My attempt at a greenman

[mikeGinSC]

This is a piece of Sassafrass scrap. I need some help, I'm thinking. Thanks.

Mike G. in SC

[doris]

what kind of help do you need ? he is in so early stage i cannot recognise what you feel as a problem. would love to give some hints though, if i only knew what you wish to know ...

looking more at him, i think you maybe not see what do do next ? it is a nice start, you have made yourself clear where the features go, and a first impression where leafes should go. now the next thing would be, to carve deeper, the carving is very flat right now. so, for example, it would be one of the next things i would do is to carve on both sides of the nose to make it stick out...dont detail to early, find the big shapes first...

[mikeGinSC]

Thanks Doris. I was thinking the eye sockets needed to be deeper, but wasn't sure. The area I'm carving in is only 2 inches by three inches. Don't know why I insist on carving so small. Stubborn I guess. It didn't even start out as a greenman...it was just a face until I saw yours. Thanks again,

Mike G. in SC

[doris]

yes, eyesockkets deeper, would help too, and this comes naturally when you carve deeper for the nose ... keep going is a good start ...oh, really small, the smaller the more difficult...

[Sharon of the Dell]

You're off to a great start.Doris is right, on my carvings(not to many yet) I would try to put to much detail in right away.I didn't rough them out enough.Watching all these WIP, the lightbulb finally went off to take more wood off before I get to the details.Thanks to everyone for posting these WIPs.I really learn from all of you.

[Mottles]

YES, Doris and Sharon are giving you the right advice. So I'm just going to set back and watch you develop this one. Stay inspired and update often so we can see your progress.
Kathy

[Irishman]

Hey Mike,

Your off to a great start. Just got to take some more wood away to you get some depth in the features. Stay with the fundamentals for now. Be sure to visit the tutorials available here. Righ now you have much of the face sitting on the surface. If you look in the mirror you would see very few flat surfaces to consider starting with a wedge shape first, carve out the nose and set the eye sockets in. Your basically removing the wood to bring out the features as you carve down the wedge. The wedge shape keeps you from making the surfaces flat. Everything else will fall into place.
Patrick

[dicktilley20]

Hey Mike

How about a more simple leaf design....

You may use these for reference...

dick







This is not me!!!!

[mikeGinSC]

Thanks for all the replies and encouragement. Really appreciate it. The leaf that I'm using is a template I had my wife make for me. She does paper crafts, cards, ect. She had just bought a punch from the craft store and it looks like a Sassafrass leaf. How appropriate I thought. Again, thanks for the replies.

Mike G. in SC

[mikeGinSC]

As soon as I upload the pictures from my camera, I'll show where I made some changes. I figured out that I had the leaves pointing the wrong way? After paying closer attention to the pictures Dick Tilley posted, I guess I had them pointed right after all...Doh!

Plus the fact I'm working through the growth rings is kind of hard to deal with. Did you know that the bark has growth rings? Another interesting fact...Rift sawn Sassafrass finishes out and looks like Chestnut.

Mike G. in SC