Outside the comfort zone

[Smokey]

A few weeks ago I started a carving scene which I have titled "Winters Tragedy and Bounty". The scene requires 3 individual carvings--A hungry Kodiak Bear, an equally hungry Timber Wolf, and a winter killed Elk. Now the real problem is with the Elk. I have carved well over a hundred Deer ,Elk, and Moose, and am usually pretty confident with the finished carving. I normally strive for authentic musculature, skeleton, and pose. You can talk about going outside of your comfort zone and trying something different, well that Elk is different. When an animal dies and assumes it's "natural repose", you can forget about all of the normal rules pertaining to axis of symmetry, portion lines, and normal posture. You can't simply carve a standing Elk, then lay it on it's side with any degree of "naturalness"---Won't work. What a challenge. Well here is a thumbnail of a "normal Deer" and a few of the 3rd attempt at the "Natural mortality".

Smokey,

Very interesting question you pose, and your right too. Another criteria that adds additional elements to consider in your pose, would be the length of time being shown since the time of death. In other words, a fresh animal death is much different than a bodies compostion from a death three days old lets say. Boy your have alot of variables to take into consideration in this carving piece. Keep us posted with pics, love your deer by the way.

The only item I can bring into perspective with your "dead" carving is dealing with the head/mouth: I believe the tongue will always be hanging out.

Again, good luck and great question, makes us think "outside the box".

[electricbill]

SMOKEY...
that first pic. is great!!
might i suggest on the "prone" animal...the legs are usually apart (1 in front of the other) with all hoofs touching the ground, and the nose (tip) points to the ground.
as it is a "winter killed deer" i would show more rib bone (starved)
hope it helps...wish i could carve as good!!!
bill

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

electric bill beat me to it, yes separate the legs...

[Kenny_S]

All good suggestions. Head down more and tongue out. Your carving of a live deer is outstanding and the in progress one is outstanding. Good topic and one usually not considered.

Thank you from making us think and for sharing.

[squbrigg]

Only other thing I could suggest is the rib cage and "paunch"....the elk will be.....er...."deflated", no air in lungs, so the chest cavity will be slacker and the paunch will be distorted, as the entrails will be sagged against the ground. For example, look at your dog when he/she lays on their side, the belly shape changes. Agree with the legs splayed out more, not neat and tidy side by side. The head and neck is often extended and often looks disporportunate (sp?) .

Should make for an interesting carving scene, I would love to see it in the WIP section. Good luck. The standing deer is a beauty.

Bob

[Teri Embrey]

I think you've done a great job on this!!! "Natural mortality" looks good :-)


Teri

[AlArchie]

Smokey, the winter-kill deer are really quite decrepid looking.....faces are puffy, not sunken, limbs and ribs are emaciated, and by the time they hit the ground, the abdomen is usually sunken in pretty badly. If they have been lying there any lenght of time, the legs, hips and shoulders will also be collapsed onto each other. Just not a pretty sight. If you're not in a hurry, maybe next month (late November) I can get some photos of some wolf killed deer carcasses. Usually run across a couple durring hunting season. Winter-kill photos will have to wait till late February or March. Can probably find a few road kills, but they are still pretty fat, this time of year.

Oh, ya, great job on the standing doe...the spruce in the background's a nice touch, too!

Al

[Hugh]

Great job on the deer Smokey. Words are small, but that is really a very nice life like carving. Thanks for posting, I couldn't imagine such a carving of a deer.

[kaiserb]

Are you going for the look of a recently fallen elk or one that has been there a while?

Fresh fallen:

http://www.nps.gov/yell/slidefile/ma...ages/00380.jpg


The thing I noticed in the picture is the elk's butt is bent around under it. That is the spine with no muscular support does not stay straight.