How do I make things even???

[Alice in Wonderland]

Since I don't work with patterns only out off my head ,I have trouble to get sides even. for instant, my Mongolian Face, to get both eyes even ??? I am almost through the wood because I am always changing to get it right.Are there special glasses I can get lol ???
another thing , the wood I am working with, how can I identify it?? It is very smooth, takes good details,a bit of grain.I know it is not Basswood or Pine. My husband thinks it is Poplar,could he be right??
Alice

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

sure he could be...and being a husband, he probably is! lol, there, that should start this off good ha ha.......as for getting the eyes even, turn the carving upside down, you will be surprised what you see when you do that...and you will be able to drawn the lines more even looking at it from that perspective

[Mitchell]

I use a staight edge - ruler, pencil, knife back - anything that is straight to "sight" across the nose.

Use a compass to measure eye size. you can then easily match the two.

Do the left eye first (if you are right handed)...that way, you can still see it when working on the right. If you do the right first, your hand will cover it up when doing the left - unless you do as Dave ("Hi Ho") states and do them upsides down.

Can't help with the wood type question.... a picture would help or more info. Poplar will not hold detail (depends on size) very well, so be sure that your tools are sharp.

[Tom-H]

Alice, All previous suggestion are good! But even more basic is to use an pencil and draw your cuts on the wood. Use light pressure and mirror one side to the other. Keep erasing and redrawing the cuts until they are the same "on each side". Don't start carving until the drawing of the cuts are proper. When you do start carving try not to do one whole side and then the other. Rather make a cut on one side, then make the same corresponding cut on the opposite side. This has helped me overcome using the knife as an eraser.

Tom H

[tnartist05]

Originally Posted by Alice in Wonderland

Since I don't work with patterns only out off my head ,I have trouble to get sides even. for instant, my Mongolian Face, to get both eyes even ??? I am almost through the wood because I am always changing to get it right.Are there special glasses I can get lol ???
another thing , the wood I am working with, how can I identify it?? It is very smooth, takes good details,a bit of grain.I know it is not Basswood or Pine. My husband thinks it is Poplar,could he be right??
Alice

Alice it could be poplar if it has color yellow streaks in it? Im proud of you that you dont use patterns. As for keeping the eyes level/even,if I was you I would use a pencil to make both eyes when you started a carving. I need to do that then least the eyes on people I carve wouldnt be one high and one too low!! LOL Keep up the good work~ Tn

[Hugh-P]

Hi Alice, work with a center line, use dividers to determine if the eyes are right. Mark in your eyes with a pencil. Draw them to size, and then hold it up to a mirror, this will give you an indication if the eyes are right. When you carve the eye holes, stay inside the exact circles you have drawn for them.(leaving the pencil line) If you have trouble drawing the eye sizes exact, use a plastic template, available from you carving supply distributor. The eyes should be right, If they don't look right after all of this, , take a look at the wood around the holes.

[Irishman]

Hi Alice,

Keeping features symetrical is a challenge at times. If you see in the tutorial on eyes I posted some time ago, there are lines drawn in a few places to get the eyes in position. The centre line is a great help as already mentioned. Make the lines long as you may wish to redraw them after carving away some of your lines.
I also draw an inverted triangle from the corner of the eyes down to the bottom lip. For the most part, this is used for another purpose but it helps serve as a guide when positioning facial parts. I use other techniques learned here and from my mentor I check in with now and again. Good luck.
Patrick

[Alice in Wonderland]

As usual all you guy's come through with help "Thank You"
I have tried measuring,drawing lines, carving right through them:-(((
as I said ,somehow I must not see right, I certainly will try your suggestions ,if I don't run out off Wood before, lol the upside down may work for Alice ,Hi Ho
I used to do Yoga and a Headstand was one of my favorite positions, so there you are.mI will e-mail myself this page so I have it under my nose.
Again ,Thanks
Alice

[Jim OH]

Alice,
Don't worry about making the eyes even, just make the smile come up a little higher on the smallest eye side ;O)
Jim OH

[susieq]

Hi Alice,
Hugh is right....keep your center line drawn in at all times as you work. Front back and even up the center on the sides. It is a huge help. The other trick I use is this.... I am right handed. For some reason, I can duplicate one side to the other better if I draw in the left side first (my left, not the carvings) then try to match it by drawing the right side in second instead of the other way around. If you are left handed, try drawing the right side first, then matching the left side to it. Looking at it upside down after drawing will also show you what might be a little off. Funny how our minds work.
susieq