[susieq]

This is a piece I just finished carving and am getting ready to paint. I don't know how clear the pictures will post but he is holding a strap of jingle bells and the "naughty n nice" list. There is a sprig of holly leaves and berries on one side of his hood. When I started him I carved the head first. After the face was pretty well roughed out I realized that the piece of wood was too tall for the thickness or width of the piece and he was going to look funny.

So I took him over to the bandsaw and cut his head off right below the nose, then cut another section off, then re attached the head. The glue joint is quite visible now but when he is painted it won't show. I have already lightly penciled in where I will paint his eyes looking. I have also carved a small walnut pipe which is why his mouth is the shape it is....
susieq

[susieq]

The bell strap had enough wood originally, to carve the bells from it as one piece, but I didn't like the way they were turning out so I shaved them off and carved individual bells and attached them to the strap. I also added a gingerbread man to sit on the fur trim at the hem of his robe. He is also attached as a separate piece of wood. Oops, this picture is of the scroll for the naught n nice list and a view of the holly leaves and berries... I thought I put the other picture on here too but maybe they don't allow two pics in one post.
susieq

Ok, now it won't let me post the bell strap view, it says I already did. I see a link for it but not the picture so I guess you have to click on the link to see that view....geez, and I thought I had this posting pics thing figured out.....not!

[Lynn O. Doughty]

Nice! Is this the same piece from your earlier post where he is emerging from the block? If it is I feel sorry for him. Here he sticks his head up a little and then gets it lopped off! Only kidding.

There have been a lot of posts lately about adding pieces to a piece in progress so your post is really on point. Could you explain the process you used as it looks like an excellent example of how to go about it with a solid result!

Again, great work!! Nice website too!

[Anthony Filetti]

....simply stunning...nice job!

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Thats going to be a great looking santa!

[susieq]

Thanks guys,
Getting the time to paint him will be the trick now..... We have company coming in a few days...with grandkids.

Lynn, no this is not the same piece that is in the emerging thread. I took the pictures of both pieces last night and posted them. Emerging still looks just like that, but today is my day off and I plan to head to the studio with that block of wood here in just a minute.
susieq

[gene messer]

Going to be a beautiful Santa Susan .. We can tell already ... please let us see the finished piece .. Love the beard ..
Thanks for sharing ..

[susieq]

Thank you Gene,
He was a special order through my website. A lady saw a similar one and asked for a customized one done in white. I will post him again after he is finished. Thanks again.
susieq

[Mark N. Akers]

SuseQ;
Great job on the Santa,can't wait to see it painted.

[jillsy]

This is a perfect example of previous discussions about whether it's ok to carve from one piece of wood, or attach glue-ons. I see nothing wrong with all the extra lopping and gluing. Seems alot harder this way, but look how much you can accomplish!! Someday I'll try it!