Flat Plane carver traumatized

[Cottonwood]

Recently at one of my Santa Face Carving classes I horrified a flat plane carver by suggesting the judicious use of sandpaper on selected areas of his Santa face he had just carved using my exaggerated realistic style. I had already talked him into carving away the sharp and cleanly cut broad flat planes that he had expertly achieved on his Santa face, but when I said the word sandpaper, he started to hyperventilate! Ultimately, he suceeded in carving two faces but he said that he would do it without sandpaper, thank you.
That started me asking myself if I really needed to use sandpaper on my own carvings. Below are two Santa faces I have carved. One I have used sandpaper to refine and smooth some of the key areas on the face before painting. On the other face not one bit of sandpaper was used on any part of it.
Here are some things I have observed:
1. I tended to make cleaner cuts knowing that I was not going to have the crutch of sandpaper later on.
2. The paint (watered down acrylic) seemed to go on in a more uniform way on the smooth cut surface.
3. The certainly smaller planes that I cut into my Santa face, although much smaller than in the flat plane style, had a pleasing quality that was absent from the sanded piece.

Do I plan to throw away all my sandpaper now? Probably not, but I probably will use it even more sparingly in the future.

The two carvings are attached. Which do you prefer or can you tell much difference ?

Oh, and the flat plane carver is recovering nicely!

[tucker1931]

Millard, PLEASE, drop them into a box and mail them to me here in Canada. Then, and only then, can I judge the difference. I think they are both excellent and would be very happy to have them, sanded or not. By the way, how large are they?
Cliff

[big dave]

i don't use any sandpaper at all i don't like the results to me it takes away from the carving i want my carvings to look like woodcarvings. plus a good sharpe tool cuts cleaner and smoother than any sandpaper no matter how fine a grit i say why screw up a good carving with sandpaper. i should be against the law!!! just my opinion not that it matters.

p.s. i do sand spoons but thats a different story

[Bartster]

what is sandpaper? i dont use it either like big dave has said a good sharp tool will be better that sandpaper.


bart

[xsailer]

Hey Millard,
I definitly like the unsanded one better. I was in your class last week and saw in person the sanded one and it is indeed nice also but the unsanded version brings out the carvers cuts which personally I like seeing.

By the way It's nice to be able to put your face on your WCI forum name. Just think in the hopefully near future we will have a WCI nameplate so we forum folks may give a nod to each other when we see another.

[Buckskin]

Originally Posted by wood-whittler

what is sandpaper? i dont use it either like big dave has said a good sharp tool will be better that sandpaper.


bart

I am with you there! I do have some sand paper though, but its no where near my carving stuff.

[Merle Rice]

Hi Millard, Your Santas are great weather you sand them or not. To me sanding doesn't diminish your Santas one bit. Just my opinion, and a good one. Ha, Ha. Merle

[Butch_Speer]

They're both very nice carvings but, I do like the unsanded one best.

[Kenny_S]

I have to agree with Merle, No matter if you sanded or not, both are excellent pieces.

JUst depends on what one likes or wants the use.

I normally don't use sandpaper on my carvings but do on bases.

[FARMALL RON]

Great job Cottonwood good looking santa............RON