Question for small carvers

[Robert Cahill]

I just downsized Steve Prescotts Blockhead pattern down to a 2" size and realized that part of my problem in doing small patterns is I can not do a young looking face. I also tried to do a nose as nice as Tom Ellis did in a jack Price carving I received from him and now have to explain that the Frair I carved was a boxer first and had his nose broken quite often.
Is there any secret for a small pattern to do different age groups other than practice and believe me I do a lot of that. I tried to do mr goodboy from the Jack Price CD and could not get him to look as young as in the pattern. Any advice will be appreciated.

[urbansheepdog]

To be honest Robert, I'm not sure if my wee guys are old or what! I normaly make mine look older by hair colour or lack of it plus 'furrow lines' down the side of the nose and mouth. I think younger faces don't have these and maybe slightly bigger eyes. The only deliberately young figure I did was a school boy but he had his hair over his eyes and his clothes suggested he was a youngster.

[JJireh]

I am not familiar with the patterns, but young faces and female faces can be challenging for the same exact reasons; roundness and line depth. Younger faces have tighter skin if you will so less hard lines. Try to blend the areas of change (mouth furrows, lines under eyes, brow) and they have a little more 'baby fat" around mouth and cheeks.
Try not to sink the eyes too much into the 'skull' make them more flush with the surface of the tops of the cheeks.
Hope that kinda helps
Sean

[Robert Cahill]

Thanks for the hints. I did even out the lines around the face lines and it helped a lot. After looking I had slits in my eyes and the pattern was bigger and rounder. Will try again. Thanks for the advice it was helpful. I also need to learn to be more observant

[Tom Ellis]

Robert, Try making a little more wedge shape of the nose where it angles back from the centerline to the nostril cut by the start of the smile line by the cheek. Early on I had a tendency to leave real flat noses, and very wide in the front. Jack Prices book, and carving these little guys got me real comfortable carving caricatures. Just move up to a little bigger size as you progress. You can't carve too many of them. Practice make perfect .

Good luck, Tom

[Robert Cahill]

Thanks Tom I will surely practice that. I really like the way you did your nose on the Jack price type fellow. I didn't have it with me when I did the friar and the nose was a little crooked thus the boxer remark or I'll just say it happened gettin Robin Hood out of trouble
I will use yours as a study guide including wrinkles in clothing and nice even cuts.