undercutting feathers

[bird carver]

Thanks Joy for the complement, I can't wait to do the burning. The way Im going it's going to be soon. Time to do my experiment, take care.

bird carver (Rob)

[Marc Barger]

You can create that same look of feathers being raised with undercuts and painting. I myself have found that it's more reasonable to create something that's going to be 'structurally sound' and just look thin and delicate than actually make it so delicate that it has a real good chance to break someday down the road. As an example I just carved another butterfly (Tiger Swallowtail) Wings look paper thin as it's viewed but in reality only the edges are thin and the rest of the wings are thicker to give it some long time durability. If I were going to try lifted feathers on the owl you're doing, I would've planned that before hand and gave those areas some extra 'beef' to allow me to carve those into it. As it is now, if it were mine, I'd be thinking I had to take the areas around where the lifted feathers will be down to allow the carving in of the lifted feathers. Does that make sense?

[bird carver]

Hello everyone the experiment is done. I need a poll on which side looks better the left side on pictures 2 and 3 or the right side on pictures 2 and 3? The left side was using the water method, and the right side is the normal undercutting. Of course the left side took longer, but it wasn't bad.

bird carver (Rob)

[bird carver]

Thanks Mark I understand what you mean. My whole thought on the idea was that you know how some birds have 1 or 2 or so feathers scattered that are lifted up and some times twisted to the side, that is where I can try this method. Also I use crazy glue on any delicate areas on my birds to help strengthen those areas. I know I still have some risk of handling the bird with possible damage done to it. Thanks Rob

[Treever]

For effect, the left side is more dramatic and gets that lifted look with shadow underneath. Very nice looking, indeed. But like the others, I'd be concerned with them breaking off. But what the heck...sometimes you have to push the envelope and experiment to see how far you can take it!

[bird carver]

Thanks Treever for your thoughts. I will limit myself when Im doing this because of it being so fragile. Thanks Rob (bird carver)

[mark yundt]

True ,the left side is a bit more dramatic looking,,wouldn't be difficult to do just carving it as well...but very unnatural looking. Feathers tend to "cup" towards the body of the bird,,if you look at actual feathers they don't lay like this and they have a natural curve and cupping shape to them.The only time feathers really lift this much would be if it was windy,otherwise they tend to lay pretty snug against all the other feathers.The other time MIGHT be when they're turning or dropping their head quite a bit you 'll see slight separation.

If a bird is standing striaght up and down,,this wouldnt' happen.