Large Willow Tree Carving Finished

[Colin-Partridge]

Hi Gang,
Just got back from finishing up that large willow carving that I started last week. The customer was very excited about his carving and just loves it. The entire carving took about 12 hours from start to finish. It is finished with Sikkens Cetol 1 and 23 Cedar stain. The carving stands about 10 feet tall maybe a little taller and about three feet in diameter. There are two small spirits in the large carving mustache one smaller spirit above the lady and of course the lady and one other spirit in the root leading to the tree. BTW he liked the lady the best maybe I had better think of doing more ladies I have been avoiding them because they are hard to do.
Let me know what you think an any improvements I can make on the next carving.
Thanks
Colin

[Thor]

Great job on the Willow tree Colin. The lady really turned out nice. Her expression makes me want to see what she's looking at! Something shiny? or is it the little woodspririt in the root. That one is my favorite even though he's small. Great piece as usual.
I also like the big one where you used the shape of the tree trunk for the beard to follow.
Thor

[foundwood]

I think the one on the root is incredible. The only suggestion I could make would be to have the hair on future ladies start at a central point at the top of the overhead curve, and flow out and around, and then down the sides. Hair masses in front of the ears are not very large in terms of width away from the jaw line, or thickness on top of the head.
Profile sketches overlaid on a mask helped me gauge hair depth and thickness at different sections. A rough example is shown below. Obviously, no one is going to carve hair starting at Line 1. Section line 3 is the widest point in the carving, because the outside of the jaws make it so. W e also do not see any hair past the jaw line in a relief carving unless we make it billow wide, as if windblown.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Hey Colin, that guy in the first picture kicked off all his dirt!

[Ashbys]

Ok Colin,
How many spirits are in that tree ? I want to see the ones hiding in the beard !!!!!
And if you tell me you didn't put them there , then IU have to tell you it is time to stop carving them!

As they are aliens and multiplying !

I can see the tears in the guys face when he drops the lawnmower deck a bit too low and wipes out the nose !

They are really just awesome ! The lady came out well and the taper really helped make her form into the carving .

Well DONE mate!

Garry

[Kenny_S]

Colin, you do great work, I really like this one the best. All of your tree spirits are great but you have out done yourself. I like the lady and the root spirit the best. That isn't taking anything away from the rest of the spirits in this tree. Nice carving of a leg and shoe beside the root spirit. Talking

I salute you sir on a Fantastic job!

[Ashbys]

Foundwood ,
I would agree, in a relief carving that the hair would be taken into consideration to add the depth of the face. But for Colins woodspirts this would be correct.
The forehead is always pronounced and the hair comes in from behind. The only way i think you could place the hair to more of a center line would be to outline carve and chisel the upper to get the hair forward on the head.

I think she fits very well with Colin"s wood spirts and his style of carving.

Ash

[squbrigg]

Great job Colin, on all three carvings. The lady looks great, like something's caught her attention and she is having her own chuckle over it.

Well done.

Bob

[Colin-Partridge]

Thanks for all the comments I appreciate them.
Foundwood. I agree completly with what you say but the only problem with tree carving is that it is hard to make that happen. The tree trunk gets in your way when you are trying to get depth so most of my carvings are shallow relief. It is different when you can move your carving around or lay it down and work around it. With tree carving especially with a chainsaw the left hand side of the carving is awkward. The motor of the chainsaw will not allow you to get too close to the tree. I have learned through chainsaw carving to become ampidecteruous.
Colin

[foundwood]

Good points, y'all! Colin,I think the following picture is a better example of what I was trying to say about cross sections and hair thickness. This carving style would work with your chain saw techniques, as well, and you wouldn't have to contend with the motor.