Lets see those first carvings.

[Goody]

Colin started a thread about what we did before we started carving. As I was answering his thread I looked up on the shelf at my first three carvings 20 years ago. They are usually kinda hidden from view but I got them down. As I was looking at them I couldn't help but to laugh at them. The canvasbacks eyes dont line up. The bodys are not round. And we wont even talk about the paint. I did improve a little after a while! some of the pictures of your first carvings
Here's a good laugh for everyone on me.
Goody

[Ashbys]

They look good to me =)

Here are my first and second . Grover was first .
Sorry Guys first pics were sized wrong .

[Paul_Guraedy]

Here are my first (decoy) and third (Santa) carvings. A couple of years ago I tried to trade one of my new carvings for some early ones that I had given to my sons. Suspicious about my enthusiasm, they approached their Mother for an explanation. When told that I wanted to get the early carvings back so I could burn them.........well, they still have them.

[Goody]

Paul,
Was the decoy from a kit that came in a little white box with Hutch decoys on it. Got the wood blank a set of eyes and some painting instructions. Those were produced in Maryland. As a matter of fact I have a lead on Hutches duplicator. Last year I tried to buy back the Third santa I carved and actually the first one I ever sold. I sold it for $25.00 back in 1986. I was up to $500 dollars and the customer wouldnt sell it back to me. I did trade him a new Santa for some pictures of it.
Goody

[Kenny_S]

No way am I posting pictures of my first carving(s). You guys put me to shame!

[AlArchie]

As far as my "whittlin's" early on, there ain't no pictures.

This Santa was my "first" carving that I'll lay claim to......and now you know why I don't do Santas! Karen insists on keeping it and putting it out every Christmas, much to my embarrasment.

The brook trout was my actual first carving after I retired in '93 and "started" carving. That's why I'll still do fish!

Al

[Ron D]

my camera went a few rounds with my youngest daughter and she won by tko in the second round.i'll see if my web cam will work though

[mikeg]

I'm not sure if I'm attaching this right, let's see.

Here are my 1st 'real' carvings.

mikeg

[Paul_Guraedy]

Goody, the decoy was carved from a kit in 1980. I was still doing leatherwork; but, was interested in trying my hand at woodcarving. Afterall, what did you need except a pocket knife and a limb! Just in case there might be more to it, I had ordered a Foredom and some bits.

Somehow I found information on ordering the decoy. As you say, it came with the eyes and instructions for painting. I do not remember the name of the outfit. Seems like it was "Bay Country Decoys" or something like that. I am pretty sure that it came from Maryland. I used this decoy as a "go by" to carve my fourth piece (half decoy) from a scrap piece of pine left from constructing my workbench.

Anyway, I had caught the carving bug and used an image from a book for my second carving (from redwood). The original cat figure was found during an archaeological dig in Florida. The carver would have had only shells and limestone available for tools. I wish mine looked as good as the original. This was apparently a good choice as one of the top carver's did this same figure a few years ago. This one was changed from the original to add human feet.
Now, 25 years later, with thousands invested in tools, wood, books, paint, seminars, etc., I am still learning to carve wood. At least, I am a little wiser on the pocketknife/limb part of carving.

[kaiserb]

Originally Posted by mikeg

I'm not sure if I'm attaching this right, let's see.

Here are my 1st 'real' carvings.

mikeg

Mike,

Are these from the Jack Price Carving Compact Characters book? I ran across his video the other day and it is great.

Your carvings look great.