Power of the mind

[ve3rin]

It has been a a few weeks since I joined this message board. I blame it for getting me off my duff and getting back to spending time with the wood and tools and putting my thoughts on wood.
One of the fellows in my seniors group started carving a Cobra snake while I was working on my first ever wood carving with the group project.
I thought that I would never be able to do that kind of thing but I asked him to send me pictures of his finished project. I got the pictures, and for the heck of it I grabbed a chunk of bass wood from the group and cut out a blank by guessing what it should look like and when I looked at it after the cut out was done I was upset at the mess that I had made and left it sitting in the corner of the work shop for over a year.
In the meen time the group took on the project of carving a novica nude female. We have been working on it for a while and I started getting frustrated not knowing or being able to follow a picture with my dyslexia but with help I am getting to see a lot more, but still frustrated.
I then felt that I had to get away from it and start some thing different to be able to clear my mind. I saw that blank and started to carve on it hoping that some thing might come to mind. Next thing I knew it was 2:30 am and that chunk of wood started to look some thing like a snake.
Well that was 2 weeks ago and now I feel that maybe I am being to critical of my self and not to rush but to change subject and let the mind take over and see what it can do.
I have attached photos of the 2 projects under way, the nude hasn't changed but the Cobra has taken a drastic change for the better. Will try to update the changes to the cobra.
Gary

[doris]

wow, that is a strong mind ! love both carvings, but that nude (you say you are beginner ?) is really something...funny, i had very recently posted a relief carving of a nude, in amost same pose... keep going, with a mind that powerful, you will create great carvings :-)

[Lightningbolt]

Thanks for telling the story behind both carvings which make them all the more interesting! I too (and continue to) have several carvings that sit around the shop for months and years before the time is right and the mind is finally set free to do what it will. I think that it's just part of the process sometimes.

[ve3rin]

Thanks for the comments Doris.
This is the picture that we worked from for the nude.
I must admit that when they say that princesses usually have strange birth marks in strange places they were right. "shoulder and butt"
I will probably let her sleep for a while and continue on with the cobra for now. Still a lot of work to be done on the head and back. Still looking for a pattern for the back That I can use. The head will require more detailing to accept a pair of fangs and forked tonge.



Question 1. What would be the best and easiest way to do fine sanding around the belly scales on the cobra. I find that the knife and or dremel still leave indents in the softer parts of the wood.
2. For those of you who do not paint their carvings. I hate painting!!
How or what is a good way to finish basswood carvings.
Although it is an excellent medium for me to carve, The lack of grain visible in the wood needs some thing to make it stand out.

[Ron T]

Hi Gary,

I'm a newbie too and also am afflicted with a disability. However, where you are able to execute but unable to see, I am able to see but have difficulty executing. Regardless, you are doing a splendid job with your carvings and overcoming the barriers before you. You are to be commended. It's nice that you included the background story. As Lightningbolt already stated, uit makes it more interesting.

[doris]

i cant help with the sanding question, but here is a good way to finish bass wood ( i learned from fred zavadil and modified it a tad for my use) ... first apply a thin coat of varnish, i use a non-glossy one. let soak a moment, then wipe all off with a tissue paper (that sort we use in kitchen). be sure to leave no poddles of varnish, as they would dra out white´ish...let dry a day. then (optional) repeat that. when dry paint on a coat of stain you like (optional too), i like use a selfmade mixture of teak and pine. wipe off the stain quickly again, so best apply it in a small part, wipe off, aplly next region and so forth. since you wipe off almost all stain imediately, you have control how much color you apply. the more you put stain on, in this way paint wipe off, the darker the coloer will be. the grain remains visible...when satisfied it will dry a day or so, and get a tad bit lighter in color. then i apply a briwax, either clear if color is now exactely as i want, or a colored one, to push the color even more. and brush only a little, since i not want too much shine, just a little... and, most important, carve a little test piece, and try the method first on this...

[chuckt]

Hey Gary - welcome to the forum. I too am a newbie. Read a LOT about carving - but my time to actually sit and carve is pretty limited. Also - I am rarely happy with my efforts when I do carve (the perfectionist within is MY disability).

I think you're doing a GREAT job on both carvings. Can't help much on the sanding questions - but you may want to consider using riffler files to clean up those areas. You might have a little more control. The other possibility I can think of would be to use a shaped stick (like a popsicle stick) with sandpaper of whatever grit wrapped around it (kind like a nail file). Just thoughts off the top of my head - no real experience with either so take with a nice big helping of salt. ;-)

Keep up the great work!!
Cheers
ChuckT