[BobD]

We've also got an article coming up in the next issue of WCI on carving noses...


Bob

[Mitchell]

Ahhh. Just in time.

[Ashbys]

I agree the simple way to get the nose is to cut on a corner. And your right many books and diagrams show this.

But oddly enough I don't often start a carving on a corner. Don't know why, jus I always seem to be on another point . Susan's web site offers a great way to start a face as well, simple and direct, the only problem I found with Susan's was learning the depth. Harold Enlow uses the same idea as Susan, and using his instruction I found the same issue. Harold does a lot of background work which really isn't detailed. Then in his step by step , he does a lot more than the step by step shows or explains.

Let's see if I can explain.
Using a walking stick for a work piece, the stick is going to be round , not the oval or (egg) shape needed to get the face. So unless you want to reshape the entire stick your going to find a point to start.

Once you find this point you need to determine , am I going to relieve the staff entirely or just where I want the face. Most carvers look at just the area of the face. Now you have two choices.

The first being to build the general face structure or not. If you build the structure , you will be carving to get the general front egg shape. Which will place the chin, and the top of the head then you can angle cut from the front center to the outside edges giving you a cone shape. This cone shape will become the starting point for the face.

The second choice is to draw a general outline of the eyes nose mouth areas and then follow Susan's three notch method. Using this method you will get the frontal fiew to look correct , but will need to releive the face as you go as the depth has yet to be determined. It is the depth that gives the face structure. The more it is releived the larger the nose.

I agree with Mitchell, if you get the face correct the nose will be correct. I also know that most books or references to carving faces rarely speak of the background work. Using the edge of a square block gives you a face based upon a 90 degree angle. But very few faces are 90 degree. Most will fall into the range of 60 - 75 degree. They are great when you first start because they give a better understanding of instant facial depth. Where they fault is they give you little understanding of dealing with the non formed angles and how to correct the depth problem caused from too much wood.

Anyway this is my opinion.

Ash

[justanick]

Hi all! Thanks for all the god advice. I certainly will add the book to my library.
and put all the suggestions to good use. thank you all.