[gene messer]

Two Simple projects that dont take very long with the little fellas ...

1. Titled: Man's Best Friend ... Old Man ( 2 1/2 inches high)... Dog ( 1 1/2 inches high)

2. Titled : .. Little Guy ( 3 inches tall)

Both basswood

Thanks for letting me share ..
God Bless
Gene

[Eddy Smiles]

Nice work Gene!

[windsong]

Hi Gene
Great Job.I love them all!!!You have inspired me to try harder.I have carved about 4 since i posted the last ones. Thank you for posting the little guys photos.Like i said before that where i,m getting my ideal.
Vic.

[chpster90bu]

Wonderful, Gene! You are great at this "flat plane" stuff, and I am in awe at your ability to carve so small. What I really admire is the personalities that show up in your carvings. They are all so different! Bonnie

[Banjo]

Gene, another couple of cuties for sure!! The one with the little hound dog is my favorite! Great job! ~ Joy

[GeorgiaCarver]

Wow! That is some good stuff.

I need to keep working and trying :>) This flat plane stuff is hard. You realy have a tallent for it though, nice job.

Greg

[Kenny_S]

You and me both Greg. Haven't got the cpncept of flat plane carving either.

Gene, Jolly good stuff. Love the man and dog. The other is great also.

[Thomp]

Great job gene,

I was thinking of doing a skotty dog as well, found pictures on a akc site and was fixing to get started but lynns horse progect got in the way...

i been recarving the same old ones in some quarter sawn pine, not as good as white pine, resen layers are still too hard, but it works. besides there scraps, already cut just about to size from nother project.


where did you learn the carving techniques?
from which book or video?
come on ya gotta tell.

[gene messer]

Thank you all for all the kind comments .. Carvers like yourself bring me honor in saying anything good about my work .. (excuse me , FUN)

I have been working so much .. I havent had time to answer much .. But Thank you all for your kindness ...

Thomp : It's hard to explain how I learned this technique .. There were so many carvers that inspired me .. Andy Anderson .. Harley Refsal .. Trygg ... and others ..

But the main reason I learned to carve basically with a knife is because I started carving because of my first wife's battle with breast cancer .. I needed something to do with the long hours in the cancer hospitals and the long day's at home taking care of her for 6 years before she passed .. .
That's really why I learned to use only a knife .. because I couldnt take a lot of tools with me while sitting in hospital rooms and clinics .. So I carved with only a knife and just began experimenting with different cuts and ways to use the knife .. These characters are the result of that experimenting ..
To be honest with you ... I carve this way because I learned this way ..

I hate to say I learned carving through tragedy in my life .. but that was part of it ... and Ia'm thankful God gave me something positive to carry on even though he allowed the lost of my wife ..

I thank you for your kind interest .. and maybe someday .. I can figure out how to show my way of doing this .. but Ia'm not much of a teacher like so many wonderful carvers are on this site ..

Maybe some ideas are helpful ..

Thank you all again for your kindness ..

[Thomp]

Gene ,


Sorry to hear of your misfortune and my sympathy for your loss,
but in times of sickness and greif its tough to keep you going, glad to see carving was one way for you to turn this tradgidy into some rather well learned skill..

i was expecting to hear i bought a tape or book..

since your first posted carving i knew there was some rather good carving being done under the guidance of your knife. but flatplane is new term to most all us uneducated carvers. so i had to ask where you learned as im to the point i need a book,
i could keep bumbling along faking it but theres got to be a method to this madness...

great little guys youve done, and you learned well..
thanks for shairing.