First Spirit/Carving

[dickparr]

This is my first carving. It is about 18" high and is made from cedar.

I guess I have wanted to carve for awhile now and these spirits are what has got me started. I mostly do wood turnings and would like to add some spirits to some of the bowls and hollow forms I turn.

Thanks for looking and all comments are welcome.

[Al_Hillis]

good start Dick . it looks like a spirit , if you did a little more detail on his eyes and nose he would be perfect. there is some excellant totourails on eyes and noses in the woodcarving tips post here , have a look at them. my first carving was supposed to be a bear , ended up looking like a duck that barely made it thru the hunting season.

Al
http://picasaweb.google.com/al.hillis/WOODCARVINGSMINE

[GaryMc]

Great way to start Dick, Spirits will hook you, they have me!
As has already been stated just start working on the details, you half way there.
P.S. send me an email and I will send you an eye tutorial.
GaryMc

[Lightningbolt]

Great job on your very first woodcarving! I only wish that my first carving had been a woodspirit since they too have become my favorite thing to carve AND they are a best seller too.

I'm not the best but the only thing that I'd reccomend is to try to give the hair more of an even "flow" as I think there's a little criss-crossing, then to run the hair sorta into the forehead... but Hey, maybe you're developing your own unique style too.

On the other hand I can only wish that I'd discovered raised eyebrows sometime during my first 5 years of carving spirits! Yours look good and I also like those pudgy-poking cheeks. Nice job!

Now, if this is your very first carving then you know that the tradition is to never, ever get rid of your very first. Mine is a spoon from the late 1960's and I'm glad that I hung onto it somehow... sorta like my "roots". You will really appreciate looking back at your first face several years from now and seeing the progress you've made.

Thanks for posting and keep at it!

[Colin-Partridge]

You have some excellent advice here and I am not sure I can add much. Just with the hair as stated before try not to cross he hairs. A slow S curve is how I try to teach hair and it is at various depths. But for your first carving I think he is excellent. I agree eyes would make that carving you have to give him soul and eyes would do that..
Colin

[dickparr]

Thank you everyone for the nice comments and great tips. I will need to work on your suggestions on my next one. I think I would like to add some color tones as well as better detail.

Thanks again.

Dick