First In-The-Round

[kcwaterguy]

As I said before, I finally made it to the local carving club meeting and got some pointers. So I walked out with a few little sticks of basswood and a paintbrush cutout. Here are the results of my learnings that night after I got home...

[Claude]

Looks pretty good for a first one!

A suggestion: take a look at the wood spirit's left eye. It appears to have a little hole in the outside corner, and it looks like his iris with him looking to his left out of the corner of his eye. If you put a little hole of similar size in the inside corner of the spirit's right eye, it would also look like an iris with the spirit looking to his left. (I learned this from looking at posts on this forum.)

Claude

[tgamble57]

I think it looks real good for a firstBouncing S

[Thomp]

For a first in the round carving they look pretty good and you were given good advise,

most first time carvers of in the round tend to not carve deeply enough into the wood as far as round is considered,

something not apparent here. but remember on future. remember to back up and look at the rough out before detailing, and see if its in-the-round,

most begining carvers tend to leave a lot of square edges and flat surface to their carvings like leaving the back rib cage flat rectangle and lots of flat surfaces. sqiare legggs and such. usually due to lack of planning or using a scrap too small for the project.
its a great look if your carving quick easy primitives but remember in the round means all the way around....
your off to a great start dont stop now.
Thomas

[Lynn O. Doughty]

Thomp pretty well hit on the main problem of beginning carvers. I call it the "corner-carver" syndrome. Cut out the blank, knock off the corners and paint it! From the appearance of your carved face you've advanced beyond that problem. You've rounded the features and by doing that cleared the first hurdle of learning to carve.

Your next step should be to refrain from using your knife as a pencil. By that I mean don't draw the outline of features with the point of your knife. Look at the nose and mouth....see how they look drawn more than carved? The eyes look good as that is just about the only area on the human face that has clearly defined "lines".

When you do a face you should remember that, underneath the surface is a skull and the shape of any outlying muscle and skin is determined by it. Get a mirror and look at yourself while you carve the face. It's one of the best tools to have in the shop.

[whitecree]

Not bad at all. If I hadn't turned my first efforts into ash, I'd show you some real mistake-laden stuff.

Get your features a little deeper next time, and don't be afraid to get weird. That wood spirit above would look kind of neat if he was wall-eyed.

[Thomp]

kcwaterguy,

I think i need to explain something,

first of all you have received a lot of constrictive help and information for one post, but one thing that wasent told i think you need to know,

not long ago i remember from a post on commenting to beginners on their efforts, where it was discussed that it seamed more post from novis and experts were just attaboys and doing good keep it up similar comments without actually telling the beginner how to get better or instruct them to see their mistakes,
so it has became an effort of mine to apply constructive comments, I'm sure all who post to beginners in instructional comments do intent the beginner to flourish into a master carver..

so don't take any of the comments i or other carvers make to hart, as if we are picking on you... or we are being down on beginners..
there is simply a lot to learn....to be a self sufficient carver. then you still you need to trade ideas.

we are all beginners at one phase of the other within wood carving, the only difference is some of us understand tools woods and have experienced lot of different situations . like twisted grain, and soft spots, unexpected knots, sealers, tints, oils, paints, and finishes......

practice makes perfect..

you hear' it here, on this site "after you carve a hundred of the same thing you'll be good at it" mostly Christmas/holiday ornament makers but it stands true...

don't be discouraged if you got to much instruction for a simple post.
but hopefully this line of constructive criticism will start to be the norm here and insure this to be the best site for beginners novice's and old sages to exchange the trade or hobby.

Thomas

[Eleanor]

"When you do a face you should remember that, underneath the surface is a skull and the shape of any outlying muscle and skin is determined by it. "

I have a good way of pointing out to people how rounded the area below the nose is, like an animal's muzzle in a way. Take a look at a pair of false teeth - full set of course - it's a horse shoe shape - that shape sits behind the lips pushing them out in a curve! When you put your hand round your "muzzle" to say "oops" it goes round in a curve too. Yet loads of people paint, draw and carve or model that area as if it were flat. Including yours truly till someone pointed it out to me....I like your first carvings , post some more soon!

[rick-in-seattle]

KC,
I wish could have carved that good when I was starting out.

I have been carving since 1966, but your carvings look better than mine did in 1995.
You are very lucky to have carving help.

I didn't meet another carver until about 1993.
I have come far in the last 11 years.

[Callynne]

Yes, I agree, good first pieces KC! Be sure to number and date your pieces so you can keep track of your progress!

Lynn's advice about looking at yourself in the mirror is one I use (and advise) a lot! I recently did a witch, the lady who has her said she loved her face, especially her nose.....I said "I just looked in the mirror!" Talking

Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing with us! Deborah