of 'wood', Me thinks I will paint it as a 'wood duck'. :

Me not crazy, me married!!

Colin_Partridge · #7 02-10-2004, 01:57 PM

I dont think I have ever had a carving turn out how I draw them. Usually before I do a commission I will sit down with the customer and we will decide on a specific carving. I think all of you know I only do woodspirits and tree spirits.(athough I do have a couple of santa's in the works.) 99 times out of 100 the carving does'nt look anything like the one that I draw on the scematic but you know I have never had one complaint. I think it is because freedom of expression is what I thrive on and once I get into the carving I just let my imagination go.
Colin

jamesfa · #8 02-10-2004, 03:24 PM

i usually will start out with a idea,sketch, or pattern and the finished carving is a reasonable facimily of the sketch.never have i started a dog and ended with a cat.like alarchie i have started some caricatures that ended up as small pieces of fire wood.the only time that i do a carving without a sketch is when i do wood spirits and then i let the piece of wood reveal the face inside

Ric · #9 02-10-2004, 09:14 PM

Ok so if we are being honest here....how about starting a carving and not have a clue what you are doing, I mean a total brain fart. In high school shop everything turned into an ash tray. Now a days a key chain is an honest excuse. The value of relief carving is that I always have the drawing on the wood. Its like painting with numbers. Of course in the round is another thing all together.

Ric