Carving A horse Head - Just How Thick Is It?

[Lynn O. Doughty]

As a couple of you are having problems with the current project on my Blog I think it's an important enough point that it should be expanded on as it applies to just about every aspect of doing a carving from a pattern.

First off, before you even think about searching through the woodpile for a piece of wood to use ...do a little research to find out as much as you can about the subject you are about to carve. Get on the net, go buy a book, better yet find the thing, living or otherwise, you're going to carve and study it, photograph it, draw it. Do whatever it takes to help you see how it works. Don't rely only on the photos in the carving book. Do these things and you will be rewarded with a better carving.

When laying out the drawing on a piece of wood to cut the block you must leave excess wood OUTSIDE the drawing line to carve away. If you cut your block following the exact line of the drawing you have just cut out a silhouette.....what's left to carve? Always, ALWAYS allow yourself some wood on the outside of the line to carve away. Do not expect the author of the article or pattern to have allowed for this or to furnish you with everything you need to accomplish the project. This brings us to the problem of just how thick a horse's head should be. The answer?

.......AS THICK AS IT SHOULD BE!

On my Blog post I mentioned that the head should be cut from a piece of 2" thick basswood. By saying that I did not mean that the head should be 2" thick. I had assumed that, as most basswood stock available that would measure up to the thickness needed would be 2". One inch is to thin, 1-1/2" would be okay but it would be best to have a little extra, so I went with 2 inch. I only gave the side profile as I thought that would be all that was needed. I still believe that. Some of you commented after cutting that profile that the head was to thick. Sure it is! We've still got to carve that Cayuse! Another cut his 2" profile in half giving him a 1" thick block. Big mistake! After any carving that's going to be one thin nag that is in need of a major injection of oats.

I went down to the shop and brought back the finished horse head along with the one we're working on. Getting out my tape measure the finished head measures 1-3/8" thick across the horses head. The unfinished one measures 1-1/2" as we're not done yet! The shoulders of the unfinished horse bust measures 1-1/2". So, from the 2" thick block I started with I've taken off 1/4" on each side. Not much really. Do you see the importance of allowing for some extra wood?

To sum this up....

1. Do the research. As much as you can.
2. Allow for some extra wood. Cut on the outside of the line.
3. Have fun!!

[JIM QUILICI]

Wowzers..... What A Great Blog. .....lynn I Cannot Believe You Are Not Writing Books. And Making Millions Of Dollars And Being Able To Drive A Cadillac. My Friend You Make It Look Easy . Hope You Don't Mind If We Pick Your Brain And Even Use This Pattern To Make Our Own Horse. All I Can Say Is That Horse Head Looks Just Like The One In The Movie Godfather.
Jim

[Kenny_S]

No wonder mine looked like a horse's butt, I started on the wrong end.

[Lynn O. Doughty]

Jim....Thanks. I really appreciate your comment and as always, glad you're getting something out of my efforts. You're right about the Godfather comparison.....I woke up this morning screaming thinking I have to finish that horse project! Thanks again.

[whitecree]

Originally Posted by JIM QUILICI

Wowzers..... What A Great Blog. .....lynn I Cannot Believe You Are Not Writing Books. And Making Millions Of Dollars And Being Able To Drive A Cadillac's.

If he was that rich, he'd be riding his horses all day and we'd never get him back into the shop!

[Thomp]

Lynn,

I know its got to be discouraging when you got to teach a bunch of unruley kids,,,that dont or wont listen or think for themselves,... daah

your teaching is just a bit different than most, as you want us to research and think a little for ourselves..
sorry if i was a problem or pain,

the bloggs you make are as good as in any book, and i for one will line up to buy your book when published,
thanks for sharing your education, skills and techniques...

[GeorgiaCarver]

I'm the one with the thin old horse in need of oats Cool

My block was actually thicker than 2" to start with, soooooo, I ended up with 1 1/4" after carving. I think it looks prety good. Did some research and the proportions look right.

Lynn, nice work on the blog and the project. I can't wait to see your work in person.

GregThank You

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

that business about finding the real thing and looking at it doesn't work, I wanted to do a carving of a DoDo and you think you can find a DoDo when you need one? ....Well sometimes........here Kenny, here Kenny ! lol

[Kenny_S]

I resemble that!!!!!!Dodo is what dodo does. Or is that DOODOO?????

[Kenny_S]

Hmmmm, Lynn as much as said there are block heads trying to carve his horse head. Hmmmm, I started from the wrong end. Block head, Me? Don't answer that Dave!i