[soulcade]

Hello, I was wondering how to make a spiral, where it looks as though rope or a snake is wrapped around a pole? Is there a book, or an online tutorial on this if its to much to explain? Thank you

-Kenny

[Ashbys]

Soul , I know there are a few tutorials to do this, the simplest answer is Cut your blank as large as you want your snake and shaft combined , then on the out side draw the lines where the snakes body would twist .

Remove the wood between the lines to the size of your staff.

This will give you a rough-out blank to work with . Then start rounding the edges of the snake. Once completed you will have a twisted snake on a staff. If you wish to get more agressive you can double twist the staff by doing a braid whihc will give you a twisted staff and a twisted snake .

Ash

[soulcade]

Thank you. What about making the staff straight? As if there are two pieces to the carving.

-Kenny

[Ashbys]

When you cut the sections out between the body of the snake , just maintain your depth of cut all the way around the center ,
the result will be a straight center staff.

Ash

[Tom H]

Give this site a try. It's about carving a snake into/onto a staff. Tom H

http://www.artsticks.com/SNAKEHOWTO.html

[squbrigg]

For rope, take a piece of Manila rope, the size you wnat to model, and use it as a guide. Tie some knots, give it some character. Use finish nails to tack it to a shaft. Don't bother with nylon rope or the other polyproplines, get some sisel, or hemp rope at a farm supply store. Use it for modelling the colour and texture, burning and lay.

Bob

[soulcade]

Thanks Everyone, very good information.

-Kenny

[Ashbys]

Kenny

Staffs are great learning tools. You can do so much to them , And remember , until it is finished it is just wood. If you make a mistake , you can always try again. If it is your first staff , choose a wood you know is good. Found wood is great , but can often be weaker than you realise. If your planning on using it when it is done, test it before you start. If it is weak when you start it will be weaker when your finished. Over sized is better than undersized.

Garry

[Kenny_S]

Kenny, another way in making the snake look seperate from the staff is to undercut the snake on both sides of the snake. It give the snake the rounder or rolled under effect.

[decoycarve]

To lay out a nice spiral get two rolls of masking tape in the withs you want. One with bing the body the other being the gap in between. Spiral them side by side down the stick then peel one off. Use a pencil to mark the edges of the remaining tape. Cut between the lines.
Goody