My first woodspirit

[Eddy-Smiles]

Rnorth... Excellent first try! If you choose to go back and modify this one it is as others have pointed out, very feasible. You have plenty of wood left to do it and you're really very close. If not then set it aside and try again refering back to your initial try. Use it as reference for what you want to do different!

[gene-messer]

Good try .. dont be discouraged .. jsut keep learning .. we have all been there at that starting gate before .. Thanks so much for sharing

Gene

[Dan Wegiel]

You have gotten some great advise from the forum and always will. I think everyone here is so helpful and inspiring. Keep practicing and you will surprise yourself in time.

Dan

[xsailer]

rnorth,
Looks to me like you haven't uncovered the mouth yet. It's still waiting back there for you to uncover it. Seriously from the picture, you haven't taken enough wood away to show the mouth. Keep goin. For me the hardest part of carving and the least fun is the rough out.

Roughing out is Bum Bum Bum.
Detailing is fun fun fun.

[Blinky Bill]

G'day,
That's a darned good start you have made. Human faces terrified me (still do in fact) and I wouldn't even attempt them until I read an excellent tutorial in WCI about carving wood spirits in live trees. The article was about a member of this forum, Mr. Colin Partridge and the tutorial was easy to follow, just had to substitute handtools for the chainsaw that Colin uses. The article appeared in the Spring 2005 WCI Issue #30 if you can buy or borrow a copy, I just know you will get great value from the step by step instructions. Good Luck
John