Interpretive Loon

[Orygoner]

I've been working on a loon carving. Thinking it's finished but I've got to look for awhile. The nice thing about doing a natural finish is that the "painting" is easy. The finish is about 8 coats of Watco Satin Poly with a finish application of Brie Wax.

This is made from a Stiller pattern. The wood in black walnut. I selected a piece with some sapwood for the wings so I could get the light color on the trailing edges. The wings were carved separately and inserted. Dark colored lower base is walnut and the lighter color is spalted Aspen. Tule reeds are also walnut w/ varying amounts of sapwood included.

Eyes are painted with acrylics covered by a couple of coats of Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails nail polish to give a glassy look.

[pallin]

It's quite lovely, Randy.

[Nancy-G]

Oh my goodness -- that's wonderful, very beautiful. What a great use of beautiful woods.

[Claude]

Great carving, Randy.

Think about entering the next Ward World competition with it...

Claude

[carver33]

Randy,

Beautiful piece. I'm kinda' partial to naturally finished stylized pieces, and this is a fine example.

[bigEd_H]

That's is beautifully done, Randy. Excellent finish. I agree with Claude, you should enter that in competition.

[Bill V]

Beautiful carving and finish.

Bill

[Dan Wegiel]

Beautiful carving and finish.

Dan

[squbrigg]

Beautiful piece of carving Randy. Black Walnut finishes so beautifully. Great job.

Bob

[Paul_Guraedy]

Getting inserts right is difficult enough when the piece is to be painted. To do it on a natural finish...........well, that's almost un-natural. Tremendous job. And then eyes,,,,,,,I thought you had used glass!

An excellent carving!!!