[missioni]

Hello everyone,
I am in the process of formulating ideas for an article on how to carve hands for Wood Carving Illustrated and would like to get your thought on what you would like to see. Let me know your trouble spots too.

To see my carvings you can go to our web site @ Santa Collection 2004. To see earlier work click on the 2003 and 2002 links in the left column.

Thanks
Dale and Tamara

[AlArchie]

I've only carved one figure with hands...Ol' Witch Hazel.....and my main problem was getting the size of the hands right when compared to the rest of the body. I think mine came out a mite too small, although they were a woman's hands and not so large as a man's would be. Maybe some tips on sizing hands to the figure size??? Not only planing the hands, but maintaining the proportions as you carve.

Another thought....there are at least two genres of developing hands...one, the caricature, which seems to be larger than life in both hands and feet (exagerated) and the more realistic style, that falls into the category of carving Santas', elves, realistic or stylized humans, etc. Maybe some comparisons with these styles.

Al

[Kenny_S]

Excellent article and I mirror what ALA said on comparison of Caricature hands vs realistic ones. Cared a Hillbilly years ago and remember that I had a hard time making it look real enough holding a gun. The only other hands I carved was praying hands and the fingures came out way to long.


Thanks for asking and can't wait to read the article.

[big_Wayne_P]

Seems like every time I pick up a carving knife or gouge
I end up carving my left hand

guess I should wear a glove or put the carving in a vise

[Mitchell]

Well, it looks like getting the size right is at the top of the list now.

My trouble is getting the fingers to appear as separate digits. My hands generally look like a flat (or nearly flat) piece of wood extended out of the sleeve.....with slits in the ends. I am maybe exaggerating a little, but it is difficult to get them to look half way decent.

[Callynne]

Wow Dale, an article on carving ANYTHING by you will be what I'm looking for!! After seeing your work 'in person' I'm so ANXIOUS to see what you come up with. Maybe it can be a series until we do a whole carving Dale Woodard style....that would make me SUPER HAPPY!! OH, OH....then they could do a series on painting....Tamara style. Makes my head buzz, just thinking about the possibilites!! Good luck, in case you hadn't noticed...I'm REALLY looking forward to your article!! Callynne

[jax]

Showing the hands at the various stages of life.....infant, youth, middle and old age would be helpful.

Showing the hands, and fingers, holding various items.

Showing the hands in an "emotional state" i.e. anger, relaxed, tense, etc.

Showing female and male hands.

Showing the anatomy of the hand including the "bones".

Jax.

I've been to your site many times and always leave with something learned just by observing your work.

This time I went in and only focused on your hands, what an impact, most of the time they are holding something, a large variety of different hand postions, the length and thickness of the fingers and joints, and each hand has three demenisional depth. The use of the index finger in some postions is just fantastic realistic planning.

This is going to be a great learning tool for us all to read & re-read again, we need the basic understanding of the carving steps/procedure to complete a hand, but also the additional "carved tweaking" that you provide, giving it the realistic hand look and feel.

[missioni]

Thanks for the ideas, I hope I can live up to the task.
And Callynne STOP IT, I have ahard enough time getting a hat to fit my huge noggin!

IF anyone else has any ideas let here them.

Dale & Tamara

[Callynne]

I meant every word of it, Dale....good luck finding that bigger hat!! Callynne