nose help

[carvinmom]

Im having problems carving a realistic nose, especially Native American. Could someone help me in choosing the right chisel or sweep to use around the nostril and up the sides to make the right proportion? I wish to order the right one so need number and mm..... Also Do you start the eyes or the nose first.. thank you so much for sharing.....

[Donsexton]

Hello, it would depend on how large the head you are carving I have carved a few Indian heads larger than life size. I use English tools, so for a life size head I would use a ¼” # 8 and a #11 or a ¼”round nose burr.

[Curly Early]

CarvinMom, I do not want to take over your thread with too much info, but this is how I start making this egg into an indian head. First picture, I make an arc cut where the eyes will be, this also recesses the top of the nose. Then I cut under the nose and up the sides of it. I will use one tool for all the roughing out, its a deep U, I like the tall sides of the gouge to get rid of excess quickly. I think you can see it in a picture. After getting it close, I use a shallow gouge to do the top of the nose, the bottom of the nose and lips, top and bottom. For these cuts, you'll be using the shallow gouge upside down. I'll try to find another picture to show this

[kev.b]

Earl really impressed with that carving and thanks for the pics

[SlowMover]

I carve in the rough shape of the nose first, then the base for the eyes. i then refine the nose before starting on the eyes. if you do the eyes first, you run the risk of messing them up when you carve the nose..also the nose (in my opinion), needs to be blocked in first to help with the correct placement of the eyes..just the way I do it...there are as many ways to carve as there are carvers. The size of the tools needed depend on the size of the carving as Don points out...but a knife is sort of like a cresent wrench...one size fits most.

[Curly Early]

I found the pictures with the shallow gouge where I used it to make the end of the nose and the lips. A nose doesn't sit on the face, but from the side you can see it is back in the face, so when you make the sides of the nose, you must press into the face and go deeper to get the nose to sit into the face. I think picture 4 shows the nose not on, but as part of the face. Back to your question about tools, someone stated correctly that it depends on the size of your carving how it will affect the size of your tools. My heads pictured are 3" goose eggs, when I make larger carvings, Iwill obviously use larger tools. I will then add, for my goose eggs, I use a deep gouge, about 1/4" wide, same 1/4" size shallow gouge, small U gouge 1/8" and small V tool and of course, a knife.

[Irishman]

I use a # 7 sweep from most of my noses and I have various sizes to suit the size of the carving and nose I am doing.
I personally start with the nose before other facial parts as it serves as the centre to work from. Your getting some good suggestions here but if you need more specifics, just ask.
Patrick

[cgm]

Hi Earl, great job on the carving.
Carl

[carvinmom]

Originally Posted by Donsexton

Hello, it would depend on how large the head you are carving I have carved a few Indian heads larger than life size. I use English tools, so for a life size head I would use a ¼” # 8 and a #11 or a ¼”round nose burr.

I should have mentioned the size of the carving as you mentioned. I like to work on 2" ornaments but do a lot of 3"x 8" shelf sitters. I also do 3"eggs. I have some flexcut tools but im just building my supplies. I believe its the roundness by the nostrils that are difficult and getting the nose deep enough to have enough wood to work with. So maybe this will help,, thanks,linda in montana

[carvinmom]

this is great !! The pictures sure help .. Lots of ideas and im interested in the flexcut cause the handles fit my hand so good. So believe the 1/4" #8 and #11 might be a start and a u gouge. Im just trying to figure out the difference between gouges, chisels and skews @@. I only started with a pocketknife and use a straight knife and thats it, just need to get some gouges for that concave action. thank you for the info, linda in montana