Finished Wood Spirit

[Irishman]

I was able to finish this wood spirit by working into the wee hours of the night yesterday. Many of you will recognize it as the style is similiar to another one I did a few months ago. This heavy 2.5 piece of red oak has been dubbed King Sirrus...name provided by a novel I'm reading. The other one I did was popular with my fans...all two of them...what's different about this one is that the beard was reliefed and painstakingly parted with my recently fixed parting tool.
Patrick

[AlArchie]

VERY NICE WORK!! The face is exceptionally expressive and the eyes really grab ya!

Al

[GaryMc]

I really like your Spirits Patrick,, I love the way you do your eyes!
GaryMc

[Kenny_S]

Way Kewel Patrick!

[Spookhouse]

Very nice i like the thin hair detail

[Blake Lunsford]

Patrick,

Still looking for that tutorial on your eyes. Sure like the way they turn out. Can you give us a hint....is there any burning involved???

Great work!
Blake

[Colin-Partridge]

Patrick,
Wonderful carving just love your expressions. I agree the eyes really have it. Yes you must share with us an eye tutorial. BTW what kind of wood is it.
Colin

[Irishman]

Thanks everyone. Its great incentive getting feedback...especially the kind that helps me improve. Remember that I haven't been at this for long so I expect to keep learning for a number of years yet.
Blake - the eyes are burned in with a basic burning tool. As for a tutorial....well, I wouldn't know where to start as I have never done one before. I feel I am very much a student still. Much of the appeal to the eyes is that I set them in well beyond the bridge of the nose (which gives them depth) and try to ensure I wrap around the face to so the profile let's you see the eyes. The other tip I got from my instructor has to do with where the cheek bone lies in comparison to the eye socket itself - in otherwords form the bone structure underneath...I'm still working on that part.
I will do my best to take a few pics of the various stages of doing the eyes the next time I work on a wood spirit.
Colin - the wood...I am told, is red oak. A few thought it might be elm. All I know is that its very dense and heavy, but it has a rich color when oiled.
.
Patrick

[squbrigg]

Patrick.....make that three fans, cause I love your work!!! Great job. I know you still consider yourself a student, but I'd say you have graduated and are well on your way. To me, a student is one who is still learning to use the basic tools, you have well mastered the basics and are now in the ranks of carvers, interpreting the wood to express themselves in your own way. Well done, I love the face, magical!!!

Bob

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Yop did a great job on that ! But its not finished!! He needs to be a "Mountain Man", put on a animal skin hat and maybe a feather or two and how about a bead or ? necklace?