Golfball Gallery

[mongrelmutt]

Hi all,

I'm new to carving (only 6 months) and have only done golfballs and some minor whittling. Can anyone take a look at my gallery and give me pointers on carving more realistic faces? especially ears and hair. Thanks so much.

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/...lmutt&x=19&y=8

[AlArchie]

Offhand (from a guy who can't carve faces) I'd say JUST KEEP DOIN' WHATEVER IT IS YOUR A'DOIN'!!!

Those all are clever, creative and well done!

Al

[Mitchell]

I really like alot of these mutt.

My absolute favorite is the smiling face (5th one, I think). The green smiling face near the bottom is a close #2.

Others that I really like are the baby with the blond hair and the old lady. There's some good eyes carved here and your pieces show expression. The piece near the bottom with the hair and mustache coming under the hat is good too - I see no problem with the ear and hair.

If you want to try something new with the ear, take a little larger gouge and just take a small scoop out on the inside going from the top outside "corner" and in towards the middle. It does not have to be a deep cut - just to make the outer edge of the ears appear to be coming away from the head. AND/OR even more detail could be added by using the same veiner that you used to make a little "y" to give the inside of the ear some convulations (is that the correct word?). Hang on while I try to set this up.....

Picture the right ear - looking at it from the front - it would appear as a 'C'. The "y" can be carved into the ear sort of and backwards and rotated about 45 degrees clockwise - with the first cut being the long leg from NEAR the outside edge of the ear to the top inside corner - between 1 and 2 o'clock. The short leg would then be from the middle of the long leg to not quite 3 o'clock - above the center of the ear. Note: you really don't want the bottom of the long leg to start at the edge of the ear, but inside that space if possible. The top of the 'y' should connect to the inside edge of the ear.

Maybe someone can post a little picture - if they can figure out what I just wrote.

[Mitchell]

I'll give another little "trick"... Using your 2nd pic. as an example for eyes.

Add a little bag under the eye (as you have done on some of the others), but put a little triangle cut at the outside corner of the bag for a more dramatic effect. This should line up just outside the outside corner of the eye with the triangle pointing down and away from the eye.

This will not work on all carvings! It's just a way to change some types of expression. For example, it would not work at all on the carving in the 4th slide.

I like the bagginess under the eye in the 9th carving (yellow face). It has a very good expression. You might try adding a wrinkle in the forehead. Angle it down - coming almost perpendicular to the inside in relation to the eye line.

(I suppose I need to learn how to post some drawings to help with my ramblings.)

[Colin-Partridge]

By looking at the gallery I think you have the golfballs down pat. As for doing hair and beards it is just a matter of sharp tools and practice. Try switching to bass wood now. Some times myself included we have to step out of our comfort zone I am doing that now and really enjoying it.
Colin

[Bartster]

great carvings best carved golfballs i have seen in awhile. you should try them in wood now. you have done a great job with these

wood-whittler

[mongrelmutt]

Thanks for all the kind comments. Mitchell, those tips were exactly what I was looking for. A pic would help but I think you gave me enough information. Much obliged. One of the reasons I carve in golf balls so much is that my tools don't dull as quick. I can't sharpen for anything, lol , I guess I better *hone" my skills so to speak.

[Nancy-G]

I gave serious thought to "lifting" your "Hag" to use as my avatar then figured we didn't know each other well enough YET. lol.
Obviously you're not in need of much instruction -- you're doing a great job. Just take a photo of somebody's ear and use it as a model. I take photos of husband's hands, nose, ears, whatever and keep them on file for reference.

[Mitchell]

No problem mongrelmutt. Like I said, I really like the expression. My "tips" aren't meant to correct anything you've done, just add to the possibilities for future reference. I'll dig up an article that I recently read by Harold Enlow on carving hair. I "think" Rick posted something that linked to it, but I just haven't figured out how to get back to it yet.

I'll work on the pictures.

[mongrelmutt]

Nancy,

You are more then welcome to use the hag as your avatar. I doubt you are a hag though. :-) Thank you for the encouraging words. I'm just winging all this. I wish there was a place for formal instruction in northern Virginia. BTW, I peeked at your gallery. Your Santas are Wonderful. I love those big curly beards.